Hors d'Oeurves Party

Great ingredients and lots of friends are the key to any great party. Chewy wine shots, chicken dippers, smoked salmon mousse in tortilla chips, smoked salmon egg rolls, chipotle yogurt dip and savory Parmesan and thyme cookies round out this delectable cocktail party menu.

• Balsamic Syrup
• Chewy Wine Shots
• Chicken Dippers
• Chipolte Yogurt Dip
• Savory Parmesan Thyme Cookies
• Smoked Salmon Egg Rolls
• Smoked Salmon Mousse in Tortilla Cups

Balsamic Syrup

Ingredients:

Balsamic Syrup

• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup of sugar

Directions:

Balsamic Syrup

1. Combine and simmer until reduced by three quarters and very thick.

Chewy Wine Shots

Yield: 8

Ingredients:

Chewy Wine Shots

• 750 ml bottle of red wine
• 750 ml bottle of white wine
• 750 ml bottle of pink zinfandel
• 9 envelopes of powdered gelatin
• 3 cups of sugar

Directions:

Chewy Wine Shots

1. Pour each bottle of wine into a separate saucepan. Add 1 cup of sugar and 3 envelopes of gelatin to each pan. Stir over low heat to dissolve sugar and gelatin.
2. Pour each flavour of wine into a lightly oiled 8 inch by 8-inch pan and place in the refrigerator until set.
3. To remove, slide a small knife around the edges of the pan, dip the bottom of each pan into hot water and then invert and wine jelly will release. Cut into bite-sized cubes.

Chicken Dippers 2

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Chicken Dippers

• 4 x boneless chicken breasts, skin removed
• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 2 tsp of ground cumin
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Chicken Dippers

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut chicken breasts into long thin strips.
3. Pour cornmeal, cumin, salt and pepper into a resealable freezer bag. Add chicken strips and shake well.
4. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Chipotle Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

Chipotle Yogurt Dip

• 2 cups of yogurt
• 1 x small tin of tomato paste
• 2 x whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 3 x green onions
• 1/2 cup of chopped, fresh cilantro
• Salt

Directions:

Chipotle Yogurt Dip

1. Put everything into a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning.

Savory Parmesan and Thyme Cookies

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

Savory Parmesan and Thyme Cookies

• 1 cup of flour
• 2 tbsp of fresh thyme (or rosemary)
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (or cheddar)
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Savory Parmesan and Thyme Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place flour, thyme, butter and salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add cheese and sour cream and pulse a few more times, until dough comes together.
3. Roll out into a log and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Using a sharp knife, slice discs off of the roll and place on a lined baking sheet. Press an herb leaf into the center of each. Bake for 15 minutes, until they just start to brown.

Smoked Salmon Egg Rolls

Yield: 6

Ingredients:

Smoked Salmon Egg Rolls

• 4 x eggs
• 2 tbsp of plain yogurt or sour cream
• dash of sesame oil
• 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 3 x green onions, thinly sliced
• pinch of salt
• 1 pkg of smoked salmon, sliced
• 1 bunch of arugula

Directions:

Smoked Salmon Egg Rolls

1. Whisk together eggs, yogurt, sesame oil and salt.
2. To make the crepes, place a small non-stick fry pan over medium heat and add oil. Pour in a small ladle full of egg mixture and let it roll around the bottom of the pan and cook until the top has set. Repeat until all the egg mixture is gone.
3. Lay a crepe flat on a counter top. Cover with 2 slices of smoked salmon and then 4 arugula leaves. Roll up and cut in half.

Smoked Salmon Mousse in Tortilla Cups

Ingredients:

For the Mousse:

• 1/2 cup of cream cheese
• 500 g of smoked salmon
• 1 tbsp of chopped, fresh dill
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Fresh ground pepper
• Fresh dill pieces for garnishing

For the Tortilla Cups:

• 6 x flour tortillas
• 3 tbsp of olive oil

Directions:

For the Mousse:

1. Put ingredients into a food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.

For the Tortilla Cups:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush tortillas with olive oil and cut into 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. Press into a mini muffin cups and bake until crispy, about 15 minutes. Set on a rack to cool.
3. Fill a plastic freezer bag with the salmon mousse and squeeze it toward one of the corners. Cut the tip off with a pair of scissors to form a piping bag. Pipe the mousse into the tortilla cups and top with a sprig of dill.

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