Favorite Antipasti - hors d'oeuvre -appetizers

What you Need

• 12 eggs hard boiled & peeled
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• A pinch of salt & pepper
• A sprinkle of paprika

How to Make them  

1. Cut the cooked eggs in half.
2. Arrange egg whites cut-side up on a serving plate.
3. Place the yolks in a small mixing bowl and mash with a fork.
4. Stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar, mixing well.
5. Add the salt & pepper and mix well again.
6. Spoon the mixture into a small piping bag fitted with a star tip.
7. Squeeze a small dollop into each egg white half.
8. Sprinkle the filled eggs with paprika.
9. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
10. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Taste of the Frontier

What you Need

• 8 slider buns, assorted 
• Wooden food picks

For the Egg Mousse  

• 9 Hard boiled eggs – peeled and halved 
• 1 Tbsp Drained pickle relish 
• ½ Tbsp Minced garlic 
• ½ Tbsp minced onions 
•  ¼  cup Mustard 
• ½ cup Mayonnaise 
• ½ tsp Salt 
• ½ tsp Pepper  

How to Make them  

1. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, relish minced garlic, minced onions, salt and pepper 
2. Using a fork, mash and mix the eggs with the other ingredients until fully incorporated and the eggs have been broken down to the size and texture you prefer.
3. Some people like large chunks of eggs while some like it more finely mixed. Both are fine
4. Once fully combined, refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Taste of the Frontier

What you Need  

• 6 to 8 large beefsteak or other full-flavored tomatoes
• 1 small sweet yellow or red onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 90ml (6 Tbsp) red wine vinegar, or adjust to taste
• 2  cucumbers, halved, peeled, seeded and diced
• 118ml (1/2 cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus 30ml (2 Tbsp) for frying croutons
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 or 4 slices of French or Italian bread, approx. 2.5cm (1 inch) thick, crusts removed and cut into 2.5cm (1-inch) cubes
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 13g (1/4 cup) minced red onion
• A few celery stalks for garnish

How to Make it  

1. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a large bowl of ice water. 
2. Meanwhile, cut a shallow cross in the blossom end of each tomato and then remove the core. Carefully slip the tomatoes into the boiling water for 30 seconds. 
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the ice water to cool. Remove from the water and peel immediately. 
4. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out the seeds.
5. In a blender or food 1/4 cup, puree 3 of the tomatoes until liquefied and transfer to a large bowl. 
6. Reserve the remaining tomatoes.
7. Place the onion in the blender or food processor. 
8. Chop 3 of the garlic cloves and add them as well. 
9. Puree, adding a bit of the vinegar if needed for a smooth consistency. Add to the bowl with the tomato puree. 
10. Add the cucumbers with a little of the vinegar to the blender or processor and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Add to the bowl as well. 
11. Chop the remaining tomatoes coarsely in the blender or processor. Add to the bowl.
12. Whisk in the 118ml olive oil and the remaining vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. 
13. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.
14. Just before serving, in a large fry pan over medium heat, warm the 30ml (2 Tbsp) olive oil. 
15. Crush the remaining garlic clove, add to the pan and cook to release its fragrance, 1 to 2 minutes. 
16. Add the bread cubes and stir and toss until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; keep warm.
17. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt.
18. Ladle into chilled bowls and garnish each serving with the diced bell pepper and the minced red onion. 
19. Float the croutons on top and serve. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Soup for Supper, by Joyce Goldstein (Time-Life Books, 1998).

  What you Need  

• 6 medium (approx. 1kg or 2lbs) potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks
• 345g (1 ½ cups) mayonnaise
• 14ml (1tbsp) white vinegar
• 15g (1 tbsp) yellow mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 2 medium (1 cup) stalks celery, chopped
• 1 medium (1/2 cup) onion, chopped
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

How to Make it

1. Place potatoes in a large pan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil and cook about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain
2. Meanwhile, mix mayo, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion, toss gently, stir in eggs.
3. Serve in individual glassed and display on a serving platter.
4. Enjoy!

What you Need 

• 8 slices of Tuscan Bread (any country bread works great)
• 500 g (18 oz) chicken liver
• 4 anchovy filets in oil 
• 1 tbsp capers (under salt)
• 1 Carrot 
• 1 Onion 
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 glass dry white wine
• 1 tbsp Extra vergin olive oil or to taste
• Sale to taste

How to Make it

1.   Roast the bread slices. You can do this in the oven or by using a bread toaster if easier. 
2. Chop the celery, carrot and onion.
3. Add a the olive oil and butter to a skillet  -   sauté 
4. at medium-low heat for approx. 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the chicken liver and  sauté on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the white wine and let evaporate.
6. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for approx. 10-15 minutes, covered, gradually adding stock, salt and pepper to taste, ensuring the chicken liver remain moist.
7. Add the capers and the anchovy filets, previously boned.
8. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
9. Allow the mixture to cool down a bit then sift the mixture through a vegetable mill or use an immersion blender.
10. While still warm, spread over the roasted bread slices
11. Serve on a platter and enjoy!

What you Need  

• 6 potatoes, peeled
• 1 carrot, or more to taste
• 4 whole eggs
• 6 large pickles, cut into cubes
• 1 (15 ounce) can peas, drained
• ½ cup cubed fully cooked ham, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or to taste (Optional)
• ½ cup mayonnaise, or to taste

How to Make it

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and carrot and return to a boil. Add whole eggs and cook until potatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and slightly cool mixture.
2. Chop potatoes and carrot. Peel and chop eggs.
3. Mix potatoes, carrot, eggs, pickles, peas, ham, and parsley together in a large bowl; stir in mayonnaise until salad is evenly coated.
4. Serve in individual glassed and display on a serving platter.
5. Enjoy!

What you Need  

• 3 thinly-sliced pieces of Parma or San Daniele prosciutto, approx. 60g  (2 oz)
• 60g (2 oz) feta cheese
• 80ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• Optional: a few leaves of fresh sage, mint, basil or oregano to taste

How to Make them  

1. With a sharp knife, cut a slice of prosciutto into rectangular strips about 3 cm x 5 cm( 1″ x 2″ ).
2. Trim off the excess fat from the prosciutto slices
3. Cut the feta into bâtons approximately the same width as the prosciutto slices.
4. If garnishing with fresh herbs, make thin slices of a few leaves 
5. Take a piece of feta, rest it on the narrowest edge of a rectangle of prosciutto along with a sliver of herbs, and roll it up, pressing it to make sure it stays together. You can use a toothpick to keep the slices in place, if needed
6. Once finished, douse the rolls with enough olive oil so that they’re well saturated 
7. Stack them neatly on a serving platter, or refrigerate until ready to serve. 
8. If refrigerated, let come to room temperature before serving.
9. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of David Lebovitz

What you Need

Vol-au-Vent  

• Approx. 4 sheets of 10cmX10cm puff pastry squares or any size available.  
• 1egg (for the egg wash)

Tuna Mousse  

• 1 package Tuna in olive oil (drained)
• 1 teaspoon capers (I used the salted ones, washed in cold water to remove the salt)
• 80g cream cheese
• 3 anchovy in oil
• The juice of half a lemon
• 1 pinchsalt
• 1 pinch of pepper
• A piping bag (sac-a- poche in French) 
• Around cookie cutter (around 5cm across or any other size you like)
• A pastry brush 
• Capers 

How to Make them 

Vol-au-Vent  

1. Preheat the oven to 180C degrees (355F).
2. Use a cookie cutter to cut the pieces of puff pastry. If using a 6cm cookie cutter, you should be able to obtain approximately 20 pieces.  Feel free to choose your favourite shape.
3. Use a smaller cutter to create a hole in the middle of half of the pieces. Make sure you do not break the edges of your vol au vent!
4. You can now create the vol au vent by placing one piece with the hole on top a piece without the hole. This will ensure the vol au vent will raise and create the hollow space for the filling.
5. Place all vol au vents on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
6. Place all vol au vents on a baking sheet lined with baking paper
7. Whisk an egg and proceed with preparing the egg wash. 
8. Brush the egg wash on the entire vol au vent – this will give the vol au vent a lovely golden colour.
9. Bake for 15/20 minutes.

Tuna Mousse    

1. Add tuna, cream cheese, anchovies, capers, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a mixer.
2. Mix until smooth, then transfer into a piping bag.
3. Let the mousse rest in the fridge for 20 minutes, then fill the vol au vents.
4. Once the pastry has completely cooled down, simply pipe the mousse into the vol au vent. Make sure you fill in the vol au vent completely.
5. Place a caper on top of each filled vol-au-vent for garnish.
6. Serve the vol au vent immediately after filling to ensure the mousse is nice and fresh. Enjoy!

You can store the vol au vent in the fridge for a maximum of 2 days. Left over mousse can be either kept in the fridge for 3 days, for it can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Recipe courtesy of Greta's Italian Cooking

What you Need  

• Cherry or Datterino Tomatoes 
• Mini Mozzarella Cheeballs (Ciliegine)
• Fresh Basil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Balsamic Vinegar

Quantities will vary depending on the number of guests/skewers you wish to prepare.

How to Make them  

1. Make the balsamic reduction. - You can buy pre-made balsamic reduction at the store or you can make your own. It is quick, easy and tasty.
2. Pour balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan over high heat then bring to a boil. 
3. Turn the heat down to medium then simmer until the vinegar has reached a thin maple syrup consistency. It will thicken up as it cools.
4. Pour the balsamic reduction into a small serving bowl and set aside.
5. Assemble the Skewers - Start by threading a mini mozzarella cheese ball onto a long toothpick or short skewer. 
6. Add a fresh basil leaf, folded in half or quarters if large, followed by a cherry tomato.
7. Build all the skewers using the rest of the ingredients
8. Season the skewers - When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle the skewers with salt and pepper. 
9. Lightly drizzle with balsamic reduction.
10. Enjoy!

Adaptation from recipe courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats