Category: Appetizer

Baked King Crab Artichoke Dip

Alaskan king crab is a versatile seafood. So delicious served with melted butter, in a crab cake, cold dip, or one of my favorites is a baked dip. Baked crab dip is an easy to make decadent appetizer that is irresitable to stop eating.

Ingredients

1 C King Crab shredded(about 1 to 1 1/2 large legs)¹

1 C mayonaise

1 C artichoke hearts chopped

1 C Parmesan grated cheese

3/4 C sliced onions

Directions

Heat oven to 400ºF

Combine all ingredients in small bowl.

Pour combined ingredients into small ovenproof casserole dish.

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Place in oven and bake 15-20 minutes.

Remove and serve hot with sliced baguette.

Notes

1. I use Alaskan red king crab legs. They have a firm rich but sweet meat.

Potato, Bacon, Onion Tarte Flambenkuchen

An Alsatian flatbread or pizza with comfort food toppings. The bacon and crust add crunch, the onions add sweetness, the potatoes and sauce merry for depth of creaminess.

Ingredients

No Yeast Crust

1 1/2 C fllour

3 T olive oil

1/2 t salt

5-6 T water

Sauce

1/3 C fromage blanc

1/3 C crème fraîche(sour cream)

1/4 t nutmeg

Toppings

2 Yukon Gold potatoes sliced thin

2 T olive oil

1 onion sliced thin

1 T olive oil

3 bacon slices crumbled¹

1 slice provolone chopped

1/3 C mozarella shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 500º F.  Cover one baking sheet in aluminum foil. Cover second baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make Dough

In medium bowl add flour and oil and mix until crumbly.

Add water and combine to form dough ball. Knead for 5-10 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap or in covered bowl and let rest for at least one hour.

Make Sauce

In small bowl, combine crème fraîche, froamge blanc, and nutmeg.  Set aside.

Make Toppings

Using a mandolin, slice potatoes and onion very thin.

Rinse potatoes in water to remove extra starch and dry.  Coat with olive oil and roast in oven about 10-15 minutes, turning once. Remove and cool.

In medium skillet heat olive oil, add onion slices and cook until carmelized. Remove and cool.

In small skillet add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove and place on paper towel to degrease.

Assemble Tarte

Roll dough on parchment covered baking sheet until about 1/8 inch thick.

Add sauce and spread to about 1/4 inch from edge of dough.

Spread potatoes evenly across the crust, then add carmelized onions  and bacon bits.

Sprinkle provolone and mozzarella across the toppings.

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Place the tarte on top shelf of heated oven for 5 minutes, Then remove and place on lowest shelf for 7-10 minutes until crust is crispy brown.

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Remove and serve.

Note:

¹We use turkey bacon in our recipes.

When visiting Strasbourg, France I had Alsatian choucroute garnie in the fall which was always memorable but the one dish I enjoyed with friends year round was tarte flambée with bacon and onions or apples and cinnamon many times. It is great with an Alsatian dry white wine. I now regualrly make tartes but experiment with different toppings.

 

 

 

Southwest Lavash (Flatbread) Pizza

Use lavash as a flatbread to make  fun fresh pizza salad that has great flavor and a light texture.  This recipe is great for cutting carbs and making veggies more fun to eat.

Ingredients

1 lavash flatbread (9 x 12″)

1/2 C chèvre

1/3 C mozzarella

1/2 – 3/4 C black bean corn salsa

1 tomato diced

1/4 C black olives sliced

1 shallot thin sliced

1/4 -1/3 C cilantro sliced

1/2 C lettuce fine sliced

1/4 C sour cream

1/4 C cheddar shredded (optional)

Directions

Serves 2 for lunch

Preheat oven 450º F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine veggies:

Mix tomatoes, shallots, olives, and cilantro in small bowl and set aside.

Make pizza:

For sauces, the flatbread is prenaked.  For a soft cheese spread, you can prebake or move to the next step.  For prebaking, place flatbread on baking sheet and apply thin coat of olive oil to both sides. Bake for 3 minutes and turn over and bake for another 3 minutes.*  The flatbread should crisp and somewhat flexible.

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If prebaked, remove flatbread from oven. Otherwise, gently spread chèvre (or other soft cheese) and then sprinkle mozzarella on the flatbread. Bake for 3-4 minutes and remove from oven.

Add the black bean corn salsa and then the tomato mixture to the prepared flatbread. Sprinkle the lettuce and sour cream to finish dressing the pizza. (If desired, add shredded cheddar cheese.) Cut into quarters and serve.

Notes

* With cheese, I may not prebake the flatbread.  For sauces, prebaking is important since sauces can make flatbread soggy. I recommend experimenting to find what works for you.

Blackened chicken, cod, or halibut can be added.

Do not add so many ingredients that the flatbread breaks from the weight of the toppings.

Black Bean Corn Salsa

An easy to make salsa that is big in flavor and colorful. Fresh tomatoes, corn, and chilis add crunch  Great served with Mexican favorites.  We also make a fresh-mex pizza with this salsa.

Ingredients

3/4 C black beans drained and washed

3/4 C corn*

1 roma tomato deseeded and diced

1 shallot diced

2 serrano chilis diced*

1/2 C cilantro chopped

1/2 lime juiced

1/8 t cumin

Salt

Directions

Mix all ingredients in small bowl and season to taste with salt. Can be used immdeiately but tastes better if marinated 4 hours to overnight. Serve as side, a dip, or use in burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and Southwest Pizza.

Note

*I use fresh roasted corn. Canned or frozen corn can be substituted. I also use fresh tomatoes and chilis.

*I am finding that sometimes the chilis I buy have no heat, that includes poblanos, jalapeños, and serranos. They taste like a green pepper, disappointing. I add cayenne when this happens.

Tarte Flambe Pizza with Chicken, Olives, and Artichokes

Mediterranean inspired pizza with rosemary chicken, Kalmata olives, artichoke hearts, and a sprinkle of feta. The pizza dough is an Alsatian recipe that bakes to crispness in 10 minutes or less.

Ingredients

Dough

1 1/4 C flour

3 T canola oil

1/4 t salt

5 T water

Sauce

1/3 C creme fraische

1/3 C fromage blanc(can substitute sour cream)

1/4 t nutmeg

 

Topping

1/4 C Leftover rotisserie rosemary herbed chicken breast*

2 T chopped kalmata olives

2 T basil leaves torn

1 1/2 artichoke hearts chopped

4-6 roasted garlic cloves halved

3/4- 1  C mozzarella shredded.

1-2 slices provolone diced

3 T grated Parmesan

1/4 C feta crumbles

Salt and pepper

Directions

Oven temperature 550º F Baking sheet 13″ by 18″ lined with parhment paper Appetizer or serves 2

Mix flour,salt and oil until crumbly. Add water until dough comes together. Knead until smooth. Cover and rest for 1 hour.

Sauce: Mix in small bowl and set aside

Assemble

Roll  and pat dough until paper thin.  Spread sauce then half of the mozzarella and provolone Add garlic, olives, artichokes, chicken, and basil. Top with remaining cheeses. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake about 10 minutes on lowest rack in oven.. Remove, slice and eat. Serve with green salad

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Note:
*Any rotisserie chicken can be substituted, We always have leftover chicken breast.

 

 

Flatbread with Chèvre Raspberries Bacon

Ingredients

Crisp flatbread covered in spicy arugula with fresh raspberries, crispy bacon, crunchy pecans, creamy blue cheese dressed lightly with lemon vinaigrette

1 flatbread 9 x 11″

1/3 – 1/2 C Chèvre

4  slices of bacon crisp and crumbled

1/2 C pecans

2 C arugula

6 ounces raspberries

1/3 C blue cheese crumbled.

Lemon vinaigretteLemon Garlic Dressing

Directions

Preheat oven 400º F  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place flatbread on prepared baking sheet and butter generously with chèvre to the edge. Transfer to oven and bake until edges are lightly browned about 8-10 minutes. Remove and cool for 5 minutes. Add arugula and remaining ingredients over arugula. Drizzle lightly with lemon dressing. Cut into 8 or 12 slices. Serve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blackened Cod Tacos

Blackened cod taco with red cabbage slaw
Blackened Wild Cod Tacos
Blackened cod taco with red cabbage slaw

Fish tacos are a family favorite. We like blackend instead of batter fried fish. We traditionally grill our fish. The slaw is crisp and seasoned to compliment the fish. Crema adds acidity and creaminess. Blackened fish with crunchy slaw nestled in a soft corn taco shell is irresistible.

Ingredients

1 1/2 poundcod filets sliced into 1 inch pieces

2 T canola oil

Blacken Seasoning

1 T smoked paprika

1 t cumin

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

2 t thyme

1 t cayenne pepper

1 t salt

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Slaw*

1/2 head of red cabbage shredded

1/4 head green cabbage shredded

6 T cilantro chopped

1/3 C chopped onion

1/2 Serrano chili diced

Dressing

1/2 C mayonnaise

2 t cumin

3 T cilantro chopped

1 T shallot diced

1/2 lime juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

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Crema

1/2.C crema / sour cream*

2 T lime juice

1 t chopped shallot

1/2 Serrano diced/optional

2 T  cilantro chopped

3 T mayonnaise

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Directions

Heat grill to 375-400º F   8-10 tacos

In small bowl combine blackened seasoning ingredients.* Lightly oil grill pan. Using pastry brush lightly oil one side of fish and sprinkle on blackened seasoning. Turn over and oil  season other side. Place on grill and cook about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove.

Slaw

Mix slaw dressing Ingredients in small bowl.

In medium bowl add shredded cabbage , cilantro, onion, and chili. Toss and add dressing and mix. Let marinate 30-45 minutes

Crema

Mix ingredients together in small bowl and marinates for 30 minutes. Place in serving dish.

Wrap 8-10 taco shells  in foil and place on top shelf of grill to heat.

Assemble

Place taco on serving dish and add slaw and fish and top with slaw. Drizzle taco with crema. Serve with rice and Mexican black beads. Redand/or green salsas and hot sauce on the side,

Notes

*Crema is sold in loca Mexican groceries and in Safeway/Carrs stores.

*Chopped radish can also be added.

* If you want to use premixed seasoning ;Paul Prodhomme has a blackened seasoning for fish.

We are more heavy handed with chilis.

We have access to fresh fish regularly. We use this recipe for salmon, halibut, cod, and rock fish.

 

 

 

 

 

Soft Pretzels from Pizza Crust Dough

Ingredients

Pretzels in under an hour using pizza dough. Boiling them in baking soda water and baking at a high heat gives you a traditional soft pretzel that has a crisp outside and a soft inside.

Ingredients

1 pound package of pizza crust dough or medium size dough ball from pizzeria

6 quarts water

1/2 C baking soda

1 egg yolk

3 T water

2 T pretzel salt

Directions

Oven temperature 450º F Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Bring large wide mouth pot or high walled skillet with water and baking soda to boil.

Sprinkle flour on large cutting board. Cut dough bowl into 8 pieces. Roll out slices to 18 inch roped. Shape them into pretzel bows.

Whisk egg yolk and water and set aside.

Drop pretzels into boiling water and boil 30 seconds per side. Using large spatula lift them out and place on baking rack. Continue until all pretzels have been boiled.

Using pastry brush apply egg yolk to the pretzels and then sprinkle salt onto the pretzels. Transfer them to baking sheet.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes and remove to baking rack.

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Serve with dips or mustard. Mine were gone in1 hour.

Note:

We have used traditional pizza dough and whole wheat pizza dough, both deliver a good pretzel.

 

 

 

 

Tarte Pizza with 4 Cheese Artichoke Hearts and Sun-dried Tomato

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An easy to make 4 cheese pizza with delicious toppings. It is a no yeast pizza dough that cooks up crispy in 10 minutes or less.

Ingredients

Dough

1 1/4 C flour

3 T cano;a oil

1/4 t salt

5 T water

Sauce

2/3 C creme fraische

2/3 C fromage blanc(can substitute sour cream)

1/4 t nutmeg

Topping

2 artichoke hearts chopped

1/4 C thin sliced red onion

2 sun-dried tomatoes thin sliced

Handful of chopped spinach leaves

3/4- 1  C mozzarella shredded. Apply

1-2 slices provolone diced

3 T grated Parmesan

1/4 C feta crumbles

Salt and pepper

Directions

Oven temperature 550º F Baking sheet 13″ by 18″ lined with parhment paper Appetizer or serves 2

Mix flour,salt and oil until crumbly. Add water until dough comes together. Knead until smooth. COver and rest for 1 hour.

Sauce: Mix in small bowl and set aside

ssemble

Roll  and pat dough until paper thin.  Spread sauce, half of the mozzarella and provolone. Add onions, artichokes, tomatoes. Top with remaining cheeses. Season with salt and pepper.

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Bake about 10 minutes on lowest rack in oven.. Remove, slice and eat. Serve with green salad

Kid-Loving Pizza

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Pepperoni Tarte

Replace your pizza crust with a tarte dough to make the best thin crust pizza.  Lightly layered pepperoni and your favorite cheseses create an amazing kid-loving pizza.

Ingredients

Part 1. Tarte Thin Crust

1 1/4 C all purpose flour

3 T canola oil

5 T water

1/4 t salt

Part 2. Toppings

1/3 C pizza sauce or pesto

1 1/2 – 2 C pizza cheese

20 pepperoni slices

1/2 C sliced olives

Directions

Oven 550º F Dough recipe is for 1 tarte. 1 baking sheet [13″ by 18″] with parchment paper cut to size.  You need high heat, but don’t confuse this with the broiler.  The broiler will sear your pizza to inedible blackness.

Mix flour, salt and oil together until it is crumbly. Add water gradually until dough comes together. Knead until smooth about 5 minutes. Cover and rest for 1 hour.

Assemble tarte

Placed dough ball on baking sheet and roll and patt out dough until papaer thin, Spread sauce choice on dough. Add cheese then pepperoni and olives. Top with cheese.. Baked for about 10 minutes on lowest shelf in oven.

Remove, cut, and serve. Served with carrot sticks, pepper sticks, and snow peas.

Note

Tarte flambe is also known as flammekueche

This is a non traditional way to serve this dish but it was an alternative choice for the younger set.

We used turkey pepperoni