Appetizing Ideas
We asked four top Cleveland chefs to share a favorite appetizer recipe that'll help you wow family and friends this holiday season.
You could have brought fresh flowers, a box of gourmet chocolates or a great bottle of wine. But, no, you actually heard yourself say, "I'll bring the appetizer." Now you're leafing through your cookbooks, desperate to find something that will impress and delight, yet won't require hours in the kitchen. We've solved your dilemma by collecting a quartet of recipes from four Cleveland chefs. They're the same dishes they love to make for their own family, friends and, in some cases, their customers.
Pan-seared Crab Cakes with Cold Spicy Tomato Broth
Rachael Spieth, Executive Chef,
Georgetown, Lakewood
The secret to the crab cakes that Rachael Spieth's friends, relatives and seafood-loving customers clamor for is simple: lots of crab. "People are so used to eating crab cakes that are all mayonnaise and bread crumbs," she says. "Unfortunately, we sometimes do have [customers] who complain about them. They actually say they taste fishy." The tomato broth, however, always gets compliments. Spieth serves it as a soup, amuse-bouche and sauce, both at Georgetown (formerly Three Birds) and at home. Those who like very spicy foods may opt to turn up the heat of the gazpacho-like blend by using a full habanero or jalapeno pepper instead of a half.
1 1/2 pounds lump crabmeat
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup chives, sliced
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon Sambal Oelek chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
olive oil and canola oil blend
salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl; then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Portion the crab cakes at 2 ounces; form into patties. Dust lightly with salt and cayenne pepper if desired.
Pan-sear cakes in medium-hot pan with oil. Brown on both sides. Finish in oven until heated through. Makes 14-15 cakes; serves 7-8.
4 quarts fresh Roma tomatoes, diced
7 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/2 English cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1/2 habanero pepper, seeds removed and pepper minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and pepper minced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
salt
black pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a large container. Blend in blender. Strain through a chinoise or fine-mesh strainer, pushing all liquid through the strainer with a ladle. (This will take some time.) Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle 2 ounces over each serving of two crab cakes. Makes 3 1/2 quarts.
Chorizo and Beef Sliders
Jonathan Guest, Executive Chef,
Washington Place Bistro & Inn, Cleveland
Jonathan Guest isn't much for making the same thing over and over again. But after a day of rock climbing or motocross with friends, he always starts off his campfire dinners with these fantastic sliders. Fortunately for cold-weather cooks, their appeal doesn't rely on open-flame grilling but a blend of chorizo sausage and ground beef topped with blue cheese and roasted Vidalia onions marinated in honey and Dijon mustard. "They're nothing fancy," Guest concedes. "But man, are they good!"
12 small brioche buns
1 pound bulk chorizo sausage (or links with casings removed)
1 pound ground beef
2 large Vidalia or other sweet onions, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
12 ounces crumbled blue cheese such as Gorgonzola
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil (plus additional to brush on grill)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (plus additional to sprinkle on onions)
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat gas grill or grill pan on stovetop.
Arrange onion slices into a single layer on a baking sheet, and drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and roast until brown around the edges, turning every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Mix honey, Dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Once onions reach room temperature, transfer to a large plate or platter and pour honey Dijon marinade over the tops. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
Break sausage into small pieces. Mix sausage, ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Shape meat into 12 patties.
Brush surface of hot grill or grill pan with olive oil. Place patties on the grill and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and cook for another 3 minutes. Top each slider with a portion of the marinated onions and 1 ounce blue cheese. Continue cooking for 1 minute.
Slice buns in half, insert sliders and serve hot. Makes 12. Serves 4-6.
Sergio's Burrata Mozzarella with Prosciutto and Fresh Figs
Sergio Abramof, Owner,
Sergio's in University Circle and Sergio's Sarava, Cleveland
This recent addition to the popular Cleveland restaurateur's menu at Sergio's in University Circle was inspired by his discovery of burrata mozzarella — a luxuriously rich mixture of cream and mozzarella shreds encased in a semisoft mozzarella rind — at an October 2010 food show. Abramof likens a first bite of the imported Italian cheese to a first lick of ice cream. "It's not just the flavor — it's the texture and the look of it," he says. "It's really pretty dramatic." But the real joy of the recipe is that its success relies on an expert combination of ingredients rather than culinary skill. In fact, the most difficult thing about making it is sourcing the ingredients. (We picked up domestic burrata at Heinen's but gave up on finding the fig molasses and used aged balsamic vinegar instead.) The mix of creamy cheese, sweet figs and salt also makes the starter amazingly versatile. "You can have it as a breakfast item, you can have it is as a lunch course with some greens, or you can eat it as dessert," Abramof says. As an appetizer, he recommends pairing it with fresh fish or an Italian pasta dish.
3 vine-ripened fresh figs, cut into 4 sections
12 paper-thin slices Italian prosciutto
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8-12 ounces burrata
mozzarella
fig molasses or aged balsamic vinegar
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Place several scoops of burrata mozzarella on a plate. Arrange with prosciutto slices and fig wedges. Drizzle with olive oil and a few drops of fig molasses or aged balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the mozzarella with sea salt and black pepper, and serve with crusty warm Italian bread. Serves 4.
Grilled Eggplant Stuffed with Goat Cheese in a Tomato Concasse
Karen Small,
The Flying Fig, Cleveland
Karen Small came up with this appetizer for those days when she needed a course that could be made ahead of time and reheated at the last minute. The Shaker Heights native likes to pair it with a braised lamb shank. She strongly suggests resisting any urge to over-bake the eggplant slices once they're grilled, stuffed and rolled. "You're just going to have melted cheese all over the place," she cautions.
1 medium eggplant
Kosher salt
olive oil
1/2 pound Mackenzie Creamery or Lucky Penny-brand goat cheese, softened
1/2 cup pecorino cheese, grated
12 Castelvetrano olives, pitted and chopped
2 scallions, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
zest of 1 lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 local heirloom tomatoes (in season) or
2 pints yellow and red cherry or grape tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 tablespoons assorted herbs, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest, minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
sea salt
Slice eggplant lengthwise in slices no more than 1/4-inch thick, and lay out flat in a single layer on a baking or cooling rack. Sprinkle with salt and allow to purge for 30 minutes. Pat slices dry, brush with olive oil, and grill for 3 minutes on each side. Set slices aside in a single layer on a sheet pan.
In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat goat cheese until smooth, add remaining ingredients, including half (1/4 cup) the pecorino cheese, and beat again to incorporate. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour; keep refrigerated until rolls are assembled. (If mixture is still too soft after chilling, add 2 tablespoons finely ground bread crumbs or 2 egg whites as a binder.)
Cut an "X" in the bottom of the tomatoes, and place in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen skins. Immediately remove tomatoes and place them in an ice-water bath. Remove skins from tomatoes, quarter to remove seeds, drain and dice. Toss with remaining ingredients, and allow to marinate at room temperature. (If using grape or cherry tomatoes, simply slice lengthwise, toss with remaining ingredients, and allow to marinate at room temperature.)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place 1 tablespoon cheese stuffing on the large end of each eggplant slice. Roll each tightly and place on baking sheet lightly coated with olive oil. Drizzle with extra olive oil, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until eggplant is warm and softened.
Add sea salt to taste to raw tomato sauce. Plate rolls and, using a slotted spoon, top with raw tomato sauce and remaining pecorino. Makes approximately 12 rolls; serves 6-8.
