When you are in need of a beautiful, tasty appetizer that requires very little effort, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Whipped Feta Toasts fit the bill!
So pretty, so delicious and so easy!
Roasted cherry tomatoes are amazing as the topping for this appetizer but they are also spectacular on pasta, pizza or scooped directly onto crackers ( or into your mouth).
Simply combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, butter, garlic and thyme in a baking dish and roast for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and bursting. Remove them from the oven and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them for good measure!
In a food processor, blend together feta cheese, parmesan cheese, milk and lemon zest until it’s completely smooth.
Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.
To assemble, simply spread some of the whipped feta on each toast and top with roasted cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese over and freshly sliced basil leaves.
Serve these delicious appetizers!
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Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Whipped Feta Toasts
Makes: 20 toasts
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 thyme sprigs
Whipped Feta:
- 6 ounces crumbled feta
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Assembly:
- 1 French baguette, sliced into 1-inch thick pieces on the diagonal
- extra-virgin olive oil
- grated Parmesan, for garnish
- fried basil leaves or thinly sliced fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a shallow baking dish, combine oil, butter, tomatoes, garlic, and thyme and place into the oven. Roast tomatoes for 20 to 22 minutes or until soft and bursting. Remove tomatoes from oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place feta, Parmesan, milk, and zest into a food processor and season with salt and pepper. Process mixture until completely smooth.
Place baguette pieces onto a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Place in oven for 6 to 8 minute or until lightly toasted.
To assemble, spread some of the whipped feta over each piece of toast and using a slotted spoon, top with a few spoonful’s of the roasted tomatoes onto each toast. Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a few fried or sliced basil leaves, if using. Serve immediately.
Recipe from Spoon Fork Bacon
For the ultimate in finger-food, Chef Eddie’s Mint Basil Pistou Lamb Lollipops are it! These mint basil pistou-marinated lamb chops are grilled for only moments to get a deep char on them and served piled high on a platter and served with plenty of napkins!
These lamb lollipops and I have serious history. My long-time friend and celebrated chef, Eddie Matney, go way back. Eddie began his career in Arizona when he opened his first restaurant KoosKooz, and then opened Eddie’s Grill, Eddie Matney’s, Eddie’s House, Eddie’s Art Museum and Eddie’s Patio Café at the Desert Botanical Garden. He has had these Mint Basil Pistou Lamb Lollipops on his menu since the beginning. They have always been a signature item. And for good reason!
Eddie joined me at my home in Flagstaff, Arizona to help me prepare the lamb chops for a New Year’s Eve party. We made the pistou together, he showed me how to properly squeeze a lemon to get every last drop out of it, and he trimmed and cut the racks of lamb.
All of you Chef Eddie fans now have the key to his amazing lamb lollipops! Enjoy!
The key to this recipe is the mint basil pistou. Pistou is like pesto but without the nuts.
It’s made by processing fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper together. Add the mint leaves and pulse a few more times as you want it to be chunky, not smooth.
Trim the lamb chops so there is very little fat remaining and cut between the bones to get lollipops of even thickness. This isn’t always possible but just realize that thicker chops will need to cook an extra minute or so.
Place the chop in a large bowl and cover with mint basil pistou. Toss well and refrigerate for 6-24 hours.
Spread the chops on a baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and sumac, if you are using it.
Preheat your grill to high. Once it’s very hot, drop the temperature to medium. Add the chops to the grill, salted side down. Eddie showed me a trick where you can just flip the whole pan of lamb chops upside down directly on the grill, but it didn’t work out so well for me! It must be a chef thing because I got major flare-ups when I did that. So I took an extra minute and placed them individually on the grill!
Close the lid and grill for 2 minutes, flip and grill another minute or two until done. Medium rare is ideal. Eddie serves the lamb chops on a platter that’s spread with hummus. It gives it a Middle Eastern flare, which harkens to Eddie’s Lebanese roots.
Thank you, Chef Eddie, for sharing this sought-after recipe with your fans!
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Chef Eddie’s Mint Basil Pistou Lamb Lollipops
Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Grill Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 24 minutes plus marinate time 6 hours minimum
Ingredients
- 2 racks of lamb (2-2.5 pounds)
- 1 cup mint basil pistou
- Kosher salt, pepper, sumac (optional)
- Hummus, optional
Instructions
Trim the racks of lamb so that very little fat remains. Slice between the bones so that you have individual lamb chops. Place in large bowl. Add Mint Basil Pistou and toss to thoroughly coat lamb.
Cover bowl and refrigerate for 6-24 hours.
Place lamb chops on a baking sheet and sprinkle kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and sumac on one side of lamb.
Preheat grill to high. Once preheated, lower to medium. Add lamb chops to the grill, salted side down. Close lid and grill for 2 minutes, flip over and continue to grill another minute or two, until cooked to medium rare.
Remove chops from grill to serving platter spread with hummus, if desired. Dip each lamb lollipop in hummus for a Middle Eastern flair!
Recipe from Chef Eddie Matney
Sausage Puffs with Hot Honey are seriously one of the best appetizers I’ve had lately. No joke! In fact, I served them at a party and people were counting them to see if it was cool for them to snatch a few more (they wanted to be sure that everyone got at least one each before they pigged out!).
With a savory filling of pork and sage breakfast sausage, sharp cheddar cheese and thyme, the puff pastry-wrapped bites are baked to golden perfection! Sprinkled with everything bagel spice and drizzled with hot honey, you’ll be counting the bites as well!
Begin by combining the sausage, cheese, panko, one egg and the thyme.
Unroll the puff pastry sheets and divide in half to create two long strips out of each sheet. Divide the mixture into fourths and spread along each pastry strip, mounding into a log. Place it in the center of the puff pastry and brush an egg wash on one side and Dijon mustard on the other side of the sausage.
Roll the pastry around the sausage log and seal with the side that has the egg wash on it.
Cut into 1 & 1/2-inch pieces, place on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle the tops with everything bagel spice.
Bake the bites until they are golden brown and the sausage is cooked through, between 18 and 20 minutes.
Transfer the bites to a platter and drizzle with hot honey. These are delicious!
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Sausage Puffs with Hot Honey
Makes: 36 rolls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast pork and sage sausage, casings removed if necessary
- 1/2 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, divided
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves plus extra for garnish
- One (17.3 ounce) 2-pack box puff pastry
- 2 tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning
- Hot honey for drizzling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, combine the breakfast pork and sage sausage, grated cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, 1 egg, and fresh thyme. Mix until evenly combined.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon of water until well combined. Set aside.
Unroll the puff pastry on a floured surface. Roll out slightly to create a large rectangle and just to soften the puff pastry slightly (this helps make it easier to roll). Cut the pastry in half to create two long strips.
Repeat with the second puff pastry dough, so that there are 4, long equal strips.
Divide the sausage mixture into fourths, shaping each half into a long log. Place each sausage log in the center, lengthwise along the pastry strips press and push it so that it creates a long, thin line of sausage down the center of each puff pastry strip.
Brush one side of the puff pastry with the Dijon mustard, then brush the other side with the egg wash.
Roll the pastry around the sausage, letting the egg wash act as a seal, pushing the puff pastry together so that it seals.
Flip it over so that the seem is on the bottom. Using a paring knife, score small slits into the top of the sausage logs, then cut them into 1 & 1/2-inch rolls.
Place each roll seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with everything but the bagel seasoning.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown and the sausage is cooked through.
To serve, let the sausage rolls cool slightly before transferring to a platter. Drizzle each sausage roll with hot honey, sprinkle with extra thyme, and serve warm.
Recipe from The Defined Dish
The first taste of this Maple Mustard Candied Bacon is going to make you holler “YUM”!! This tasty treat is smoky, salty, sweet like candy, and oh-so-addictive!
It works beautifully on a charcuterie board, crumbled into a salad or over pasta or pizza!
This recipe is very simple to make. I think the hardest part is preparing the sheet pan! If you follow the instructions in the recipe, the clean-up is a breeze. Otherwise, better just toss the pan!
Cut the bacon into one-inch pieces. Combine the remaining ingredients together and add the bacon in, tossing gently to coat the bacon completely.
Place the bacon on a wire rack that’s set in the sheet pan and bake for 35-50 minutes.
Brush the bacon halfway through the cooking process with any remaining marinade. The actual time in the oven will depend on the thickness of the bacon but you want it to get crispy and brown.
Take it out of the oven and let it cool for a minute or two and then transfer to a piece of parchment paper.
The bacon will harden up as it cools. Serve it warm or at room temperature.
It also will stay in the refrigerator for days but I suggest heating it slightly before serving as the fat can congeal. Pop it into the microwave for a few seconds or place it in a dry skillet over low heat for a minute or two.
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Maple Mustard Candied Bacon
Makes: 24 pieces
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick-cut smoky bacon (I really like Applewood cured bacon.)
- 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp coarse-grain mustard
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a piece of parchment paper, about 18 inches long, on the counter for cooling the bacon once it’s baked.
Line a half sheet pan with foil with edges extending over the top of the pan. You could also use parchment paper, but be sure to use a piece large enough that the edges extend over the pan. Set a cooling rack with a fairly tight mesh into the pan. Spray the wires of the rack with non-stick cooking spray.
Cut the bacon into 1-inch squares and set aside.
Mix the brown sugar, mustard, maple syrup and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Add the bacon to the brown sugar mixture and stir gently to coat. Place the bacon squares on the wire rack that’s been set over a foil-covered sheet pan and reserve any remaining sauce for basting.
Bake for 35-50 minutes, until the bacon, is a deep mahogany color and crisp. Brush the bacon with the remaining maple-mustard mixture halfway through baking. (The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your bacon.)
Let the bacon cool for a minute or two then transfer to the parchment paper. It will be a bit flexible while it’s still hot from the oven but will cool into crisp pieces.
Serve the bacon warm or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container, layered with parchment paper or wax paper in between. You can warm it in the microwave or in a dry pan over low heat.
Recipe from The Cafe Sucre Farine
These delicious Crispy Miso Lime Tofu Lettuce Wraps are a wonderful way to get your “healthy” back on. After weeks and weeks of unhealthy eating (you know what I’m talking about), I’m craving clean, light eating!
Crispy chunks of delightfully flavored tofu are wrapped in tender butter lettuce leaves and topped with sesame seeds, chopped peanuts and cilantro. Fresh, tasty and perfect as an appetizer or light main course.
The sauce is delicious! Combine lime juice, soy sauce, miso, vinegar, honey, ginger and spices and mix it into a smooth sauce. You’ll have to mash the miso against the side of the bowl to break it up.
Either crumble the tofu by hand and squeeze it dry or press the tofu ahead of time and then break into chunks.
Add oil to a very hot skillet and then add the crumbled tofu in an even layer. Let it sit undisturbed for a few minutes. Give it a stir and let it sit another 3 minutes or so. Keep doing this until a crispy browned crust is all over the tofu bits.
Add the sauce and stir until it’s all absorbed into the tofu. This will take about one minute.
To serve, fill lettuce leaves with crispy tofu and top with any of the toppings recommended in the recipe. I like sesame seeds, chopped nuts and cilantro!
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Crispy Miso Lime Tofu Lettuce Wraps
Makes: 2-4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 head butter lettuce
- 2 limes
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp white or yellow miso
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) block extra firm tofu, pressed if time permits, see notes below
- 3 tbsp neutral oil or extra-virgin olive oil
Toppings (optional):
- sesame seeds, sliced scallions, fresh herbs (mint and cilantro are nice), chopped peanuts or cashews
Instructions
Pull the leaves off the head of butter lettuce, then wash and dry them. Cut the limes in half. (Note: Depending on the size, you’ll need roughly 8 to 10 lettuce leaves.)
In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, stir together the juice of 1 lime (about 3 tablespoons), the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, the miso, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Smash the miso against the side of the cup to be sure it incorporates to make a smooth sauce.
Warm your largest skillet over medium-high heat. If you did not press the tofu ahead of time, working over the sink, remove the tofu from the container, pour out any liquid, and reserve the container. Use your hands to break the tofu into a few pieces and squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can. This won’t be pretty! It’ll break apart into little bits. That’s perfect, you’re doing it right. When you feel like you’ve squeezed all the liquid you can out of the tofu, place it back in the container it came in. If you did press the tofu ahead of time, crumble the tofu into a medium bowl.
Add the oil to the super hot skillet. When it shimmers, add the squeezed, crumbled tofu in an even layer and let it sit, undisturbed, for 3 minutes. Give it a stir, then let it sit for 3 minutes more. It should start to look crispy and golden brown at this point. Keep going with this stir-and sit pattern once or twice more, adding more oil to the pan as needed, until the tofu is crispy all over (9 to 12 minutes total). Add the sauce and stir rapidly until it’s all absorbed into the tofu, not even a minute. Turn off the heat.
To serve, fill the lettuce leaves with the crispy tofu and any of the suggested toppings. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lime over top just before eating.
Chef’s Notes:
I find that the tofu browns up a little easier if you press it ahead of time. You absolutely do not have to press it ahead of time, so don’t let this deter you — again I have made it several times without pressing it — but if you have the time, press it. I like to wrap my block in a clean dish towel, set it on a cooling rack over a tray, and weigh it down with a 28-ounce can of tomatoes set in the container the tofu was packaged in. Let it sit for 30 minutes or more.
Honey: To make this vegan, replace the honey with maple syrup, agave or brown sugar.
Recipe from Alexandra’s Kitchen
Take all the wonderful ingredients of Thanksgiving stuffing and make them into these tasty Sausage and Apple Stuffing Bites. They are the perfect little appetizers with the combination of sweet Italian sausage pieces, tiny chunks of Granny Smith apples and toasted bread.
Surprise your guest with these delicious morsels of lovin’ goodness!
Begin this recipe by tossing the bread cubes with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toast in a preheated oven about 10 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a bowl.
In a large skillet, cook the onion and celery in olive oil until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, garlic and sage and cook another 5 minutes or so, breaking up the sausage. There shouldn’t be any traces of pink left in the sausage.
Stir the sausage mixture, apple chunks, eggs and broth into the croutons and let sit for 5 minutes.
Pack the stuffing into prepared muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden. Transfer the muffin pan to a rack and let sit for 5 minutes. Carefully loosen the muffins with a sharp knife and lift them out.
Serve warm.
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Sausage and Apple Stuffing Bites
Makes: 24 mini muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- Vegetable cooking spray
- 4 ounces white country bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (3 cups)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 2/3 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3/4 tsp dried sage
- 1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp chicken broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 12-cup mini-muffin pans with cooking spray.
On a baking sheet, toss together the bread and 2 tablespoons of the oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven until toasted, about 10 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a bowl. (Do not turn the oven off.)
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onion and celery, and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, garlic, and sage; cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until no trace of pink remains, about 5 minutes.
Stir the sausage mixture, apple, eggs, and broth into the croutons. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Pack the stuffing into the muffin cups, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a rack, and let stand for 5 minutes. Carefully loosen the muffins with a sharp paring knife and lift them out. Serve warm.
Recipe from Food & Wine
Here’s an idea for a delicious appetizer: Piled-High Tostada Cups! Made with chicken and black beans, this tasty concoction is easy to make ahead and is a hit at all gatherings!
Easily make your own little tostada cups and fill them with a Mexican-inspired chicken mixture and top them with guacamole. Set them on a platter and watch them disappear!
Making the tostada cups is a snap! Cut a flour tortilla into 8 wedges and gently form each wedge to fit into a muffin cup. Bake it for 8 minutes and set it aside to cool.
To make the chicken-bean mixture, poach the chicken breasts with onion, garlic, parsley, mint, bay leaf and salt in water for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit covered in the pot for another 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and once cool, shred the chicken.
For the beans, heat a saucepan and olive oil and add the beans and cumin. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook over low heat until syrupy. Add the chicken and stir. Remove from the heat.
To assemble, top each tostada cup with a spoonsful of the chicken-bean mixture followed by a dollop of guacamole.
I love that I can make all of the components ahead of time and just reheat the chicken-bean mixture prior to assembling. It makes it so easy!
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Piled-High Tostada Cups
Makes: 32 cups
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
Tortilla Cups:
- 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- 1 small white onion, quartered
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 fresh mint leaves
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Bean Mixture:
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tsp ground cumim
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, chopped
To Finish:
- 1 cup guacamole, homemade or store-bought
Instructions
Tortilla Cups:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a standard size muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Brush both side of the tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges.
Working in batches, mold each tortilla triangle to fit the muffin cups and bake 7-8 minutes until crisp and golden.Remove from muffin tin and set aside.
Chicken:
In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients for the chicken. Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Turn heat off and let sit covered an additional 10 minutes.Remove chicken from broth, allow to cool slightly and then shred chicken.
Beans:
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over high heat. Add beans and cumin, stirring 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients. Lower heat to medium and continur to cook umtil sauce is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken, stir to coat, and remove from heat.
To Assemble:
Top each baked tortilla cup with a heaping spoonful of the chicken and bean mixture followed by a dollop of guacamole. Serve immediately.
Recipe from Bite Me More
With summer about to leave us, how about this Ultimate Burrata Board to celebrate the end of the season? Ripe cherries, fresh peaches, gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and creamy burrata all combine to make this the easiest and most delightful appetizer I’ve served in a long time!
The beauty is that it is interchangeable with other fruit, meat and herbs. Feel free to use nectarines, melon and plums, salami and jamon, oregano…you get the idea!
Begin by framing the top and the bottom of the board with peach slices and tomato wedges. In between, lay out the burrata. Slice it open and spread it out. The creamy filling will spill out onto the board which makes it easier to scoop onto crackers. Drizzle the burrata with olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper.
Lay the prosciutto next to the burrata. I like to fold a slice back and forth to create a ribbon. Center cherry halves in the middle of the board.
Sprinkle basil on the cherries and mint leaves on the peaches. Serve with crackers or toasted country bread. Enjoy!
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Ultimate Burrata Board
Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 balls burrata cheese
- 2 ripe peaches, cut into uniform wedges
- 2 heirloom tomatoes, cut into uniform wedges like the tomatoes
- 2 cups ripe cherries, pitted and sliced
- 3 ounces prosciutto
- Basil leaves
- Mint leaves
- Olive Oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Place tomatoes at the bottom of the board. Lay peaches at the top of the board.
Place two rows of burrata (1 ball each, which likely means two containers of burrata). Cut the burrata balls on the board so that the delicious creamy inside was still sitting inside some of the mozzarella outer shell. Drizzle burrata with olive oil and sprinkle salt + pepper
Lay out the prosciutto. Pre-cut pieces in half width wise, so it’s easier to serve. In order to make the presentation look pretty, simply place the bottom end of the prosciutto slices and have the rest ripple down to create a subtle ribbon look.
Add basil on top of the tomatoes and mint on top of the peaches. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve with crackers or toasted bread.
Summer Ricotta with Grilled Vegetables is a wonderful starter to a summer gathering. Homemade ricotta is the star of this dish…it’s so easy to make, you’ll wonder why you’ve never done it before! Grilled zucchini, peppers, eggplant, lemons and sourdough bread are the perfect accompaniment to this creamy ricotta.
I make homemade ricotta a lot! It’s so easy and far more superior than store-bought. But, if you’re in a pinch, you can use store-bought…I won’t judge!
To make it, line a colander with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl.
In a saucepan, heat the milk, cream and salt until just below a simmer. Stir in the lemon juice and let it sit for about 5 minutes. This will curdle the milk. Then pour it through the cheesecloth.
Let it sit for a bit until it’s drained to the consistency that you like. Transfer it to a serving bowl and drizzle olive oil over and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Drizzle the vegetables and bread with olive oil. Grill them until there is a light char to the veggies and bread. Flip and repeat.
Season everything with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving platter.
Right before serving, drizzle everything with more olive oil, squeeze some of the lemon over the top and season with additional salt and pepper.
You can also drizzle with balsamic vinegar, if you like.
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Summer Ricotta with Grilled Vegetables
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
Ricotta:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
To Serve:
- 1 pound (455 grams) mixed summer vegetables, thinly sliced
- 8 slices from a large sourdough loaf
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, halved
Instructions
Make the Ricotta:
Line a fine-mesh or other tiny-holed strainer with a layer or two of cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl with enough clearance that the bottom of the strainer won’t touch the bowl once it has 4 cups of liquid in it, or the cheese won’t drain.
In a heavy medium-large saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and salt over medium-high heat until just below a simmer (it will look like it’s foaming and register just below 200°F). Remove the pot from the heat and stir in lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then pour it through the cheesecloth.
Drain for 10 minutes, or until it’s a nice soft ricotta consistency, and up to 10 minutes longer if needed. The amount of time it takes to drain has to do with the size of your cheesecloth holes. Transfer ricotta to a bowl to serve. Drizzle with olive oil, and finish with salt and pepper.
Grill the bread and vegetables: Brush or drizzle your vegetables and bread with olive oil. Grill the vegetables, bread, and lemon halves until they’re lightly charred underneath (depending on how robust your grill is, this could take 2 to 6 minutes), then flip the vegetables and bread and cook on the second side. Season with the vegetables with salt and pepper and transfer everything to a serving platter.
Right before serving, drizzle everything with additional olive oil, squeeze at least one lemon half over the vegetables (leave the second half on the platter), and season with additional salt and pepper. You could also drizzle some balsamic vinegar over, or keep it on the side.
Leftover ricotta is not a thing that exists, but it theoretically keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
Recipe by Smitten Kitchen
I can’t think of a more perfect appetizer during fresh peach and tomato season than Tomato Peach Crostini! Peach wedges and tomatoes get tossed in a lovely bacon dressing and then topped over grilled bread that has been shmeared with goat cheese. Summer in a bite!
In less than 30 minutes you have a delicious appetizer that reflects all the beauty and wonder of summer stonefruit.
Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing (except for the bacon) in a jar and and whisk until smooth. Champagne or white balsamic vinegar is used here to not darken up the dressing (in a pinch, use balsamic vinegar). Adding fig jam or honey provides a tasty sweetness. Mix in some fresh basil and chili flakes for a touch of heat and herbiness.
Cook the bacon pieces in a skillet until they are crisp. Drain them on paper towels and then stir into the dressing.
Go ahead and preheat your grill. If you are one of the unfortunate folks who do not have a grill, an oven preheated to 400°F will also work but won’t provide the lovely grill marks that I adore.
Drizzle the sliced baguette with garlic oil and then grill for 2-3 minutes per side, watching closely to not burn the bread.
Toss the peaches and tomatoes with a few tablespoons of the dressing.
Spread the bread with softened goat cheese and top with peaches, tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and more dressing.
Serve these tasty bites with a cold glass of rosé!
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Tomato Peach Crostini
Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 6 thick-cut slices of bacon, chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp champagne or white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp fig preserves or honey
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- chili flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
Crostini:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 sourdough or french baguette, sliced
- 1 log goat cheese, at room temperature
- 2 peaches, chopped or sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
To make the dressing, combine all ingredients except the bacon in a glass jar and whisk until smooth.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain onto a paper towel. Stir the bacon into the dressing.
Preheat your grill to high heat or preheat your oven to 400° F.
To make the crostini, mix the olive oil, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Place the bread on a baking sheet and rub/drizzle with the garlic oil. Place the bread on the grill and grill both sides for 2-3 minutes per side or until lightly toasted. Remove from the grill.
Toss the peaches and tomatoes with a few tablespoons of dressing. Spread the goat cheese over the warm bread. Top with the dressing, peaches/tomatoes, and fresh basil. Drizzle over the remaining dressing.
Recipe by Half Baked Harvest