On Appetizers and Experimenting

In hopes of many upcoming holiday parties for me to cater, and also out of boredom, I recently did some experimenting with exciting new fall appetizers. I have been thinking about a couple parties I have coming up for sure, and all I can think of for the menu is things I have made before. I have been looking for some fresh new ideas and I am always a supporter of seasonal ingredients and flavors. Roasting is an easy way to turn veggies and many fruits into a tasty new experience. Squash is a classic fall ingredient and very versatile. Herbs like sage and rosemary add really nice fall flavors to favorite dishes.

One of my friends from work mentioned that he had made an acorn squash bruschetta at some point, so based on that idea, (and because I had butternut squash at home already) I decided to try out a goat cheese, caramelized onion, and roasted butternut squash crostini. It turned out better than I could have hoped and I think it will be a big hit at upcoming parties!

To start, I diced the squash into small cubes, sprinkled it with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg, then put it in a baking dish and cooked it at 400 until it was tender and slightly browned.

While the squash was roasting, I thinly sliced a red onion to caramelize. I put the onions in a heavy bottomed pot with a little bit of butter and olive oil, and cooked them over medium heat until they were soft and nicely browned.

Walnuts were toasted and chopped, ciabatta bread was cut, brushed with olive oil, and toasted, and sage leaves were chiffonaded as well. Once everything was cooked properly, I assembled the delicious treats! I started with the crostini, added the roasted squash cubes, then goat cheese crumbles, then a sprinkle of toasted walnut. I finished them off with a little 'nest' of caramelized onions and some fresh sage. These little bite sized appetizers look festive and taste great!

My other experiment for the week was inspired by an amuse bouche we had for my mother's birthday at a really fun restaurant in Boulder. I made roasted beets, that are delicious all on their own, with a gorgonzola mousse.

For the roasting of the beets, I chop off both ends of the beet and cut them in half or quarters depending on how big the beet is. I place the pieces in a glass baking dish and drizzle the beets with olive oil. I like to sprinkle salt, pepper, basil, thyme, and any other herbs I feel like using on the beets, add a dash of water and cover the pan with foil so the beets steam some and cook faster. Towards the end of the cooking process, I uncover the beets so they can roast. Once the beets are cooked and slightly cooled, you can peel them much easier.

Beets before:

Beets after:

For the mousse, I used a bit of heavy cream, a spoonfull of ricotta, a chunk of gorgonzola, and salt and pepper to taste. (the amount of gorgonzola you use can vary depending on how much you like it) I just put everything in a container and mixed it with my immersion blender, which makes a fairly dense mousse.

I thinly sliced the beets and placed them on a plate over a bit of the mousse. I was thinking it might be tasty on a crostini-to add a bit of textural contrast. I am not sure if this is something I will only serve for sit down dinners so I can have it plated, or if there is a way to make it a buffet or passing type appetizer. Any suggestions?

I am working on an idea for something green to add to the dish- it looked a little plain, especially on my white plates. I am thinking a parsley puree or oil or something along those lines. It looks nice with a sprig of Italian parsley, but that is less than pleasant to eat. Anyone have any ideas?let me know what you think if you try either recipe! Or host a party and I can make them for you.

I enjoy writing this blog and sharing my ideas with everyone who reads, so I am wondering who is actually reading the blog! If you do read it, and enjoy it, please either click "follow" or let me know in a comment! Keep reading, friends... And Chop On!