I'm a big fan of loading up a cutting board or wooden pizza peel with cheeses, meats,candied walnuts, olives, little rye breads, a pate and crackers and mustard.
I am in Florida right now too and just bought some seriously beautiful Fennel at the farm stand - what about shaved Fennel and citrus atop crostini?
The grapefruits are nice right now too - a light citrus salad with toasted pistachios, green olives and sweet onion? (I just read that to my Mom and now apparently I am making it tomorrow :-)
Plant City strawberries and star fruit are in as well which begs for fruit and cheese ....
I always find that people are really impressed by a crudité platter that you've put together yourself with quality, seasonal vegetables. Then serving that with a homemade, flavorful, bright dip.
I'm a big crostini/canapé guy. Get some good moderately crusty bread (baguette isn't my first choice since it can be a little too chewy) or puff pastry (frozen, homemade or even rough-puff) and bake em up nice and crispy. Then top them with whatever your heart desires:
- jewel tomato caprese
- homemade ricotta with cracked pepper and olive oil
- wild mushroom duxelle and goat cheese
- prosciutto, lightly dressed arugula and shaved parm
- white bean hummus and pine nuts
- pea puree with mint and pecorino
- summer corn succotash with chile, chive and bacon (or without)
- spicy eggplant caponata
- balsamic caramelized onion, apricot preserves and gruyere
- olive tapenade and feta
- traditional pear, stilton, honey and walnut
- roasted, spiced winter squash with crispy pancetta
- avocado, sundried tomato and picked onion
- balsamic-rosemary roasted grapes and pearl onions
I really love these suggestions.....we are big cheese, cracker and olive people before dinner every night.....going to add these and work through them. Thank you!!
1) take one of your favorite mains & make mini versions
2) pick a seasonal fruit or veg and use it in several hors d'oeuvre
3) feature important food products of your locality or of a foreign country whose food you like
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The grapefruits are nice right now too - a light citrus salad with toasted pistachios, green olives and sweet onion? (I just read that to my Mom and now apparently I am making it tomorrow :-)
Plant City strawberries and star fruit are in as well which begs for fruit and cheese ....
- jewel tomato caprese
- homemade ricotta with cracked pepper and olive oil
- wild mushroom duxelle and goat cheese
- prosciutto, lightly dressed arugula and shaved parm
- white bean hummus and pine nuts
- pea puree with mint and pecorino
- summer corn succotash with chile, chive and bacon (or without)
- spicy eggplant caponata
- balsamic caramelized onion, apricot preserves and gruyere
- olive tapenade and feta
- traditional pear, stilton, honey and walnut
- roasted, spiced winter squash with crispy pancetta
- avocado, sundried tomato and picked onion
- balsamic-rosemary roasted grapes and pearl onions
2) pick a seasonal fruit or veg and use it in several hors d'oeuvre
3) feature important food products of your locality or of a foreign country whose food you like