Appetizers

Mom's Antipasto
Back to Top A wonderful make-ahead recipe for parties. Serve with cocktail rye or crackers, or make it more elaborate by placing on the side sliced cheeses, salami, bread sticks and other pickles.
4 cans		solid pack white meat tuna
1 can		mushroom caps
1 can		pitted olives
16 oz jar		sweet mixed pickles, sliced
16 oz jar		pitted green olives
10 oz jar		pickled onions
1		carrot, chopped
1 bottle		chili sauce
1		small bottle ketchup
few drops		Worcestershire sauce

Drain all jars well.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Transfer mixture into jars or covered containers.

Refrigerate for 3 days. Will keep for a week.

Crostini with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
Back to Top An easy to make, colourful and high-flavour appetizer. The mixture can be made ahead of time if you wish and the bread toasted and topped just before serving.
3 oz		sun dried tomatoes, oil packed
1		baguette
1/4 cup		finely chopped red onion
1 Tbsp		chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1 clove		garlic
3 oz		cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp		milk
1/2 cup		goat cheese

Drain sun-dried tomatoes. Reserve oil. Set aside.

Meanwhile, finely chop sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl. Stir together tomatoes, onion, capers, olives and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, milk and coat cheese together until smooth.

Spread cream cheese mixture on the oiled side of toast. Top with a small spoonful of tomato mixture.

Serve on a tray decorated with parsley.

Jeff's Mussels
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2. 1/2 lbs		fresh mussels in the shell
2 Tbsp		butter
1		onion, finely chopped
4		cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup		dry white wine
pinch		parsley
pinch		oregano

Scrub mussels clean with a brush. Pull vein out of mussels. (Make sure mussels are closed; discard any that are open).

Steam mussels for 2 1/2 minutes in a covered saucepan of boiling water until cooked.

Drain off water. Set aside. Do not open mussels and eat at this point.

In a skillet, saut� onion and garlic in butter. Add spices and wine. Combine.

Toss mussels in sauce. Coat and remove

Sesame Cheese Puffs
Back to Top These go great with drinks
1/2 cup		unsalted butter
2 cups		Balderson cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 cup		flour
1/4 tsp		salt
		sesame seeds

Blend butter and cheese in a bowl. Mix in flour and salt.

Chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll cheese mixture into teaspoon-sized balls.

Roll balls in sesame seeds.

Grilled Jumbo Shimp
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2 lb		jumbo shrimp, shell on
1/2 cup		extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp		salt
1 tsp		pepper
2 Tbsp		chopped fresh rosemary
4		cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp		hot red pepper flakes

With scissors, cut shrimp shells along the upper side to open. Make a deep incision to remove the intestinal tract (this is sometimes called deveining). Flatten shrimps open but leave shells on.

In a small bowl combine the olive oil with salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic and hot pepper flakes.

Rub the shrimps under the shell and along the incision with the olive oil mixture. Marinate up to one hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill on high. Cook shrimp about 2-3 minutes per side for jumbo ones, just until flesh is white, opaque and shells turn red. Do not overcook.

Hummus
Back to Top This recipe ranked second to the hummus served iin Jerusalem's Old City in an independent survey!
4 cups		chickpeas
1/2 cup		tahini
1/3 cup		warm water
1/3 cup		extra-virgin olive oil
juice of		1 lemon
4		large cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp		salt
		freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp		cumin seed, optional
		fresh parsley finely chopped

Mash chickpeas to a thick paste.

In a food processor, add tahini, water, olive oil and lemon. Blend until creamy.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Adjust seasonings as necessary.

Chill thoroughly.

Serve with pita, cucumber slices, carrot and celery sticks. Sarah Dewar suggests apples wedges are unbelievably tasty with hummus.