Seasonal Starters

Vegetarian Times, Dec, 1998 by Karen Levin

Expand your party recipe repertoire with our holiday appetizer.

Coming up with cerative party hors d'oeuvres can present even the most seasoned cook with a culinary conundrum. What else can I serve besides chips and dip or crackers and cheese that is festive, tasty and easy to make? The following five appetizers are our answer to this entertaining dilemma. From bite-size focacia sandwiches and stuffed tortilla pinwheels to cucumber cups filled with hummus, these recipes are not only pretty to look at, they're a cinch to make.

Foccacia Finger Sandwiches

MAKES 16 LACTO

Foccacia bread may be found in Italian markets, specialty bread stores and many supermarkets, If it is not available, substitute a French bread baguette and cut the filled baguette crosswise into 1 1/2-inch slices.

2 red or yellow bell peppers
(or one of each)
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
or 1 tsp. dried
1 round (8 to 10 inches) foccacia bread
or onion foccacia bread
1 cup packed, shredded romaine
lettuce

Preheat broiler. Quarter bell peppers lengthwise; discard stems and seeds. Flatten with palm of hand. Place skin side up on foil-tined baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat until skin is evenly blackened, 8 to 12 minutes. Wrap peppers in foil from pan; let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Peel off and discard skin from peppers. Cut into uniform pieces; arrange in shallow dish. Pour dressing over peppers. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

In small bowl, combine goat cheese and basil; mix well. Drain peppers; add marinade from peppers to cheese mixture; mix well. Using a long serrated knife, split bread in half horizontally. Spread cheese mixture over cut sides of bread. Arrange romaine lettuce and marinated peppers over bottom half of bread; close sandwich with top of bread. Cut into wedges to serve.

Per Wedge: 66 Cal.; 3g Prot.; 3G Total Fat (1g Sat. Fat); 8g Carb.; 3mg Chol.; 109mg Sod.; 1g Fiber.

Southwestern Pinwheels

MAKES 20 LACTO

This appetizer can be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd. Look for flavored tortillas in large supermarkets or specialty food shops.

4 oz. light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup finely shredded Mexican-style or
sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbs. thinly sliced green onion
2 Tbs. chunky salsa or 1/2 Tbs. chopped,
canned chipotle chilies in
adobo sauce
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 (10-inch)green chili or spinach-flavored
flour tortillas
12 small cilantro strips for garnish
Spinach leaves
Salsa

In small bowl, combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, green onion, salsa, chopped cilantro and cumin; mix well. Spread evenly over tortillas. Place a layer of spinach over cheese. Roll tightly; wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces; arrange cut side up on serving platter. Garnish each pinwheel with cilantro sprig. Cover and chill up to 1 hour before serving. Serve with a dollop of salsa on top.

Per Serving: 36 Cal; 1G Prot.; 2g Total Fat (1g Sat. Fat); 4g Carb.; 5mg Chol.; 50mg Sod.; 0 Fiber.

Italian Nut Cheese

MAKES 1 1/4 CUPS LACTO 30

Serve this cheese on celery, cucumber slices, Belgian endive spears or crackers. Look for mascarpone cheese in specialty cheese stores, Italian markets or gourmet shops.

4 oz. mascarpone or cream cheese,
softened (1/2 cup)
2 oz. crumbled gorgonzola cheese
(1/2 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In medium bowl, combine both cheeses, walnuts and pepper and mix well. Pipe or spread about 2 teaspoons cheese mixture onto vegetables and arrange in concentric circles on colorful round platter. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 1 hour before serving.

Per Tablespoon: 41 Cal.; 1g Prot.; 4g Total Fat (2g Sat. Fat); 0 Carb.; 9mg Chol.; 68mg Sod.; 0 Fiber.

Hummus-Filled Cucumber Cups

MAKES 32 DAIRY-FREE

1 clove garlic, minced
16-oz. can garbanzo beans, reserve
liquid, rinse and drain
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
1 large or 2 medium seedless
cucumbers, unpeeled
Mint sprigs for garnish

In food processor, combine garlic and garbanzo beans; process until beans are coarsely chopped. With motor running, add olive oil and lemon juice through feed tube; process until almost smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl if necessary. Add sesame oil and salt; process until well blended. Stir in olives and mint. Cover; chill at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Attractively score cucumber lengthwise with tines of fork. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Using a metal measuring teaspoon or melon bailer, scoop out a small indentation in each cucumber slice and spoon heaping teaspoon hummus into each cucumber cup. Arrange on serving platter. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 1 hour before serving. Garnish platter with mint sprigs if desired.