Lu's Hot Appetizer recipes

This document last modified April 25, 1997




Baked Cheddar Olives
Baked Eggplant Appetizer
Baked Oysters
Beef Satay
Cajun Shrimp
Cheese Fondue Appetizers
Chinese Pan Fried Dumplings
Christmas Crab Quesadillas
Clams Casino
Escargot in Mushroom Caps
Fried Calamari
Grandma's Mushroom Turnovers





Baked Cheddar Olives

Ingredients:
   1       c            Cheddar cheese, grated
   2       tb           Butter, softened
     1/2   c            Flour
     1/8   ts           Cayenne pepper
  24                    Pimiento-stuffed olives


Instructions:

  Drain olives and pat dry with towels.  Combine cheese and butter in a bowl.
  Add flour and cayenne and blend until well mixed.
  Drop the dough by tablespoons onto wax paper and wrap or mold each piece of dough around an olive, covering it completely.
 Bake the wrapped olives on a baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 400&#176; oven for 15 minutes or until golden.




Baked Eggplant Appetizer

Ingredients:
   1      large         Eggplant
                        Olive oil
   1      large         Onion, peeled &amp; quartered
   3                    Garlic cloves, unpeeled
   1                    Red bell pepper, halved and seeded
   1      teaspoon      Oregano,  chopped
   2      teaspoons     Lemon juice
   1      tablespoon    Olive oil
     1/8  teaspoon      salt and pepper
   4      ounces        Feta cheese, crumbled
   2      tablespoons   Parsley, chopped
                        Pita bread or crackers


Instructions:

 Preheat oven to 350 F.
 Halve eggplant lengthwise.  Brush all sides with olive oil.  Place halves
ut-side down on a baking sheet.  Bake 25 minutes.
 Brush onion, garlic and red pepper with oil; add to eggplant.  Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.
 Cool eggplant; scoop out flesh and place in a food processor or wooden bowl.
 Squeeze garlic pulp from skins, peel red pepper, and add to eggplant along with onion, oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Process or finely chop by hand.  Do not puree.
 Mix in 3 oz. of the feta cheese.  Spoon mixture into a serving bowl.  Sprinkle remaining feta cheese around the edge of mixture; mound parsley in the center.

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Baked Oysters

Ingredients:
   2      dozen         whole oysters
   1                    garlic cloves, minced
   1      tablespoon    fresh parsley, minced
     1/2  cup           butter, melted
   2      teaspoons     Worcestershire sauce
   2      tablespoons   clam juice
   2      tablespoons   chili sauce
     1/2  cup           mushrooms, finely chopped
   2      tablespoons   Parmesan cheese, grated
   2      tablespoons   bread crumbs
                        salt
                        black pepper


Instructions:

 Shuck oysters; drain and reserve half of the shells.
 Combine parsley, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, clam juice and chili sauce with 6 tablespoons melted butter.
 Dip each oyster into this sauce and place in a shell on a baking pan.
 Spoon remaining sauce over oysters. Sprinkle a teaspoon of chopped mushrooms on each oyster.
 Stir cheese and bread crumbs together and sprinkle over oysters. Dribble with remaining butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.



Beef Satay

Ingredients:
   3       tb           Corn oil
   1       sm           Onion, finely chopped
   1                    Garlic clove, crushed
     1/2   ts           Hot chili powder
   1 1/2   ts           Curry Powder
   1 1/4   c            Water
     2/3   c            Crunchy peanut butter
   1       t            Light brown sugar
   2       ts           Dark soy sauce
   1       t            Lemon juice
                        Salt to taste
                        Fresh ground pepper to taste
   1       lb           Boneless sirloin steak
                        Lemon pieces (opt)
                        Fresh cilantro sprigs (opt)


Instructions:

 To make peanut sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Add onion  and garlic and fry gently until golden.
 Stir in chili powder, Curry Powder, water, peanut butter and brown sugar.
 Bring to a boil; simmer gently until thickened. Stir in soy sauce and lemon juice, then salt and pepper. Turn mixture into a serving dish.
 Preheat broiler. Grease a broiler pan. Trim and cut meat in 1/2" cubes.
 Thread (not too tightly) onto 8 bamboo skewers, leaving a space at each end for holding.
 Cover ends with small pieces of foil to prevent burning. Place skewers in greased broiler pan. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. 7. Cook under preheated broiler 10-15 minutes until golden and cooked through. Turn and brush frequently with oil during cooking.
 Garnish with lemon pieces and  cilantro sprigs, if desired, and serve hot with peanut sauce.


Cajun Shrimp

Ingredients:
   1       lb           Extra large shrimp, peeled
   1       tb           Fresh lime juice
     1/2   ts           Garlic powder
     1/2   ts           Onion powder
     1/4   ts           Thyme
     1/4   ts           Salt
     1/4   ts           Red pepper
     1/8   ts           Black pepper
                        Lime wedges


Instructions:

 Toss the shrimp with the lime juice in a bowl.
 Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, red pepper and black pepper in a small bowl.
 Sprinkle over the shrimp and toss to coat well.
 Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray.  Heat until hot.
 Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink, stiring constantly.
 Spoon into a serving dish.  Chill, covered, for 1 hour  or longer.  Garnish with lime wedges.


Chinese Pan Fried Dumplings

Ingredients:
     1/2  Lb            Ground Pork
   2      Ounces        Baby Shrimp
   2                    Shitake Mushrooms, diced
     1/2  Medium        Green Onion, finely chopped
   1      Tbsp          Light Soy Sauce
   1      Tbsp          Oil
                        Salt And Pepper
                        Dumpling or Wonton wrappers


Instructions:

 Mix all the above ingredients together and depending on the size of your wraps, use either teaspoon of tablespoon to fill the wraps.
 Fill and fold it into a half moon shape.
 Fry them up on a low to medium heat for about 10 minutes, flipping every so often.  Keep in mind that you'll also have
to be careful about making sure the pork is well done too.
you can also steam or deep fry them too.

Notes:
As for sauces...

1 oz of light soy
1 oz of the cooking oil of your choice
1 Tbsp of sugar

Mix the  sugar and soy together, heat the oil up and then pour it into the sugar/soy mixture.



Christmas Crab Quesadillas

Ingredients:
     1/4   lb           Butter or margarine,
                        Divided
   1                    Whole shallot (or 2 or 3
                        Green onion), finely
                        Minced
   1       t            Chopped fresh chives
     1/2   lb           Lump crab meat, picked over
                        To remove shells

                        Salsa
                        Quacamole
                        Sour cream
   2       tb           Sour cream
   1       t            Chopped fresh dill
                        Salt, to taste
                        Hot pepper flakes, to taste
   6                    10-inch flour tortillas at
                        Room temperature
     3/4   c            Grated Monteray Jack cheese
    1/2   c            (each) finely chopped red
                        And green bell peppers
                        Radicchio leaves, 3 per
                        Plate


Instructions:

 Preheat the oven to 375F.
 Reserve 2 tablespoons of the butter.  Place the remaining butter in a sauce pan and melt over low heat.  Add the shallots and chives.
 Saute until translucent.  Remove from the heat and add the crab, sour cream, dill, salt and hot pepper flakes.  Mix well.
 Spread the crab mixture on one half of each tortilla.  Top with a sprinkling of the grated cheese.
 Fold the tortillas in half and place them on a baking sheet.  Brush the tops of the tortillas with the reserved butter.
 Bake in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.  Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into quarters.

Notes:
Place 3 small radicchio leaves on each plate.  Fill one with sour cream, one with quacamole, and one with salsa.  Place three triangles of quesadilla on each plate.  Sprinkle with a confetti of chopped green and red bell peppers.


Clams Casino

Ingredients:
  32                    cherrystone clams, scrubbed
     1/4  cup           butter
   1      teaspoon      anchovy paste
                        fresh lemon juice
     1/4  cup           green peppers, minced
     1/4  cup           pimientos, chopped
   4                    bacon slices, cut in tiny pieces
     1/2  cup           watercress, chopped


Instructions:

 Remove clams from shells, reserving shells, and discard the juice.
 Cream butter and anchovy paste. Put a lump of anchovy butter (about 1/8 teaspoon) into each shell.
 Place a clam in each shell and sprinkle with lemon juice.
 Mix pepper and pimiento and distribute among the clam shells. Top with bacon bits. Broil about 8-10 minutes, until tops brown.
 Sprinkle with watercress.



Escargot in Mushroom Caps

Ingredients:
   2       tb           Minced onion
     1/4   ts           Lemon juice
                        -escargot,or drained,canned
   2       tb           Garlic powder
     1/2   lb           Butter,melted
  24                    To 26 - blanched * fresh
                        -snails


Instructions:

 Saute  minced  onion in 1/4 cup  butter.Add  lemon  juice.
 Place escargot in mushroom caps in individual dishes.
 Spoon onion and butter over escargot.
 Sprinkle  lightly with garlic powder;  let stand  for two hours.
 Pour   mixture  of  remaining  butter  and  garlic  powder over escargot.
 Bake at  350  degrees for 10 to  15  minutes.Serve with garlic  toast.

Notes:
To Blanch Escargot: Fill a 3 quart pan half full of water (enough  to cover the snails).
When water boils,drop in the rinsed snails.Boil vigorously for 3 minutes (no more or the snails will get tough).Remove snails and rinse in cold water.
Remove snails from shells with a toothpick.Place snails in bowl containing a mixture of half water and half vinegar for two hours.
Snails are now ready to simmer in sauces.They may be cut into two or three pieces,if desired.
Blanched snails,may be frozen.Note: Do not save snail shells,which are fragile.


Fried Calamari

Ingredients:
  12       ea           Squid
                        Oil, for frying
                        Salt (to taste)
                        Flour, for dusting
   2       ea           Lemons
                        Pepper (to taste)


Instructions:

 Remove the skeletal structures from the squid and scrape the skin away with the dull side of a knife down to the white flesh.
 Cut the squid into pieces and rinse in cold water.
 Drain and dredge the squid in flour, shaking off the excess.
 Carefully fry in hot oil until golden brown.  Do not crowd the pot.
 Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.





Grandma's Mushroom Turnovers

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups flour
1 large onion, minced
1/2 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. flour
1/4 cup cream

General Info:
Turnovers can be prepared and frozen uncooked for later use.
Preheat oven to 400&#186;

Instructions:


Mix together butter and cream cheese until well blended.
Add flour and using your hands, mix until a firm dough is formed.
Shape into a ball and chill for at least two hours.
In the meanwhile prepare the mushroom filling.
In a frying pan suate onions and mushrooms until onions are
translucent and liquid from mushrooms cooks down.
Add seasonings, sprinkle with flour and stir in cream.
Cook for 5 minutes stirring occassionally until mixture is slightly thickened.
Roll out chilled dough to 1/8 thick and with a cookie cutter cut out 3' rounds.
Place 1 tsp. of mushroom filling on one side of each circle, fold over and pinch together edges.
Place turnovers on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15  minutes or until turnovers are lightly brown.

Recipes from Lu's Recipe Extravaganza - copyright 1997

