I need the best 5-star sweet or savory finger food appetizer hor dourves EVER! Cost is not an issue.?!
Answers: I have a 5-star open house event in December and it is a competition with about 300 other Exec Chefs in Canada and the US. Only the best of the best of the best will do. Theme ideas are welcome. This event will be for 300-400 people - mostly retired (and their families).
SOUTHWEST APPETIZER CHEESECAKE
Makes 10 to 12 servings. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2/3 c. finely crushed tortilla chips
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 c. cottage cheese
3 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
10 oz. shredded sharp natural Cheddar cheese
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 (8 oz.) container jalapeno cheddar gourmet dip
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix (optional)
1 c. chopped tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1/4 c. pitted ripe olive slices
Combine the tortilla chips and butter and press in the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor. Cover and process on high speed until smooth. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cottage cheese and cream cheese, mixing at medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the Cheddar cheese and chilies. Pour the mixture over the baked crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 1 hour.
Combine the sour cream and dip; mix thoroughly. Spread mixture over the hot cheesecake; return to the oven and continue baking for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Loosen the cake from the rim of the pan; cool completely before removing the rim. Refrigerate the cheesecake until ready to serve. Top with the tomatoes, green onions and olives before serving.
If you want it spicey then add taco seasoning to mixture before pouring over crust.
SHRIMP AND SAGA CROUTONS APPETIZER
28 uncooked med. shrimp
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. olive oil
14 (1/3" thick) French bread baguette slices
1 (6 oz.) wedge Saga blue cheese, room temperature
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, stems removed, leaves chopped
Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Add shrimp and cook until just pink, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool. Peel and devein shrimp. (Can be prepared one day ahead and refrigerated. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before using.)
Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread slices in batches and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to cookie sheet. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cool croutons. Cover, let stand at room temperature.)
Preheat broiler. Put shrimp on top of croutons, then spread with cheese. Broil 4 inches from heat source until cheese melts and shrimp are heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to platter and sprinkle with rosemary. Makes 14.
Note: Don't cook too long. You just want the blue cheese to melt and bubble a little. The rosemary keeps the blue cheese from being too strong.
Rib-eye Tacos with Onion jam and Horseradish creme fraiche
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/v...
I like to take "regular" food and make it a little more fancy for coctail parties.
This is a simple knock off of a stuffed potato that I made for a cocktail party. There were only about 30 people there, so I don't know how making it for 300 will work. Half new baby potaotes. Then hollow them out with a melon baller. Toss the potatoes in olive oil, and a good amount of salt and pepper. Bake on 400 for until they are fork tender and golden brown. Fill in the hole with creme fraiche and top with a little little caviar. Garnish with a little bit of chive sticking out the top.
Another is mini beggar's purses, a knock off of pigs in a blanket. I made some filled with a mixture of finely diced chorizo and grated manchgo cheese. I also brushed some whole grain mustard on the puff pastry before I fill it. Tie them together with some wilted scallion and bake off.
note: this isn't a true appetizer, persay, but it's so amazingly simple that it could come in handy sometime!
pretzel-rollos, aka "snaps":
take an ungreased cookie sheet (wax paper optional- not always needed) and place as many square "waffle" pretzels as will fit, comfortably. place rollos onto pretzels and bake at lowest oven setting for 2-4 minutes (depending on how low your oven goes!), until rollos are slightly melty/soft. take out of oven and immediately smoosh down rollos with another pretzel (some brands make slightly rectangular pretzels and call them square....be warned!) to create a "sandwich", cool and remove.
these are very simple and good to have on hand.....with some practive, can look professional!
Deviled egg with caviar on top
caviar on crackers
Look at the Top Chef section on the bravo.com website. I saw some food items they made during the competition that I never saw before. Really upmarket stuff.
The only things that are coming to mind are "regular" appetizers with high-end ingredients. As far as something really spectacular goes, I'll keep thinking and get back to you.
(I was thinking truffled toasts with foie gras, or perhaps canapes/blini with beluga caviar. Sliders seem to be very popular these days, you could always make them with kobe beef or ostrich. If you like working with kobe beef, it makes a nice carpaccio, too.)
Themes... Is there a particular cuisine you really excel at, or a particular flavour palate you like to work with? I would play to your strengths.
Similarly, do you live in a region that is known for a certain dish or ingredients? I think it would be wonderful if you were able to showcase local ingredients or produce. With the green movement getting so much attention, you could even tie into that with some rustic-type dishes.