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Cooking to Beat the Clock on A Chef's Table

Holiday Hors D'oeuvres 

With all the holiday party hassles, the last thing you want is to spend a lot of time on hors d’oeuvres. There are plenty of hors d’oeuvres that can be prepared in 15 minutes. Let’s start with olives. Put a mixture of black and green olives (not the ripe ones in cans) in a colander and rinse and dry them. Then marinate them overnight in olive oil, herbs (like thyme, rosemary, or marjoram), spices (such as garlic, fennel, or hot pepper flakes) and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Or make tapenade, which can be used as a dip or spread for bread, crackers or vegetables. To make tapenade, puree 2 cups of pitted olives with 2 tablespoons of capers, a few anchovy fillets, some herbs de Provence, a few tablespoons of olive oil, and a splash of Cognac. Dips in general are easy to do and can be made in advance. One of the all-time favorites is hummus, a puree of chickpeas, tahini (sesame seed paste), garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Serve it with pita bread cut into triangles and toasted. 

Cream cheese spreads or fillings are almost too easy. One of my favorites is smoked salmon spread. Take 3 ounces of chopped smoked salmon (or other smoked fish like trout) and combine in a food processor with 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, 2 tablespoons chopped dill, and just enough cream to make it smooth (about 1/4 cup). Then pipe or spoon into store-bought mini pastry shells or leaves of Belgian endive.

Chicken liver paté is not only quick, it’s cheap. Sauté 1/2 pound of livers and 1/2 cup chopped onions in a few tablespoons of butter until the livers are browned on all sizes. Add a few tablespoons of brandy or Madeira and ground allspice to taste. When the liquid turns syrupy, puree with 2 hard-boiled eggs and 1/4 cup heavy cream in a food processor.

Nuts are very seasonal and don’t take more than 15 minutes to toast in a 350 oven. Put the timer on so they won’t burn. If you like, spice them up with some herbs, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup before toasting.

I love melon and other fruit such as pears wrapped with prosciutto. Cut the fruit into bite-size cubes, wrap with the prosciutto and secure with a toothpick. Try this with dried fruit too, like dates, figs, and prunes.

Crostini are little toasts that can be topped with almost anything, from pureed canned cannellini beans to marinated sun-dried tomatoes with fresh mozzarella to sautéed mushrooms.

Wild Mushroom Crostini

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, about 4 ounces
2 cloves garlic
1 pound mushrooms, any mixture of wild and cultivated
Small French baguette, about 12 inches long
Olive oil spray
6 sprigs parsley, preferably flat leaf variety
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1)Turn on the broiler of an oven or a toaster oven. Put the broiler rack 8 to 10 inches from the heat source.

2)Put the oil and butter in a 12-inch sauté pan, skillet or wok over medium-low. Halve, peel and quarter the onion. Peel the garlic. Put both into a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse just until chopped and scrape into the skillet. Increase the heat to high. If using shiitake mushrooms, remove and discard stems. Fit the food processor with the slicing attachment. Slice the mushrooms and add to the skillet. (Vegetables may be chopped by hand but it will take longer.) Cook, stirring periodically, until mushrooms wilt and begin to turn brown, about 5 minutes.

3)Meanwhile, cut the baguette into 24 to 26 slices 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Lay on a sheet pan, spray with olive oil spray and toast until lightly browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn the slices over, spray with olive oil spray and toast 1 to 2 minutes more, or until lightly browned.

4)Meanwhile, chop the parsley leaves. (You should have about 2 tablespoons.)  Add the wine, chopped parsley, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste to the skillet. Cook until the liquid evaporates. Refit the food processor with the steel cutting blade. Put the mushroom mixture in the food processor and pulse until chopped but not pureed. (Or finely chop by hand.) Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of the mushroom mixture on each toasted slice. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 6 to 8.

Per serving: 151 calories, 4.5 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrate, 5.8 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 4.4 mg cholesterol, 218 mg sodium.