Appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. The two words are often used interchangeably, but most people don’t realise that they are actually two different things. Appetisers are the first course when seated at a table and are meant to complement an entrée and are generally small-portioned first course of a multicourse meal — such as a soup, small salad, or cheese soufflé. Appetisers connote that a dinner will follow.
Hors d’oeuvres, on the other hand, are small items served before dinner, often accompanied by cocktails. They are considered finger food and can be eaten while standing and mingling. The most important distinction of hors d’oeuvres is that they are served before, or separately from a meal. Hors d’oeuvres is a French term that translates to ‘outside the meal’. When it comes to finger foods, the key is that they’re easy to eat as they are to make ahead of the party. I have got you covered with classic recipes like Shrimp Cocktail, Baked Mushrooms with Spinach and Cheese, Hot Spicy and Tangy Chicken Wings and so on that will have everyone in your party raving and craving.
PRAWN COCKTAIL
Prawn cocktail, also known as shrimp cocktail, is a seafood dish consisting of shelled, cooked prawns in a Marie Rose sauce or cocktail sauce, served in a small glass or bowl. It was the most popular hors d’oeuvre in the UK as well as the US from the 1960s.
INGREDIENTS
Prawns: 1kg, medium-sized
Salt: ½tsp #For the cocktail sauce
Mayonnaise: 1 bottle
Milk: 1 cup
Worcestershire sauce: 4tbsp
Tomato ketchup: ¾ cup
Red chilli powder: ½tsp
Tabasco sauce: 2tsp
METHOD
I have used frozen prawns without head, deveined and shelled and also the tail removed. Cook in boiling water with ½tsp salt for only 4-5 minutes. Overcooking will make the prawns hard.
Strain and let it cool. Then cut into small pieces and keep it aside. #For the cocktail sauce
Put the mayonnaise in a mixing bowl.
Add milk and whisk well into the mix.
Add the Worcestershire sauce and tomato ketchup and mix well.
At this point the colour of the sauce should be pink. You can add a little more tomato ketchup if needed. Taste and you will know if more is to be added.
Add the red chilli powder and Tabasco sauce for that zing.
Mix it all well till it is well combined.
If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little bit of milk. #For serving
Add the prawns to the sauce and chill in the refrigerator till it becomes very chilled.
In a cocktail glass first put a little bit of finely chopped lettuce leaves. This gives a very refreshing taste to the sauce.
Then put the prawns with the sauce. You can even chill the glasses in the fridge if you want.
Garnish with a thin lemon wedge on the rim of the glass.
MUSHROOMS STUFFED WITH SPINACH AND CHEESE
This hors d’oeuvre is a vegetarian delight — easy yet delicious. Very few ingredients are needed and when it comes out of the oven piping hot your friends will not be able to stop at one.
INGREDIENTS
Button mushrooms: 200g, big size
Spinach: 3-4 cups, very finely chopped. Wash and squeeze out the water. Pat it dry.
Garlic: 6 cloves, very finely chopped
Cheese spread: 2-3tbsp (I have used Britannia pepper cheese spread)
Grated cheese: 2tbsp (I have used Britannia Cheeza, but any cheese which melts nicely will do)
Butter: A little, melted
Extra virgin olive oil: 1tsp
METHOD
Wash the mushrooms well. Let it dry out. Remove the stem to make a nice cavity. You can do this by sliding a knife gently into the cavity.
Chop the mushroom stems very finely.
Brush the outside of the mushrooms with butter. Keep aside.
Wash and squeeze out the water from the spinach. Pat it dry.
In a pre-heated pan add the oil. When hot add garlic and sauté for few seconds.
Add the chopped mushroom stems. Saute for few seconds.
Add the finely chopped spinach and sauté till all the water evaporates. The mixture should be nice and dry.
Now mix the cheese spread into the spinach. The consistency now should be creamy.
Now fill the mushroom cavity with the spinach mixture. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and arrange on a baking tray.
Pre-heat an oven for 15 minutes to 200°C. Grill the mushrooms in it for 6-8 minutes until they are done and the cheese has melted. You do not need to make the cheese brown. It tastes nice melted and hot.
Serve hot on a flat platter.
SCOTCH EGGS
Scotch Eggs is a dish that is supposed to have originated in a place called Whitby in Yorkshire, UK, in the 19th century and the eggs were originally covered in fish paste rather than minced chicken or lamb. They were supposedly named after William J. Scott & Sons, a well-known eatery that sold them.
INGREDIENTS:
Eggs: 5
Mutton / chicken mince: 400g
Black pepper: 1tsp
Sage: 1tsp, chopped
Thyme: 1tsp, chopped
Parsley: 1tsp, chopped
Worcestershire sauce: 2tbsp
English mustard: 2tsp
Plain flour: 100g
Breadcrumbs: 100g
Oil: For deep frying
METHOD
Boil 4 eggs for 8-9 minutes. Then peel and keep aside.
Whisk 1 egg well in a bowl. In another bowl mix all the ingredients except for the eggs, flour and breadcrumbs.
Knead the mixture well to combine and make the texture smooth.
Cover each egg with the meat mixture.
Now coat the covered eggs in flour, then the beaten eggs and finally breadcrumbs (can be done up to a day in advance). *Place the eggs in the fridge to let it set for about 30 minutes.
*Now in a wide saucepan heat oil for deep-frying. When hot, gently put the eggs and fry till nice and golden and crispy. *Drain on kitchen paper. Cut into half and serve with tomato ketchup.
CHICKEN WINGS IN A HOT TANGY SAUCE
One of the best hors d’oeuvres I have had is Chicken Buffalo wings, which is named after the US city in which it was invented. There are many variations in the sauce for the wings. The original one is the hot sauce. How hot it will be totally depends on you.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken wings: 12 (you can cut them into half and also cut the tip of the wing)
Hot sauce of your choice: 200g (I have used Sriracha sauce)
Butter: 100g
Chilli powder: 1tsp
Paprika: 1½tsp (you can use Kashmiri red chilli powder instead)
Garlic powder: 1tsp
White flour: 100g
Vinegar: 1tsp
Corn flour: 1tsp
Salt: To taste
Pepper: To taste
Honey: 1tsp
Oil: For deep-frying the wings
#For the dipping sauce for the wings
Mayonnaise: ¼ cup
Milk: ¼ cup
Garlic: 2-3 cloves, big, minced
Salt: To taste
Pepper: To taste
Parsley or onion chives: Chopped
METHOD
Put the wings in a big bowl. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper. Then add red chilli powder, paprika and flour.
Mix everything well so that the wings are coated nicely. Marinate for one hour in the fridge.
Now deep-fry the wings in hot oil for 10 minutes till they become nice and crispy. Drain on absorbent paper.
#For the Buffalo sauce
In another saucepan melt butter. When melted add your favourite hot sauce. Add the honey (or sugar), freshly ground pepper, paprika, garlic powder, chilli powder, corn flour (so that the sauce thickens slightly), and a little vinegar.
Mix all the ingredients with a spoon and cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
Now put the wings in another skillet and pour the sauce over it and mix well.
#For the dipping sauce for the wings Mix all the ingredients together.
Serve as a dip with the wings.
CHEESE FONDUE
Fondue is a Swiss melted cheese dish served in a communal pot over a portable stove heated with a candle or spirit lamp and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using longstemmed forks. It was promoted as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s and was popularised in North America in the 1960s.
Since the 1950s, the term ‘fondue’ has been generalised to other dishes in which a food is dipped into a communal ‘fondue’ pot of liquid that is kept hot. For instance, there is chocolate fondue in which pieces of fruit or pastry are dipped into molten chocolate.
Since it is difficult to get Swiss cheese here, I am going to use what’s available in Calcutta and also my recipe (from a dear friend) is very simple and easy to make. It’s foolproof and extremely delicious.
INGREDIENTS (To serve eight)
Amul cheese spread: 1
Amul chilli garlic cheese spread: 1
Onion: 1, finely chopped
Chilli garlic paste: 2tsp
Milk: 1 cup
Salt: To taste
Butter: 1tbsp
METHOD
In the butter sauté onion till transluscent. Then add chilli garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the milk and immediately add the 2 boxes of cheese spread. Add a pinch of salt or according to taste.
Stir continuously till it starts to bubble and then switch off the flame.
Pour in the fondue pot and serve hot with crusty bread squares.
You can also serve with some carrot sticks, cucumber, mini toasts, etc.
HUMMUS
Hummus, the famous Lebanese dip which is had with lavash or pita bread has now become famous the world over. Everyone has their own version of making this wonderful dip. There are readymade ones too. But the one I will show you is just another level and with readily available ingredients. The tips I got from my dear friend for making this hummus are unimaginable. You can only realise when you make it. The extraordinary texture and smoothness are undeniable. It’s a favourite with my friends and family.
INGREDIENTS:
Chickpeas: Boiled, up to about ¾ the level of your mixie jar
Mint leaves: 1 fistful
Basil leaves: ½ fistful
Garlic: 4-5 cloves
Curd: 4tbsp
Green chillies: 3
Olive oil 4tbsp
Lemon juice: Of 2 lemons
Salt: To taste
Parsley: Very, very finely chopped to be mixed at the end before serving
White and black sesame seeds: Roasted, for garnishing
METHOD
Churn together all the above ingredients except the parsley and sesame seeds.
If it is too thick then you can add 2tbsp water. The consistency should be smooth and creamy.
Remove the hummus into a bowl.
Serve in a nice bowl. Sprinkle some sesame seeds. Make a dent in the middle and pour Extra Virgin Olive oil over the hummus. Be generous with the olive oil. Sprinkle some parsley.
Now sprinkle a pinch of red chilli powder all over. Cover and put in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.
Serve with lavash or pita bread.
CHICKEN / PORK DUMPLINGS
Chicken dumplings have become a very popular party snack. It is a staple dish in many South Asian countries as well as China and India. In India, we call them Momos. Momos originated in Tibet and then travelled to Nepal and Darjeeling in India. They are delicious little parcels that are had with a hot tomato-based dip. It is very healthy if eaten steamed, with a bowl of clear soup. Here I will show you the typical momo as it is made in Darjeeling. I will give you some tips on how to make juicy momos.
INGREDIENTS
#For the momo filling
Chicken mince: 250g, very fine
Onions: 250g, very finely chopped
Ginger: 2tbsp, very finely chopped
Soya sauce: 1tbsp
Spring onions: 2-3tbsp, finely chopped
Salt: 1½tsp, or to taste
Ajinomoto: ½tsp
Vanaspati ghee: 100g (This is the secret of making juicy Momos.)
Water: 4tbsp (This will also help in making the Momos juicy).
#For the dough
White flour: 2 cups
Salt: ½tsp
Oil: 2tsp
Water: As required
#For the momo sauce
Tomatoes: 5, grated
Green chillies: 4, chopped
Garlic: 6 cloves, chopped
Salt: To taste
Coriander leaves: 1tsp, chopped
METHOD
#For the momo filling
Mix all the above ingredients very well. It is better to use hands for the mixing. Keep filling aside.
#For the dough
*Mix all the ingredients and make the dough gradually adding water. Knead for at least 5-10 minutes. The dough should not be too soft or too hard. Then put little oil over it and cover and let it rest for at least 2 hours.
Now take a portion of the dough. Make a long roll. Cut the dough into small portions.
#For making the momos
Roll the small portion into a disc. Make sure the ends of the disc are thin.
Then put 1tbsp of the filling in the middle. Then lift both the ends and keep one side straight and pleat the other side. There should not be any openings. The momo should be well sealed.
Now grease a momo tray. Place the momos on the tray.
Put water in the steamer bowl. Add some chicken bones so that you will get a good clear soup while the momos are steaming.
When the water starts boiling place the momo tray on the steamer and cover and steam for 15-18 minutes.
Strain the stock from the steamer. Garnish with spring onions and serve along with the momos and the sauce.
#For the momo sauce
Pound the tomatoes, chillies and garlic with a little salt. Note: Do not use a blender or mixie for this. Otherwise the tomatoes will start frothing.
Serve the sauce garnished with 1tsp of chopped coriander leaves.
Durri Bhalla is a cookery expert and authorof Indian Bohra Cuisine and Inner Truth ToGood Health And Weight Loss. You can findher at @durribhallakitchen on Instagram, @ Durribhallakitchen on Facebookand Durri Bhalla on YouTube