Strawberry and Cheese Skewers

I had this Dubliner cheese sitting around in the fridge for a couple of weeks. It was a part of a "doggy bag" from a family get together. I have never tried it before and I didn't know what to do with it. It is not the kind of cheese you put on a toast. The best description I can think of is that if Parmesan cheese and Swiss cheese had a baby, it would be Dubliner cheese.

When I don't know how to incorporate something into my cooking, I start thinking what I can pair it with on a skewer. I guess you can call it my comfort zone. I think my blog could have been called Life in Chocolate or Food on Skewers:) So as strawberries are in season right now and I have plenty of them, that pretty much made them an obvious choice to experiment with on these skewers. I added walnuts to compliment the nutty side of the cheese and honey to emphasize the tiny bit of sweetness the Dubliner has. I find that these skewers make great appetizers, and you can quickly transform them into a dessert by simply adding more strawberries.

Ingredients:

strawberries, cut in half

Dubliner cheese (mine is Kerrygold brand), cut in small cubes or triangles

raw walnut halves

honey

Pour some honey into a small bowl and keep a brush in it. Thread a walnut on a toothpick, follow by a strawberry and finish with a cheese piece. The walnut part is the trickiest and takes some practice because walnuts tend to break. Find the thinnest part of it and thread it using a screwing motion. Brush all the ingredients lightly with honey.

To use this dish as a dessert, add a second strawberry half after the cheese piece.

 Enjoy!

Caprese Salad On Skewers

I am really fond of appetizers on skewers. They are colorful and fun and most importantly packed with flavor, offering a new taste sensation with every chew. They are always irresistible!:) Besides, these appetizers get an A+ from the presentation standpoint for not being messy. I prefer using toothpicks instead of skewers when making mine, as they are shorter and the food is "cramped" thus creating more flavor impact. 

This particular hors d'oeuvre is a classic Italian combination - subtle and refreshing. It is a great addition to any table.

Ingredients:

Fresh whole mozzarella, cubed

Cherry tomatoes, cut in halves

Sweet basil, leaves cut if they are too big

Optional ingredients:

Dried oregano

Olive oil

Salt

Thread one tomato half on a toothpick or a skewer, follow by a basil leaf, then mozzarella cube, another basil leaf and finish with a tomato half.

Serve it right away or cover and chill for up to 8 hours.

If you prefer a more aromatic version of this appetizer, sprinkle it with dried oregano, salt and oil. But do it right before serving, because the oil and salt make the tomatoes soggy.

 Enjoy!

Sesame Salmon Appetizer

These sesame salmon hors d’oeuvres are super easy to make and will add a touch of vibrant color to your table.  For a salty and bold flavor, opt for the salted salmon as a base for the recipe. If you are looking to add a mild flavor appetizer to your dinner table, choose the sashimi-style salmon - it has a subtle scent of orange and the dish is so delicate that it melts in your mouth.

Preparing salmon:

 

Sashimi - style salmon:

1 lb fresh salmon fillet

a little bit over ½ cup sugar

a little bit over ½ cup salt

1 orange, sliced

Wash salmon in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Mix salt and sugar in a glass pan big enough to fit the fillet. Dip salmon in a mixture making sure all sides are covered with salt and sugar. Take the fillet out and shake the mixture off. Cover the salmon with orange slices and put it in a covered glass container in a fridge for 1 hour.

Discard the orange and skin the fillet.

Salted salmon:

Make salted salmon according to this recipe.

Making appetizers: 

Salmon

Sesame seeds

Black olives, pitted and sliced

Cut the salted salmon fillet in cubes. Heat the frying pan on a medium heat setting and cook sesame seeds for 1-2 minutes constantly stirring. Roll each cube in sesame seeds. Adjust the amount of seeds according to your taste. Place an olive slice on top of each hors d’oeuvre and secure with a skewer.

 Enjoy!

Chicken Rolls

I love chicken! It is like a perfect pair of shoes: you can dress it up - make a fancy appetizer for a festive dinner, or you can dress it down – make an effortless escalope with vegetables on the side for a quick lunch. It is perfect for any occasion imaginable. This is why it makes sense to buy chicken in bulk - you can make chicken soup from drumsticks, honey glazed thighs, spicy chicken wings and rolls with a filling from chicken breast.

These particular chicken rolls were inspired by warm and sunny Southern California weather:) They have just the right amount of cheese inside to make the chicken moist and not heavy. As for the sauce, it is quite simple and brings richness to the dish. 

Serve the rolls as a main course with a side of vegetables or pasta or make an easy and tasty appetizer for a party.

Ingredients:

Chicken Rolls:

1 chicken breast

2 slices of semi-soft cheese (e.g. Havarti, Gouda)

parsley, finely chopped

1 cup water/chicken stock

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp cooking oil

salt

pepper

Sauce:

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

salt

pepper

Wash the chicken breast and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut the breast in half and cut each half in 3 pieces. Cover the pieces with a plastic wrap and pound them with a flat side of a meat mallet until they are evenly thin. Season with salt and pepper.

Break each cheese slice in 6 pieces. Put 2-3 cheese pieces and a teaspoon of parsley on one side of a chicken breast and roll it up, so that the filling is inside. Secure the rolls with toothpicks or thread.

Heat the oil and the butter in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the rolls, turning them occasionally, until browned from all sides.

Pour water/chicken stock in a different frying pan (or clean the same one) and place the rolls in it. As soon as the liquid starts boiling, put the heat to a low and cover the pan. Let them simmer for 15 minutes.

Making the sauce:

Take ½ cup of liquid from the pan and add flour and sour cream. Blend the ingredients well. Add salt and pepper. Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Take the rolls out from the pan and remove the toothpicks/thread.

Top the rolls with a sauce from the pan and serve.

  

Tips:

• Parsley can be substituted for basil for a bolder flavor

• Try experimenting with different sauces for these chicken rolls 

Enjoy!