sauce
1. For chicken: In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add chicken strips to bowl; marinate at least 30 minutes, turning chicken occasionally to coat.
2. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Thread each chicken piece lengthwise onto a skewer, keeping strip as flat as possible. Discard marinade.
3. Grill skewers about 5 minutes, turning often.
4. For sauce: In blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until combined. Pour in additional coconut milk until sauce is the consistency of heavy cream. Serve skewers with sauce on the side for dipping.
----
TIP
Soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading the chicken strips. This will guard against burning.
----
Roasted Red Pepper, Goat Cheese and Tarragon Pinwheels
A lmost any fresh herb will work with this savory blend of roasted peppers and creamy cheese.
Makes about 20
1 red bell pepper
4 medium flour tortillas
½ cup spreadable goat cheese (like Chavrie)
½ cup chopped fresh tarragon, basil or mint
Salt
1. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Halve peppers, then core and seed. Press peppers flat, skin side-up, on prepared pan. Broil 10 minutes, until skins are blackened. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil (use the same foil that lined the pan). Let stand 20 minutes. Peel peppers and discard blackened skin; thinly slice the roasted peppers.
2. Warm a dry heavy skillet over medium heat. Place 1 tortilla in pan. Cook until warm and lightly speckled brown, about 10 seconds. Remove from pan; cover with a dish towel. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
3. Spread a warm tortilla with 2 tablespoons goat cheese. Top with about ¼ of the pepper strips. Sprinkle with some tarragon and salt. Roll up tortilla gently but firmly. Wrap securely in plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling ingredients. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (but no longer than 4 hours).
4. Unwrap tortillas; slice off ragged ends. Cut each wrap diagonally into 5 slices. Arrange on platter; serve chilled or at room temperature.
----
TIP
Warming the tortillas before filling them prevents them from becoming gummy.
----
Mini-Hamburgers with the Works
E ither assemble these mini-bites for your guests, or set out the garnishes and let them top their own burgers.
Makes 20 hamburgers
¾ pound ground chuck
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper
5 hamburger buns or rolls, split and lightly toasted
Garnishes: Ketchup, sliced cornichons, lettuce leaves
1. In a large bowl, combine beef, Worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Divide mixture into 20 walnut-sized-pieces. Using wet hands, roll pieces into balls; flatten into patties.
2. Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook patties 3 minutes per side, until cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, cut each bun into 4 rounds with a 1 ½-inch biscuit cutter, creating 20 bottoms and 20 tops. Place burgers on bottom buns; top with garnishes as desired. Gently press on top bun.
----
TIP
These are best served warm, but you can form the patties and cut the buns in advance.
----
Caramelized Onion Tart with Black Olives
Y ou can find pizza dough in the supermarket’s refrigerated or freezer aisle, or you can buy it from your local pizza parlor—most will sell you an unbaked ball of dough. No matter where you buy it, pizza dough varies in composition, which affects baking time. Keep an eye on your tart so that it doesn’t burn.
Serves 16
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for pan
Cornmeal or flour, for pan
1 ball prepared pizza dough (about 1 pound)
3 large onions (about 1 ½ pounds), very thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
10 black olives, such as Nicoise, pitted and coarsely chopped
1. Brush a large baking sheet with oil; sprinkle with flour or cornmeal. Roll out dough on a lightly floured counter to a
1. For chicken: In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add chicken strips to bowl; marinate at least 30 minutes, turning chicken occasionally to coat.
2. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Thread each chicken piece lengthwise onto a skewer, keeping strip as flat as possible. Discard marinade.
3. Grill skewers about 5 minutes, turning often.
4. For sauce: In blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until combined. Pour in additional coconut milk until sauce is the consistency of heavy cream. Serve skewers with sauce on the side for dipping.
----
TIP
Soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading the chicken strips. This will guard against burning.
----
Roasted Red Pepper, Goat Cheese and Tarragon Pinwheels
A lmost any fresh herb will work with this savory blend of roasted peppers and creamy cheese.
Makes about 20
1 red bell pepper
4 medium flour tortillas
½ cup spreadable goat cheese (like Chavrie)
½ cup chopped fresh tarragon, basil or mint
Salt
1. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Halve peppers, then core and seed. Press peppers flat, skin side-up, on prepared pan. Broil 10 minutes, until skins are blackened. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil (use the same foil that lined the pan). Let stand 20 minutes. Peel peppers and discard blackened skin; thinly slice the roasted peppers.
2. Warm a dry heavy skillet over medium heat. Place 1 tortilla in pan. Cook until warm and lightly speckled brown, about 10 seconds. Remove from pan; cover with a dish towel. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
3. Spread a warm tortilla with 2 tablespoons goat cheese. Top with about ¼ of the pepper strips. Sprinkle with some tarragon and salt. Roll up tortilla gently but firmly. Wrap securely in plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling ingredients. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (but no longer than 4 hours).
4. Unwrap tortillas; slice off ragged ends. Cut each wrap diagonally into 5 slices. Arrange on platter; serve chilled or at room temperature.
----
TIP
Warming the tortillas before filling them prevents them from becoming gummy.
----
Mini-Hamburgers with the Works
E ither assemble these mini-bites for your guests, or set out the garnishes and let them top their own burgers.
Makes 20 hamburgers
¾ pound ground chuck
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper
5 hamburger buns or rolls, split and lightly toasted
Garnishes: Ketchup, sliced cornichons, lettuce leaves
1. In a large bowl, combine beef, Worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Divide mixture into 20 walnut-sized-pieces. Using wet hands, roll pieces into balls; flatten into patties.
2. Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook patties 3 minutes per side, until cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, cut each bun into 4 rounds with a 1 ½-inch biscuit cutter, creating 20 bottoms and 20 tops. Place burgers on bottom buns; top with garnishes as desired. Gently press on top bun.
----
TIP
These are best served warm, but you can form the patties and cut the buns in advance.
----
Caramelized Onion Tart with Black Olives
Y ou can find pizza dough in the supermarket’s refrigerated or freezer aisle, or you can buy it from your local pizza parlor—most will sell you an unbaked ball of dough. No matter where you buy it, pizza dough varies in composition, which affects baking time. Keep an eye on your tart so that it doesn’t burn.
Serves 16
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for pan
Cornmeal or flour, for pan
1 ball prepared pizza dough (about 1 pound)
3 large onions (about 1 ½ pounds), very thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
10 black olives, such as Nicoise, pitted and coarsely chopped
1. Brush a large baking sheet with oil; sprinkle with flour or cornmeal. Roll out dough on a lightly floured counter to a
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