Nile Hors d'Oeuvres: Salmon Tartare and Tuna Niçoise Croutes

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

After we got off the Cairo to Aswan overnight train, we were taken to our hotel. There was a meet and greet in the lobby where we were offered beet juice for refreshment. After a rest from the heat of the day, we started out to explore the city of Aswan.  We visited the markets, the quarry, the unfinished obelisk, and the botanical gardens. Before dinner we watched an Egyptian wedding from our hotel window. The reception was lively and filled with dance and song and laughter even in the extreme heat. Remember it was 130 degrees when we got off the train.

The wedding party was held on the rooftop of the adjacant apartment building.  One of our group, Elizabeth, decided to go over to the reception and danced.  We all watched from my room as she had a great time crashing the wedding.  After we collected Elizabeth, we went to dinner at a floating restaurant on the Nile featuring a Nubian dance show.  We all danced the night away, and in the wee hours of the morning made our way back to the hotel.  I do not need my journal to remind me what a beautiful, beautiful evening it was.  There was a cool breeze, bright moon, wonderful conversation, and many memories to relive over a lifetime.  We all came together that night in a spirit of true friendship and humanity.  That is what travel is really about.  Experiencing different cultures, making connections with people of all countries in an almost spiritual way.  We were only together as a group for a few days, but I remember them all so vividly and with such fondness.  I wonder where they all are today.  Elizabeth, Gladys and Roger, Reva and Martin, Alan, Scott, and Nick.  More stories from Aswan in the next post.

Some of the sights everyone visits in Aswan: one stop is the quarry where there is a gigantic semi-finished obelisk, dating from the New Kingdom.  It  would have weighed a staggering 1,197 tons if completed.  The obelisk was abandoned apparently because of a flaw.  This ancient quarry provided stone for many temples and building projects dating back to the Old Kingdom.  Another must see is the Botanical Gardens on Kitchener's Island, a small, oval-shaped island in the Nile.  The island was given to Lord Kitchener in thanks for his services in the Sudan Campaign from 1896 to 1898.  With the aid of the Ministry of Irrigation, Kitchener rapidly transformed the small island into a paradise of exotic trees and plants and carefully planned walkways.  A biological research station is present at the southern tip, which is closed to visitors.  The island is popular among the local people and tourists as a spot for weekend picnics or for a quiet afternoon away from the noise of the city.

 

The unfinished obelisk at the quarry in Aswan



Aswan's Botanical Gardens in Kitchener's Island

The busy Aswan marketplace:  I wanted to purchase a turquoise necklace, but I was surprised the shopkeeper would not bargain.  Erin and Eli bought Egyptian t shirts.  Elizabeth had to leave one shop as she was overcome by the horrific odor.

The outdoor market is a central feature of Aswan, Egypt’s southernmost city.  Spices, textiles, souvenirs, Nubian baskets, jewelry, and clothing were only a few of the available items.

Again I must credit my favorite experts on hors d'oeuvres.  All these recipes are found in Hors D'Oeuvres published in 1999 by A D K Publishing, Inc.® and written by Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell.

FRESH SALMON TARTARE CROUTES      [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

8 oz. of salmon fillet, bottom skin removed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. of cornichons, drained and finely chopped [Substitute baby gherkins, spices only slightly different and much less expensive; cornichon is French for gherkin]
2 tbsp. of capers, finely chopped
1 tbsp. of quality mayonnaise
1 tsp. of grainy mustard
1 tbsp. of tarragon, finely chopped
½ tsp. of salt
½ tsp. of Tabasco
20 peeled lemon segments for garnish
20 tiny pieces of flat leaf parsley for garnish
20 croutes [Recipe include]

Preparation:

Dice the salmon in small, bite-sized pieces, and place into a bowl. Toss the salmon with the lemon juice to coat. Cover and refrigerate for three hours. Drain off lemon juice and discard. Add the cornichons or baby gherkins, capers, mayonnaise, mustard, tarragon, and salt to the salmon. Stir to coat. Add Tabasco to taste. To prepare lemon segments, cut a thick slice from both ends of the lemon to expose the flesh. Stand upright and cut away the peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit. Using the tip of the knife, cut down both sides of one white membrane to release each segment. Spoon the salmon onto each croute. Garnish each with parsley and a lemon segment.

TUNA NIÇOISE CROUTES     [Makes 20]

 Ingredients:

8 oz. of tuna steak, 1-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ of a romaine heart, leaves separated
10 fresh green beans, washed
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 tsp. of baby capers, drained
10 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
10 pitted ripe olives, sliced
2 tbsp. of quality olive oil
1 tbsp. of red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. of quality mayonnaise
20 croutes [Recipe include]

Essential Equipment: 

Cast-iron grill pan

Preparation:

Cut the tuna steak into 1-inch cubes. Preheat the grill pan over high heat. Sear tuna cubes on both sides until firm to the touch, 2 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper. Cool. Cut stalks from lettuce leaves and discard. Cut each leaf into 1-inch pieces. You will need 20 pieces. Cut the green beans into 1-inch lengths, and put into a pan of boiling salted water. After the water returns to a boil, drain the beans and refresh in iced water. Pat dry with paper towels. Toss the beans, tomatoes, capers, anchovies, and olives with the oil and vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread each croute with mayonnaise, and top with a lettuce leaf. Place a cube of tuna on top, and garnish with vegetables. Serve at room temperature.

Tips:

Prepare vegetable mixture up to one day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. This will enhance the flavor for this recipe. Grill the tuna steak up to two hours in advance. Keep at room temperature until ready to assemble. Top croutes up to one hour in advance.

CROUTES    [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

7 medium slices of white bread
¼ cup of butter, melted
¼ cup of Romano cheese, grated

Essential Equipment: 

2-inch fluted pastry cutter
Preparation:Preheat oven to 300°. Cut out 3 rounds from each bread slice. Brush each round with butter and sprinkle with the Romano cheese. Place each on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 25 minutes.

Nile Chinese Spoon Hors d'Oeurvres: Coconut Saffraon Shrimp and Soba Noodles

Cooking Irish can also be found on Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

After sleeping 13 hours, we got up and looked forward to a restful day at the beach. Mediterranean beaches are not like our Florida or California beaches.  Besides the sun being so much hotter, beach etiquette is nonexistent.  You risk getting stepped on constantly by bathers walking to the water, by frisbee players jumping, or by kids tossing a beach ball.  Sand is flying everywhere.  Israeli children throw sand at bathers for sport. The parents say nothing.  Older boys and men play some form of paddle ball.  It is dangerous trying to get to the water for they play with wooden paddles and hard balls that hit anyone as he or she tries to make it to the shore.  The men leer at will with no subtlety.  For part of the day we could not go into the water to cool off for the red flag was posted.  First the waves were too high, and then the undertow was dangerous.  Bathers were saying a boy drowned.  You also risked life and limb if you tried to get any refreshment.  Europeans and Asians have a word for lining up--a queue, but I don't know why since it is anathema to them.  Americans seem to be the only people who understand the concept of an orderly line.  Whether trying to start to ski in the Alps or get food at a beach or get into a movie complex, it is a fight to the death.  You have to accept you are going to get elbowed and stepped on and yelled at. 

We stayed from 9 AM to 4 PM which we found out was much too long in those intense rays.  We were all burned, felt nauseous, dizzy, and tired.  When we walked back to our hotel, I left the key in the outside door, and the door locked from the inside, and we could not get out. 

Erin saved the day by climbing out the bathroom window onto the roof and retrieving the key.  We had pizza and went to sleep.  I woke up and found my face wet from blisters popping with my face swollen.  For the next few days I had the most beautiful tan.  Then the skin on my face started to develop lines all over.  I know what I would look like if I live to be 120.  If I was playing a wicked witch in a film or play, no makeup artist would be needed.  Then the lines cracked, and my face peeled.  What an experience.  And we used full sunblock.  Of course, this was in 1985 so the products were not as advanced.  

That was the last day I wrote in my journal.  We left the next day for London.  We stayed a few days in London and then flew home on British Airways to JFK.  I remember when we reached the airport and got off the plane, I wanted to kiss the ground.  I was so happy to be home after such a long time living in Europe.  Erin and Eli even commented on how everyone seemed so happy in New York.  It is such a different atmosphere.  Most people are just so much more somber in Europe and Asia and Africa.  Our cultures are so fundamentally different.  It was so nice to be home and hear laughter and see smiles.  Our adventure was over, but we had a lifetime of memories.  Erin went to Ireland for the summer the next year by herself, and I went back the year after that by myself.  Eli has never been back.  Though he has since traveled to Europe, I think Ireland was not his favorite place.

These are more photos of our holiday in Israel in July of 1985.  These are not on the Mediterranean but at the Dead Sea. 

Erin and Eli met a friend while floating in the saline water.

Erin and Eli in the Dead Sea

And once more I must credit my favorite experts on the hors d'oeuvres.  All these recipes are found in Hors D'Oeuvres published in 1999 by A D K Publishing, Inc.® and written by Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell. 

Chinese spoons are readily available online.  Numerous websites offer the white porcelain variety sold separately for finer quality spoons and in large quantity for lesser quality spoons.  I have a large number of the nicer heavy porcelain spoons to service a large cocktail party buying periodically in smaller quantities to fit my budget.
 
NILE CHINESE SPOON HORS D’OEUVRES

Photo of the fragrant coconut saffron shrimp in spoons from Hors D'oeurvres by EricTreuillle and Victoria Blashford-Snell

FRAGRANT COCONUT SAFFRON SHRIMP IN SPOONS    [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

20 medium shrimp, peeled and
1 lemon grass stalk
1 shallot, finely chopped
½ inch piece of ginger, finely grated
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Pinch of ground coriander
Pinch of saffron
1 tbsp. of sunflower oil
1/3 cup of coconut milk
¼ cup of salt
¼ cup of pepper

Essential Equipment: 

20 white chinese porcelain spoons [Spoons that sit well on a flat service and are easy to pick up work well with this recipe.]

Preparation:

With a small, sharp knife, cut each shrimp almost in half lengthwise, leaving the tail end attached. [ I always remove the tails even though they do make for a nicer presentation. You decide what is your preference. I don’t like my guests to have to discard the tails at a party.] Remove and discard the tough outer skin from the lemon grass and finely chop. In a non-metallic bowl, toss the lemon grass, shallots, ginger, garlic, coriander, saffron, sunflower oil, and shrimp together to coat each shrimp well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Remove shrimp and place the lemon grass mixture into a pan over low heat. Cook gently, stirring until fragrant, 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, salt, and pepper. Bring slowly to a boil over medium heat. Add the shrimp and simmer gently until they turn pink and lose their transparency, 3 minutes. Arrange one shrimp in each spoon. Drizzle sauce over each. Serve warm.

Photo of the soba noodles with sesame vinaigrette in spoons from Hors D'oeurvres by EricTreuillle and Victoria Blashford-Snell

SOBA NOODLES WITH SESAME GINGER VINAIGRETTE IN SPOONS     [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

½ lb. of soba noodles
1 tbsp. of pickled ginger, finely chopped
2 tsp. of chinese hot chili sauce
4 tbsp. of rice wine vinegar
4 tbsp. of dark soy sauce
4 tbsp. of sesame oil
6 tbsp. of sunflower oil
2 tbsp. of sesame seeds for garnish

Essential Equipment:

20 white chinese porcelain spoons [Spoons that sit well on a flat service and are easy to pick up work well with this recipe.]

Preparation:

Bring a pan of water to a boil over medium heat and add the noodles. When the water returns to a boil, add one cup of cold water. Continue cooking until the water returns to a boil. Repeat this process 1 or 2 times until the noodles are tender to the bite, 5 to 7 minutes. [Adding cold water to the noodles as they cook checks over vigorous boiling to ensure that the noodles cook evenly.] Drain and cool noodles in cold water. Leave in the colander for five minutes to drain well. Combine the noodles, ginger, chili sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sunflower oil and stir to coat the noodles well. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat until nutty and golden, 3 minutes. Divide noodles into 20 equal portions. Twirl each noodle portion around a fork to make a nest. Transfer to spoons. Garnish with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature.

Tips:

Cook and dress noodles in vinaigrette up to one day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Return to room temperature before serving.

Nile Hors d'Oeuvres: Three Recipes on Skewers

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

 

We said goodbye to Cairo at 4 in the morning.  We took a tour bus back to Tel Aviv. It is a beautiful, restful trip across the Sanai to Israel. You view the Suez Canal, cross the desert, and see the resorts that have sprung up on the Mediterranean. I remember the colors were so vivid: the sky, the water, even the sand. Every- thing seemed to sparkle. After 10 days in Egypt, it was nice to get back to a more Western culture. The end of our Israel/Egyptian holiday was a few days in Tel Aviv. Our hotel was right on the Mediterranean, right on the beach.  The Israeli staff was so much more helpful than their Egyptian counterparts. They confirmed our flight, arranged for transportation to the airport. It was another world. We were back.  And we were exhausted, completely exhausted. We were asleep at 7 PM. 

We were awoken with an early morning Jewish service.  The hotel was sponsoring a group of American teenagers visiting Israel for the first time, and they were chanting prayers in Yiddish.  The hotel offered a wonderful breakfast on the roof each morning.  The only other time I have eaten on a hotel roof was in Hong Kong when they offered an Oktoberfest on the top level of the hotel's parking garage.  Both experiences were interesting.  The breakfast spread was set up so we were dining right on the Mediterranean.  It was fun and a typical Israeli meal to break your fast: cottage cheese, tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, hard boiled eggs, cucumbers, sour cream, rolls, coffee, and orange juice. 

More on our days at the beach in the next post.  Even a beach in Asia is not the same.

Saying goodbye to Cairo:

One last look from our hotel: a final photo of Cairo from our hotel window in July of 1985

 

Typical scene of chaos near the pyramids

 

View of the Sphinz and Pyramid, again in July of 1985

And once more I must credit my favorite experts on the hors d'oeuvres.  All these recipes are found in Hors D'Oeuvres published in 1999 by A D K Publishing, Inc.® and written by Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell.  As ususal, I have slightly altered some.

 

LEMON MARINATED TORTELLINI AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO SKEWERS      [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

20 pieces of fresh spinach and ricotta tortellini [about 8 oz.]
10 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and halved
20 large fresh basil leaves

For Marinade:

1 tsp. of grated lemon peel
2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice
4 tbsp. of quality olive oil
Salt and coarsely-ground fresh pepper to taste

Essential Equipment:

20 6-inch wooden skewers

Preparation:

Cook the tortellini in salted boiling water until tender, 4 minutes or according to the instructions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water. Spread out in a single layer on a clean dish towel to dry. For the marinade, in a non-metallic bowl whisk the lemon and the oil until thick and combined. Toss the cooled pasta and marinade together to coat each piece well. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Assembly:

Place 1 sun-dried tomato onto each piece of basil. Thread 1 tortellini and 1 basil-wrapped sun-dried tomato onto each skewer. Serve at room temperature.

Tips:

Marinate tortellini up to one day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Assemble skewers up to four hours in advance. Return to room temperature before serving.

BASIL MARINATED MOZZARELLA AND CHERRY TOMATO SKEWERS    [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

1 red pepper, quartered and seeded
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp. of lemon juice
2 tbsp. of quality olive oil
½ tsp. of salt
1 tsp. pf cracked black pepper
20 [about ¾ of a lb.] pieces of bocconcini [baby mozzarella balls]
1 cup of fresh basil, finely chopped
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
20 large basil leaves

Essential Equipment:

20 6-inch wooden skewers

Preparation:

Broil and peel the pepper quarters. [Roast pepper quarters skin side up under a hot broiler, until charred and wrinkled, 5-10 minutes. Place either in a plastic bag or a bowl with a plate on top and let cool. The steam released by the peppers as they cool will loosen the skin. Uncover the cooled peppers. Peel off the charred skin, using the tip of a small knife. Scrape rather than rinse off any remaining bits of skin. Rinsing the pepper will wash away the roasted flavor.] Finely chop the roasted pepper quarters. Combine the roasted red pepper, garlic, lemon, oil, salt and pepper in a non-metallic bowl. Add the bocconcini and toss to coat each piece well. Bocconcini means “mouthful in Italian.” If you cannot find baby mozzarella balls about ¾-inch, cut bite-sized pieces from a large piece of fresh mozzarella. Cover and marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Next sprinkle the chopped basil over the marinated bocconcini and toss to coat well. Thread 1 cherry tomato half lengthwise and 1 bocconcini onto each skewer. Place each remaining tomato half onto a basil leaf and skewer making sure to pierce the basil leaf twice so that the sharp end of the skewer is hidden beneath the leaf. This makes for a nice presentation. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Tips:

Marinate bocconcini up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Assemble skewers up to 4 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate. 

FENNEL MARINATED FETA AND OLIVE SKEWERS   [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. of sesame seeds
20 cubes of feta cheese, about an 8 oz. Piece
1 tbsp. of fennel seeds
Grated peel of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. of lemon juice
2 tbsp. of quality olive oil
1 ½ tsp. of cracked black pepper
¾ cup of mint, finely chopped
20 mint leaves
½ cucumber, peeled and seeded
10 colossal pitted ripe olives, halved or 20 large, whole

Essential Equipment:

20 6-inch wooden skewers

Preparation:

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat until nutty and golden, 3 minutes. Cool. Gently rinse feta in cold water. Drain on paper towel. Cut into ¾-inch cubes. Toss the feta with the toasted sesame seeds, fennel, lemon peel, lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper to coat each cube well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours to allow the flavors to combine. Reserve a teaspoon for plate garnish. Sprinkle feta with chopped mint, and again toss to coat each cube well. Cut the cucumber into 20 ½-inch pieces. Thread one mint leaf, 1 olive, 1 cucumber piece, and 1 feta cube on to each skewer. Serve chilled or at room temperature. 

Presentation:

Stand skewers upright with the feta on the bottom standing on serving plate. Garnish the plate with the reserved mixture.

Tips:

Marinate feta up to three days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Assemble skewers up to 4 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate.

Nile Mini Salmon Croustades and Mini Caesar Salad Croustades

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

This post features croustades: the basic recipe and directions for making the mold or croustade and the fillings of salmon dill mayo and Caesar salad. They are wonderful little hors d'oeuvres made of filled buttery toasts baked in muffin pans to form the cup. You can really fill them with any ingredients you like, but the fillings found in my favorite hors d'oeuvres cookbook are especially delicious. Again we had many wonderful butlered hors d'oeuvres on a felucca cruise down the Nile in Egypt. I hope these posts presenting great hors d'oeuvres will inspire you to have a cocktail party or even use them for a Spanish tapas party.  The possibil-ities are endless.  I think I am becoming Mrs. Flax [Cher's character in Mermaids.]  I could eat these finger foods for every meal for the rest of my life.  That sounds like a good diet:  portion control made easy, but still full-flavored food.  I think I might be on to something.  Is there a diet regimen and cookbook in the making here? 

A little about the Nile River: the river flows north which is most unusual, and there is another river that flows beneath that is even larger.  It is generally regarded as the longest river in the world.  It has two major tributaries, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, the latter being the source of most of the Nile's water and fertile soil, but the former being the longer of the two.  The White Nile rises in the Great Lakes region of central Africa, with the most distant source in southern Rwanda, and flows north from there through Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda, and southern Sudan.  The Blue Nile starts at Lake Tana in Ethiopia flowing into Sudan from the southeast.  The two rivers meet near the Sudanese capital Khartoum.  The Nile ends in a large delta that empties into the Mediterranean.

The Nile (iteru in Ancient Egyptian) was the lifeline of the ancient Egyptian civilization, with most of the population and all of the cities of Egypt resting along those parts of the Nile valley lying north of Aswan.  The Nile has been the center of Egyptian culture since the Stone Age.  Climate change, overgrazing, drying up of the pastoral lands of Egypt--all contributed to the formation of the Sahara desert, possibly as long ago as 8000 BC.  The inhabitants then presumably migrated to the river, where they developed an agricultural economy and a more centralized society.

The Egyptians were able to cultivate wheat and other crops around the Nile, providing food for the general population.  Also, the Nile’s water attracted game such as water buffalo, and after the Persians introduced them in the 7th century BC, camels.  These animals could be killed for meat, or could be captured, tamed, and used for ploughing--or in the camel's case, used for travel.  Water was vital to both people and livestock.  The Nile was also a convenient and efficient way of transportation for people and goods.

A felucca near Aswan July 1985

Sailing on our felucca in the Nile River near Aswan in July of 1985. This is Nick, our Australian tour guide.

All these hors d'oeuvres recipes are found in my hors d'oeuvres bible:  Hors D'Oeuvres, a 1999 A D K Publishing, Inc.® cookbook, by EricTreuille and Victoria Blashford Snell.  I have made only slight alterations to these two recipes to make them more like the offerings on the cruise.

POACHED SALMON WITH DILL MAYONNAISE CROUSTADES    [MAKES 20]

Ingredients: 

^2/₃ lb. of salmon filet, bottom skin removed
20 croustades [Recipe included below]
Salt and white pepper to taste
Juice of ½ a fresh lemon
6 tbsp. of homemade or quality mayonnaise
2 tbsp. of fresh dill, finely chopped
20 dill sprigs for garnish

Preparation: 

Place the piece of salmon into a sauté pan of salted boiling water.  When the water returns to a boil, remove from the heat at once.  Leave the salmon in the water to cool completely.  Drain on paper towels and pat gently to remove any excess moisture.  Sprinkle with lemon juice.  Separate into large, bite-sized flakes and salt and pepper.  Fill each croustades with the salmon.  For presentation be sure to have pieces sticking up at various levels.  Combine the mayonnaise with the chopped dill and blend well.  Spoon the flavored mayonnaise into the middle of the salmon cup. Garnish each spoon of mayo with a dill sprig.  Serve at room temperature for full flavor.

Variation:  To create a subtle Asian flavor instead of dill use very finely chopped cilantro and instead of lemon use a squeeze of lime.

Tips: Cook salmon up to 3 days in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.  Fill croustades up to 45 minutes before serving.

MINI CAESAR SALAD CROUSTADES [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

2 Romaine hearts, leaves separated
2 tbsp. of homemade or quality mayonnaise
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Squeeze of fresh lemon
5 drained anchovy filets, very finely chopped or squirt of anchovy paste
2 tbsp. of parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
20 croustades [Recipe included below]
Pie-shaped piece of parmesan cheese to shave for garnish

Preparation: 

Stack salad leaves and roll up tightly.  Slice across the roll to make ¼-inch strips or chiffonade.  Flavor the mayonnaise with the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice and anchovy paste if using that.  My children were never anchovy enthusiasts so I always substituted the paste adding richness and full flavor and a bit of salt, but nothing over- powering that they ever expected.  If and your guests enjoy the taste and texture of anchovies, use the filets.  Toss the chiffonade with the mayonnaise, anchovies if using, parmesan cheese salt and pepper.  Generously fill the croustades with the salad. To make the parmesan shavings, cut out a slightly curved indentation from the longest side of the piece of cheese with a sharp knife.  Using a vegetable peeler to shave curls from the indentation.  Garnish with the parmesan shavings.

Tips:  Prepare the salad leaves or chiffonade [chiffonade in French literally means "made of rags"] up to one day in advance.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Fill the croustades up to one hour before serving.

CROUSTADES                [Makes 20]

Ingredients: 

7 thin slices of white bread
2 tbsp. of butter, melted
Essential Equipment:  1 rolling pin
1 2-inch fluted pastry cutter
2 12-cup muffin pans
Pastry brush

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 400°.  Roll out the bread slices thinly with the rolling pin.  Cut out 3 rounds from each slice using the pastry cutter.  Line each hole of one muffin pan with a bread round.  Using the pastry brush, brush each round with the melted butter.  Press the empty muffin pan on top of the first muffin pan.  Bake until golden brown and crisp about 10 minutes.  Repeat process with the remaining bread.

Tips:  make up to 3 days in advance.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  If you are making many hors d’oeuvres, put your pasta machine to unusual but most efficacious use by rolling out the bread in it.  Set machine on the third setting and roll the bread slices through twice.  Cut out the rounds according to the recipe.

Start planning that end of summer cocktail/ hors d'oeuvres or tapas party on the patio, deck, lawn, beach, or porch.

Two Nile Hors d'Oeuvres: Gingered Chicken Cakes and Eggplant Fritters

Cooking Irish can also be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

My cousin from Long Island and my sister from Annapolis came for an end of the summer visit.  We drove through the Adirondack mountains visiting many of the small lake towns and stopping for lunch in Saranac Lake.  Then on to Lake Placid and Whiteface.  We took the gondola ride up the mountain to view Lake Placid and the surrounding area.  It is a beautiful trek.  My cousin Ellen was a little apprehensive about the ride up the face of the mountain, and I was encouraging her with brave comments of past exploits.  I had taken the gondola up Masada in Israel and chairlifts up mountains in the Northeast during the fall foliage season.  But when we got on the gondola and the door shut and we started with a jerky movement, the gondola ride in Switzerland between peaks of the Alps instantly came back.  I remembered how afraid I was, and I remember swearing that I would never get on another one.  I tried to calm myself saying this was only going up the mountain, not between mountains so we would never be that far from the ground.  It only worked to a certain extent.  I was glad to get back on the ground and again vowed never to get back on another gondola.  I guess my fear is twofold.  I am becoming more and more afraid of heights as I get older, and my trust in the cables and machinery is not as it once was due to the economy.  I just keep wondering when was the last inspection and how thorough was it.  And I keep remembering that American pilot in Italy who flew into the cables of a ski gondola.  I could not get that accident out of my mind all the way up and all the way down.  
 
The Cavalese cable car disaster of 1998 occurred on 3 February near the Italian town of Cavalese, a ski resort located in the Dolomites.  The disaster, which led to the death of 20 people, occurred when a U.S. military plane cut a cable supporting a gondola of an aerial tramway.

The pilot of the military plane, Captain Richard J. Ashby, and his navigator, Captain Joseph Schweitzer, were put on trial in the United States and were found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide.  Later they were found guilty of obstruction of justice and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman for having destroyed a videotape recorded from the plane and were dismissed from the Marines.
This event and the acquittal of the pilots put pressure on the international relationship between the United States and Italy, where it is known as the Strage del Cermis or Massacre of Cermis, Cermis being the name of the nearest mountain.

Here is a picture my brave sister Paige took of my cousin Ellen and me desperately holding hands coming down in the gondola at Whiteface and a photo of Masada from a gondola going up the mountain in Israel in the mid-80s.

Ellen and I coming down Whiteface in the gondola

Masada 1985

Gingered Chicken Cakes with Cilantro-lime Mayonnaise 

GINGERED CHICKEN CAKES WITH CILANTRO-LIME MAYONNAISE    [Makes 20]

Ingredients For Cakes:

2 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless, and halved
2 tbsp. of fish sauce or 1 tsp. of anchovy paste
1 inch of fresh ginger, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp. of salt
¼ tsp. of tabasco sauce

Ingredients for Topping:

4 tbsp. of quality mayonnaise
½ cup of cilantro, finely chopped
Juice of one lime
2 tbsp. of diced mango for garnish    [See tip below.]

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°. For cakes, place all the cake ingredients into a food processor or blender; pulse until finely minced. Divide the mixture into 20 pieces. With wet hands, shape each piece into a ball and flatten into a cake. Place cakes onto a greased baking sheet and bake until cooked through and golden, 12 minutes. Cool to warm or room temperature. For topping, combine the mayonnaise, cilantro, and lime. Spoon topping onto cakes. Garnish with diced mango. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: for variation use pork instead of chicken and lemon grass instead of ginger for another Asian-inspired mini cake.

Tip:

To dice a fresh mango, find where the flat side of the large seed is by rolling the mango on a work surface; it will settle on a flat side. Cut the peeled mango lengthwise on both sides of the seed so the knife just misses it. Put each mango piece cut side down and cut it lengthwise into slices and then dice.

Eggplant and Pine Nut Fritters with Roasted Tomatoes

EGGPLANT AND PINE NUT FRITTERS WITH ROASTED TOMATOES     [Makes 20]

Ingredients For Fritters:

2 tbsp. of quality olive oil
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp. of rosemary, finely chopped
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, beaten
¾ cup of Romano cheese, grated
1 cup of mozzarella cheese, diced
1 cup of dry breadcrumbs
½ cup of pine nuts, roasted and roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
20 small arugula leaves for garnish

Ingredients for Topping:

2 plum tomatoes, halved
1 clove of garlic, sliced
1 tsp. of balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. of honey
½ tsp. of finely chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°. For fritters, heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir fry diced eggplant until soft and golden, 10 minutes. Drain and cool on paper towels. Roast pine nuts by putting the nuts into an ungreased small skillet for a few minutes to release the oil and flavors. Do not burn. Cool. Combine the cooled and drained eggplant with the garlic, parsley, rosemary, beaten eggs, Romano and mozzarella cheeses, and cooled pine nuts. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide the mixture into 20 even portions, and shape each into an oval. Place the ovals onto a greased baking sheet. Bake until golden, 10 minutes. Cool to warm or room temperature. For topping, put the tomatoes and garlic into a baking pan. Drizzle with vinegar and honey, and sprinkle with rosemary salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until softened, 20 minutes. Cool and place in a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth. Spoon topping onto cakes. Garnish with arugula. Serve warm or at room temperature.

How are we doing on that end of the summer cocktail party?  I can see the smile on all of your guests' faces!

Four Nile Skewered Hors d'Oeuvres: Chicken, Scallop, Beef, and Shrimp

Cooking Irish can be found at Pinterest and PETITCHEF.

SNOW PEA AND SHRIMP SKEWERS WITH LEMON MAYONNAISE     

I felt very sad when we left Aswan. Since we were the only ones on an American Express tour booked from London, Erin, Eli, and I were put in with other groups throughout our Egyptian holiday. So we left the people we had been with since Cairo and assigned a new tour guide named Bill and a new group. I remember feeling like I was going to cry and that I was leaving old friends knowing I would never see them again. When we got to Luxor, we were taken by horse-drawn carriage to our hotel--a dump.

I wrote in my journal that I was surprised at my reaction and feelings of loss since I had only known these people for a few days.  I guess when one is alone in a country whose culture is so different from one's own, a person makes stronger connections.  As I look back, being young myself and responsible for my two children, I unconsciously perhaps gravitated to the group for safety.  But that sadness was present and real in all three of us.  Eli cried on the train, and Erin was low. 

Dinner was surprisingly good: chicken and pea soup, vine leaves, beef stew, zucchini in a seasoned butter sauce, tomatoes, bread, and watermelon.  The Nile was the only hotel on the tour that was substandard, and we were moved the next day.  It was a cockroach-infested, mosquito-infested, dirty disaster.  There were not even pillowcases on the beds.  The sheets kept coming off the mattress during the night.  I hardly slept as I was being eaten alive.  I found a flea on me in the morning.  I also discovered that the spray cans outside the rooms in the hallway were for spraying your room before going to sleep.  If I'd only known! We got up at 4:00 AM to take the ferry to begin the donkey [mine was called Ali Baba] tour to visit the Valley of the Kings and  the Valley of the Nobles.  We visited the tombs of Ramses II, Ramses VI, Seti II, and Tutankhamun.  We also hired a horse-drawn carriage to tour the Karnak Temple and the Luxor Temple.  I have written about these experiences and included pictures in past posts.  When we took the train back to Cairo to end our Egyptian holiday, Eli bunked with Bill, the new Australian tour guide.  For dinner we had beef and rice-stuffed green peppers.  I found a bug in mine, but did not tell my daughter.  I was so keyed up by our experiences in Luxor, that I went to the club car and bought a pack of Egyptian cigarettes from a vendor, a little Egyptian boy.  Lordy, lordy!  We played cards in one of the group's cabin talking of our donkey trip over the mountains.  It was truly an adventure for us all.

 
Valley of the Nobles, near Luxor during July of 1985

Valley of the Kings near Luxor, again in July of 1985

A Step Pyramid in Egypt in July of 1985

And once again I must credit my favorite experts on the hors d'oeuvres.  All these recipes are found in Hors D'Oeuvres published in 1999 by A D K Publishing, Inc.® and written by Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell.  This book appears to be out of print, but you can still purchase a used copy online very inexpensively starting at a couple of dollars.  I think I will buy another since I use it so often, I want a reserve!

LIME MARINATED CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH AVOCADO CREMA DIP   [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

For the Marinade:

Juice of one lime
1 tbsp. of honey
2 tbsp. of quality olive oil
2 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup of cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp. of salt
¼ tsp. of freshly ground black pepper

For the Dip:

1 ripe avocado, stoned and removed from peel
3 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp. of red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. of quality olive oil
½ cup of sour cream
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. of cilantro, finely chopped for garnish

Essential Equipment:

20 6-inch wooden skewers, presoaked in cold water

Preparation:

Cut the chicken into one-inch cubes. For the marinade, combine the lime juice, honey, oil, chilies, cilantro, salt, and pepper into a non-metallic bowl. Add the chicken to the mixture and toss to coat each piece well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. For the dip, place the avocado, scallions, vinegar, olive oil, and sour cream into a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Thread a chicken cube onto each presoaked skewer. Preheat broiler, cast-iron griddle, or barbecue. Broil/grill the chicken until cooked through, 5 minutes on each side. Garnish each skewer with the finely chopped cilantro. Pour the avocado crema dip into a circular dipping bowl. Arrange the chicken skewers with the pointed end facing the bowl in a circle around the dip. Garnish tray with more cilantro for presentation.

Tips:

Marinate the chicken up to one day in advance. Skewer the chicken up to 12 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make the dip up to 8 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate. To prevent the avocado crema dip from discoloring when making ahead, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the dip. It is the oxygen in the air that turns avocado brown, so the less air that comes into contact with it, the better.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED SCALLOP BROCHETTES WITH SAUCE BÉARNAISE      [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

10 sea scallops
7 very thin prosciutto slices
20 large basil leaves
Salt and black pepper
¾ cup of sauce béarnaise [Recipe included]
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Essential Equipment:

20 6-inch wooden skewers, presoaked in cold water

Preparation:

Slice the scallop in half. Cut the prosciutto slices into three strips. Place one basil leaf on each prosciutto strip. Top with a scallop. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap each scallop and secure each with a presoaked skewer. Preheat a broiler, ridged cast-iron griddle, or barbecue grill. Broil/grill 1 to 2 minutes on each side until the scallops have turned from opaque to white.

Assembly:

Pour the béarnaise sauce into a circular dipping bowl. Arrange the scallop skewers with the pointed end facing the bowl in a circle around the dip. Garnish plate with the chopped fresh parsley for presentation. Serve hot.

SAUCE BÉARNAISE    [Makes ¾ cup]

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. of red wine vinegar
6 peppercorns
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 sprig of tarragon
1 sprig of chervil
½ cup of butter
2 tbsp. of water
2 egg yolks
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. of tarragon
1 tsp. of chervil

Preparation:

Place the vinegar, peppercorns, shallot, tarragon and chervil into a small saucepan. Bring the ingredients to a boil over medium heat and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon. Cool and strain. Melt the butter, and then skim the froth from the surface with a spoon. Let it cool until tepid. Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water set on low heat. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not in direct contact with the water. Place the tablespoon of reduction, water, egg yolks, and pinch of salt and pepper into the bowl. Whisk to a light and frothy mixture that holds the trail of the whisk, about three minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the melted butter, a little at a time vigorously whisking after each addition, until the mixture emulsifies and becomes thick and creamy. Add the tarragon and chervil, and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper to taste.

Tips:

Make the sauce up to 30 minutes in advance. Keep warm in a bowl over a pan of hot water placed off the heat. Or make the sauce up to two days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Place in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water set over low heat. Again, make sure the base of the bowl is not in direct contact with the water. Warm through, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes.

If the butter is added too quickly, the sauce may separate. Do not throw it away as it can be salvaged. Combine 1 tbsp. of water and 1 egg yolk in a clean bowl over a pan of simmering water set on low heat. Again, make sure the base of the bowl is not in direct contact with the water. Whisk to a light and frothy mixture that holds the trail of the whisk, about three minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the separated sauce.

　

SESAME SOY GLAZED BEEF SKEWERS   [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

¾ lb. of beef filet or sirloin, 1-inch thick
4 scallions, white stalk only
1 red pepper, halved and seeded

For the Glaze:

1 tbsp. of sesame seeds
2 lemon grass stalks, tender stalk only, finely chopped
1 tbsp. of honey
2 tbsp. of sesame oil
1 tbsp. of sunflower oil
2 tbsp. of light soy sauce
1 tbsp. of Chinese hot chili sauce
1 tsp. of salt
½ tsp. of black pepper

Essential Equipment:

20 6-inch wooden skewers, presoaked in cold water

Preparation:

Cut the beef into 20 one-inch cubes. Cut the scallions on the diagonal into 20 one-inch lengths. Cut the pepper into 20 one-inch pieces. For the glaze, combine the sesame seeds, lemon grass, honey, oils, sauces, salt, and pepper into a non-metallic bowl. Add the beef, scallion, and red pepper, and toss to coat each piece well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Thread a piece of scallion, red pepper, and beef cube onto each presoaked skewer. Preheat a broiler, ridged cast-iron griddle, or barbecue grill. Broil/grill the skewers for 3 minutes on each side so that the beef is browned but still pink and juicy inside. Serve hot.

Tips:

Marinate beef up to one day in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Skewer the beef up to 12 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

SNOW PEA-WRAPPED SHRIMP SKEWERS WITH LEMON MAYONNAISE     [Makes 20]

Ingredients:

Juice of one lemon, divided
20 large or colossal shrimp, cooked and peeled
20 large snow pea pods
1 ¼ cup of quality mayonnaise
1 tsp. of dijon mustard
1 tbsp. of red wine vinegar
½ tsp. of salt
Pinch of pepper
1 tsp. of sugar
Fresh chive, chopped for garnish

Essential Equipment: 20 6-inch wooden skewers, presoaked in cold water

Preparation:

In a bowl, place the cooked shrimp. Squeeze the juice of half the lemon onto the shrimp. Let marinate while preparing snow peas and dip. Bring a pan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the snow peas and boil for one minute. Drain immediately and refresh them in cold water. Drain again and pat dry with paper towels. All ingredients for the dip should be room temperature before mixing. Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and half the lemon in a bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended.

Assembly:

Lay one shrimp on top of each snow pea. Secure with skewer: the head end of the shrimp will be skewered first, then the first end of the snow pea extending a bit above that end of the shrimp will be skewered next, then the tail end of the shrimp, and finally, the last third of the snow pea. This makes for a more dramatic presentation. Chill the skewered snow pea and shrimp. Fill a circular dip bowl with the lemon mayonnaise. Garnish with chive and place in center of a serving plate. Place the pointed end of each snow pea-wrapped shrimp skewer toward the bowl and place in a circle around the dip. Garnish the shrimp with chive.

Tips:

Skewer shrimp and snow peas up to 8 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I hope you are enjoying these hors d'oeuvres recipes and are thinking about planning an end of summer party.  They are really so easy to do, and so much of the preparation can be done in advance. So whether proudly sitting in trays on a buffet table, patio table, or butlered, these recipes are sure to be a crowd pleaser.  If you do a bellini bar with these hors d'oeuvres, it would make for a fun time for your guests as well as an easy evening for you as the hostess.  You would have plenty of time to enjoy the party.  Hire a couple of high school students to replenish the hors d'oeuvres, and you would be the "hostess with the mostess!"

Next up: 3 vegetarian skewers--lemon marinated tortellini and sun-dried tomato skewers, basil marinated mozzarella and cherry tomato skewers, and fennel marinated feta and olive skewers.