Catered

Easy Entertaining: hors d’ oeuvres

Michael has suggestions for easy and delicious cheese appetizers.

Cheese is an ingredient that can be used in nearly any dish. It adds a smooth, creamy, and often salty characteristic that cannot be replicated by any other ingredient. Chilled, it takes on one texture, but once melted, it becomes totally different. Since so many get-togethers have finger foods and hors d’ oeuvres, I wanted to focus on some delicious, easy to assemble bite-size foods that use cheese as a centerpiece.

One of my favorites is turning a traditional Caprese salad into a 1-bite appetizer. Start by marinating bite-sized fresh mozzarella balls (or cut a log into ½ inch cubes) in a good olive oil with some salt, fresh cracked pepper, and chopped basil. Once marinated, assemble them on a small skewer (or toothpick) with a grape tomato and fresh basil leaf. Start with a piece of the marinated mozzarella, then put the basil leaf through the skewer at one end of the leaf (choose fairly large leaves). Next, put the cherry tomato on, then wrap the other end of the basil onto the skewer, making a “ribbon” around the tomato. Finish with a second ball of cheese. Place on a clean white platter and the colors and flavors will really impress your guests. I like to drizzle a little balsamic reduction on top, but purists would frown upon that.

Another tried and true cheese appetizer is a variation of baked brie. Brie cheese is a smooth, creamy cheese that is very mild. Often, the whole wheel is wrapped in a pastry shell and baked, then topped with fruit chutney. Instead of baking a whole wheel of brie, serve little scoops of brie in individual pastry shells or phyllo cups. These bite-sized shells can be bought frozen, or you can easily make them by taking a pie crust, cutting it into small circles, and baking them in mini muffin tins. Once made, scoop a little brie cheese into each piece and top with a fruit chutney. Apricot chutney works great, especially if topped with a little rosemary sprig. Before serving, place in a warm oven (250 – 300 degrees F) for about 5 minutes just to soften the cheese. Your guests will think you slaved over these (or paid a LOT for them at a store).

A more upscale cheese bite is a blue cheese wrapped grape with toasted walnuts. The recipe follows, but it’s easy to prepare: wrap blue cheese / cream cheese mixture around a cold grape, then rolled in nuts. This is a classic dish but remember that not everyone likes blue cheese. It has a very strong flavor and people either like it or they don’t. The cream cheese does make this a little milder.

There are literally thousands of possible cheese appetizers. Figs and goat cheese go great together, as do Velveeta and Rotel. As always, be sure to make something suitable for your guests, and something you like as well. Most importantly have fun.

Blue Cheese Grapes Appetizer

This recipe sounded so good. I love all the ingredients and plan to serve it at my next catered event.
by Tangiloo's catering
40 min | 40 min prep

• 60 Grapes
• 1/2 cup shelled pecans
• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
• 1/2 cup shelled walnuts
• 3/4 (6 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temp (Neufchatel)
• 4 ounces blue cheese
• 12 ounces seedless grapes, stemmed, rinsed and dried

Garnish

• grape leaves or mint sprig, rinsed and dried

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place nuts, each kind separate, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring once or twice, 8-10 minutes until lightly toasted. Let cool.
2. In a food processor, pulse one kind of nut at a time, until just finely chopped (don't overprocess). Place in separate bowls.
3. Remove blade; wipe processor bowl clean. Add cheeses; process until blended and smooth. Scrape into a medium bowl.
4. Line rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Gently fold grapes into cheese mixture. Remove 1 coated grape at a time with a spoon, then push grape gently into one of the bowls of chopped nuts. Shake bowl to turn grape until coated. Place on lined baking sheet.
5. To serve: Arrange grapes on a leaf-lined plate to resemble a bunch of grapes.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Blue-Cheese-Grapes-Appetizer-341735

Michael Kricsfeld, Professional Catering

Michael Kricsfeld is the Director of Catering for Cutchall Management Company in the K.C. metro area. CMC is the local franchisee of Famous Dave's BBQ Retaurants. For information about catering an event or if you just want to talk food, contact him at Michael@caterkc.com or call him at 816-805-7534.