Things to Eat with Booze!

Ok, that might have been a little too honest...The title should read: Pates, Terrines and Hors D'Oeuvres! Today was fun and totally useful. As I and many of my classmates are interested in being personal chefs or caterers, today's topics hit right at home. We learned the basics of these fantastic finger foods and got to practice making (and eating) a NUMBER of different varieties.

Pates and Terrines:
Pate comes from the word "paste," which is sort of the texture/consistency of one. They are generally smooth, savory and served cold. The word "terrine" is often used interchangeable with "pate," but usually describes a mixture that is coarse or that is simply long in shape and pressed. Pates are classically made with pork or other leftover meat products, but, as this is a "health-supportive" culinary school, we learned how to make alternative varieties. The main components of a pate are the protein, fat, binder and seasonings. For vegetarian pates, starchy ingredients such as lentils, potatoes, split peas and nuts are used. Most of the pates that we made today required a long period of resting, to allow the mixture to settle and flavors to develop. Of the varieties that I was able to sample, the following was my absolute favorite.

Green Bean and Walnut Pate: Yields 2 cups
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed
3/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 and 1/4 cups thinly sliced onion
1/4 cup Madeira wine
1 cup walnuts
1 Tbsp white miso
1/2 tsp sherry vinegar
salt and black pepper
Crackers for serving

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a 3-4 quart pot with a heavy pinch of salt. Add green beans and blanch until tender, 5-7 minutes. Shock the beans in an ice water bath, drain thoroughly, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and cook on low until very soft, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover skillet and cook, stirring often, over medium heat until caramelized, an additional 5 minutes.
3. Pour wine into onions and continue cooking until wine is reduced and mixture is almost dry.
4. Grind walnuts in a food processor. Add green beans, onions, miso, vinegar, and a pinch of salt and continue processing until smooth. Add pepper and readjust seasonings if necessary. Transfer mixture to a bowl and serve with crackers.


Hors D'Oeuvres:
Hors D'oeuvres are finger foods that are generally served with cocktails (heck yes!). Because they are not served plated like appetizers are, they typically do not have messy sauces or garnishes. They also often have a starch base, or are served in a small vessel that can easily be picked up. Ideally, they are 1-2 bites. There are numerous types, but some classic examples are canapes, quesadillas, fritters, stuffed vegetables, crudite, belinis, pizelles, dumplings...the list goes on. Helpful tip: allot 6-8 hors d'oeuvres per person per hour if hosting a cocktail party and offer around 6 varieties. We made a huge spread of hors d'oeuvres tonight, but below are a couple of examples. (Fear not, I will probably post additional recipes this next week)

Tempeh Nori Bundles: Yields 18 pieces
8 oz tempeh
1/4 cup shoyu
3/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 cup canola oil
5 scallions, trimmed and cut in quarters lengthwise (aka, long thin strips)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Dijon
1 Tbsp prepared wasabi (or wasabi powder mixed with water to form a paste)
2 sheets Nori (seaweed), cut into 1/2-inch wide by 3-inch long strips
1/4 carrot, cut into matchsticks (you'll need 36 pieces)
1/4 daikon radish, cut into matchsticks (again, you'll need 36 pieces)

1. Place tempeh in a medium saucepan along with shoyu, water, garlic and coriander. Simmer for 20 minutes, flipping occasionally to evenly marinate. Drain and pat dry.
2. While tempeh marinates, blanch scallion strips in boiling water for 2-3 seconds. Shock in cold water and drain.
3. Cut block of tempeh into thirds lengthwise. Then fillet each third in half lengthwise (aka you cut down the middle where there is no marinade, making thinner thirds). Then, cut each of those pieces into thirds width-wise. This will yield 18 pieces that are roughly 3/4 inch wide by 3 inches long. (I know it's a bit confusing, but you can do it!)
4. Heat oil in a medium saute pan. Brown tempeh on both sides and drain on paper towels.
5. Spread a small dot of wasabi and Dijon on the middle of each tempeh piece. Wrap a strip of nori around the tempeh accross the middle. Then, place 2 matchsticks of carrot and 2 of daikon on top, and tie around the bundle with the scallion ribbon.


Fried Shrimp with Wasabi: Yields about 36 bite-sized pieces
24 medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp miso
2 Tbsp shoyu
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chives, minced
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Coconut or canola oil for frying
2 Tbsp prepared wasabi
Cut lemons to serve

1. In a food processor, combine 12 shirmp, garlic, miso, shoyu, curry powder and salt. Process until a smooth paste. Add 1 Tbsp chives and pulse until incorporated. Place mixture in a small bowl.
2. Slice remaining shrimp into thirds, yielding bite-sized pieces. Encase each piece in about 2 tsp of paste and roll in breadcrumbs. (Be sure to evenly divide it)
3. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a wok. Deep fry shimp until golden brown and cooked all the way through. Drain on paper towels.
5. Place a dot of wasabi on each shrimp bite and skewer each with a toothpick. Serve garnished with remaining chives and lemon wedges.


These were a few of my favorites. Again, we made SO many it was hard to chose. I'll be eating the leftover this next week, so more scrumptious hors d'oeuvre recipes to come!