Professional Cooking - Chapter 23 "Hors D'oeuvres"

When is it necessary that hors d'oeuvres are served as finger food?

- If they are to be served away from the dinner table. -It's best if they can be eaten with the fingers or speared with a pick.

The French expression hors d'oeuvre literally translates to:

-"Outside the work," meaning "Apart from the main part of the meal." -In French, the term is not spelled or pronounced with an s at the end to make it plural. -The term has been thoroughly adopted into English with a final s to make it plural.

Perhaps the best-known Bruschetta topping is:

-A seasoned mixture of diced fresh tomatoes and olive oil, but this is far from the only possibility. -Meats, cheeses, cooked dried beans, and raw and cooked vegetables are all appropriate.

Tapa

-A small food item intended to be eaten with wine or other drinks, usually in taverns and bars. -The Spanish term literally means "lid," and the original tapa is thought to be a small bit of food, perhaps a slice of cured ham, placed on top of a glass of sherry.

Amuse Bouche (ah mews boosh)

-A tiny appetizer or hors d'oeuvre offered, compliments of the chef and usually in more expensive restaurants, to guests seated at their tables, either before or after they have ordered from the menu. It is an opportunity to showcase an aspect of the chef's cooking style and talent and to welcome the guests.

Relish

-A type of appetizer consisting of either: a. Raw Vegetables b. Pickled Items

Pickled Item Relish

-A wide variety of items such as dilled cucumber pickles, gherkins, olives, watermelon pickles, pickled peppers, spiced beets, and other preserved vegetables and fruits are served as relishes. -These items are rarely made in-house but are purchased already prepared. -Like raw vegetables, they should be served chilled.

Why is Cream Cheese Canapé Spread often blended with sharper, more flavorful cheeses that have been mashed or grated?

-Adding cream cheese to firmer cheese helps make the latter more spreadable. -A liquid such as milk, cream, or port wine may be added to make the mixture softer. -Such cheese spreads are often flavored with spices and herbs such as paprika, caraway seeds, dry mustard, parsley, or tarragon.

How can you provide the necessary tartness and flavor to a Fruit Cocktail?

-Adding fresh lemon or lime juice to fruit mixtures or serving with a garnish of lemon or lime wedges provides the necessary tartness. -A simple wedge of melon with lime is a refreshing cocktail. -A few drops of a flavored liqueur can also be used to perk up the flavor of a fruit cocktail.

What are Crudités often served with?

-An appropriate dip. -An imaginative pantry chef can make an attractive, colorful bouquet of raw vegetables.

The garnish of a Canapé is:

-Any food item or combination of items placed on top of the spread. -It may be a major part of the canapé. (Such as a slice of ham or cheese) -Or it may be a small tidbit selected for color, design, texture, or flavor accent. (Such as a pimiento cutout, a slice of radish, a caper, or a dab of caviar)

Raw Vegetable Relish

-Any vegetable that can be eaten raw may be cut into sticks or other attractive, bite-size shapes and served as a relish. -Most popular are celery, carrots, and radishes. -Other good choices are green and red peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, scallions, cauliflower and broccoli florets, peeled broccoli stems, peeled kohlrabi, cherry tomatoes, and Belgian endive leaves.

In Butler-Style Service, how should hot and cold items be trayed?

-Avoid presenting hot and cold items on the same tray. -Cold items are easiest to serve. -Hot items should be brought back to the kitchen or pantry area as soon as they are no longer warm.

Hors d'oeuvres that are served informally as accompaniments to beverages?

-Bar Food -They may be served: a. One item at a time. b. As ordered by the customer. c. Presented on a buffet. -The classic bar food is the popular Spanish-style tapas.

Canapé

-Bite-size, open-faced sandwiches. -Canapés are perhaps the most traditional and also the most modern of hors d'oeuvres. -This is no doubt because they are so varied and so versatile.

Many Canapé Bases, such as crackers and Melba toasts, can be purchased ready-made, but ________ is the most widely used?

-Bread (and Toast Cutouts) -They also offer the lowest food cost -However, they require more labor.

Plural of Bruschetta (broo sket ta)

-Bruschette (broo sket teh)

How is Caviar given it's name?

-Caviar is given the name of the species of sturgeon it is taken from. -The beluga is the largest and scarcest sturgeon, and it yields the largest and most expensive eggs. -Next in size are osetra and sevruga.

The best caviar should be served ice-cold and as simply as possible. The traditional caviar accompaniments are:

-Chopped Onion, Lemon, Chopped Egg, and Sour Cream are all right for inexpensive roes. -However, they overwhelm the delicate flavor of top-quality Beluga, Osetra, and Sevruga.

How should hors d'oeuvres be presented in a Buffet-Style Service?

-Cold hors d'oeuvres should be arranged on trays, which can be easily replaced when they are depleted. -Canapés and similar items are best arranged in neat rows, circles, or other arrangements. -Raw vegetables may be piled in neat stacks, with bowls of dips placed among them. -Hot items should be offered in chafing dishes, which keep them hot.

For more elaborate presentations, caviars that are a notch or two below the best quality are more economical choices. Foods served with caviar should be:

-Fairly mild or delicate. -Such items as mild smoked salmon, oysters, and potatoes are often used.

Hors D'oeuvres

-Finger food item served at receptions and with cocktails

Untoasted bread for canapé bases should be:

-Firm enough to allow the finished product to be handled easily. -Cut thick and flattened slightly with a rolling pin to make firmer. -Toast is, of course, firmer, and it gives a pleasing texture and crispness to canapés.

Flavored Cream Cheese as a Canapé Spread:

-Flavored cream cheese spreads are made like flavored butters, except cream cheese is substituted for the butter. -Alternatively, use a mixture of cream cheese and butter, well blended.

In Butler-Style Service each tray should hold only one food selection. What is the exception to this rule?

-For simple items, in which case two or three selections can be presented on a single tray. -Avoid making the tray too complex or overloaded.

Fresh caviar

-Fresh caviar in an unopened tin will keep for a few weeks, as long as it is kept cold. -Once opened, it begins to deteriorate quickly and should be eaten the same day, if possible.

How should fresh Caviar look and smell?

-Good-quality caviar is made up of shiny, whole eggs, with few, if any, broken. -It should not have a strong, fishy smell, and it should not look watery or oily.

Meats that may be used alone or in combination to decorate Canapés:

-Ham -Smoked tongue -Salami -Roast beef -Chicken or turkey breast

Dairy that may be used alone or in combination to decorate Canapés:

-Hard-Cooked Egg Slices -Cheese

Buffet-Style Service

-In buffet-style service, hors d'oeuvres are arranged attractively on one or more tables, and guests help themselves. -Small plates can be offered on buffet tables, so it's not necessary to confine the food selections to finger foods.

Why is proper consistency so important for any dip you prepare?

-It must not be so thick it cannot be scooped up without breaking the chip or cracker, but it must be thick enough to stick to the items used as dippers. -Proper consistency means thickness at serving temperature. -Keep in mind, most dips become thicker when held in the refrigerator.

Caviar made with a relatively low proportion of salt is labeled:

-Malossol, which means "little salt." -Malossol caviar is considered to be of better quality than the more highly salted varieties. -However, for those who must restrict their salt intake, there is no such thing as low-sodium caviar. -Even Malossol is salty.

Antipasto

-Many Italian-style restaurants offer a cold antipasto plate or platter comprising an assortment of flavorful tidbits. -Typical components include: Cured meats, such as salami, prosciutto, bologna, and boiled ham. -Singular form is antipasto.

Flavored Butter as a Canapé Spread:

-Most flavored butters are made simply by blending the flavoring ingredients with the softened butter until completely mixed. -Solid ingredients should be puréed or chopped very fine so the butter can be spread smoothly.

Spanish Tapas Traditions

-Normal lunchtime in Spain is two or three o'clock, while dinner usually isn't eaten before ten o'clock at night. -What better way to spend some of those long hours after work and before dinner than to meet friends at a local tavern and enjoy a glass or two of sherry? -People go to tapas bars not so much to eat but to talk and to enjoy each other's company. -But of course lunch was hours earlier, and dinner will be hours later, so having a few bites to eat with your wine is almost a necessity. -Out of these traditional dining habits grew the sociable custom of tapas, which has spread around the world.

In Butler-Style Service, when serving foods with a moist or oily surface you should:

-Offer picks that guests can use to handle the food without touching it. -Cocktail napkins should always be offered. -Foods requiring a plate are better served on a cocktail buffet.

Caviar is either fresh or ______________.

-Pasteurized

Pasteurized Caviar

-Pasteurized caviar is of lower quality because it has been heat-treated. -Unopened, it will keep much longer than fresh caviar, but once opened, it should be eaten as quickly as possible, or within a few days.

Fruit cups served as cocktails should be:

-Pleasantly tart and not too sweet. -Many fruit salads may be served as cocktails.

Vegetables, Pickles, and Relishes that may be used alone or in combination to decorate Canapés:

-Radish Slices -Pickled Onions -Cherry Tomato Slices or Halves -Olives -Chutney -Watercress Leaves -Pickles -Asparagus Tips -Marinated Mushrooms -Capers -Cucumber Slices -Parsley -Pimiento

Crudité (croo dee tays) *cru in French means "raw"

-Raw Vegetable Relishes are also known as Crudités.

Bruschetta (broo sket ta)

-Roman garlic bread. -In its most basic form, is a slice of Italian bread that is toasted, rubbed with crushed garlic, and drizzled with olive oil. -It's the variety of toppings that can be served on this garlic-bread base that accounts for its popularity.

What are the most important caviar-producing countries?

-Russia and Iran, both of which border the Caspian Sea, where the sturgeon are harvested. -Sturgeon live in other waters as well, including North American waters. -Production of North American caviar has been growing in recent years, in part because of difficulties obtaining caviar from the Caspian.

Dip

-Savory dips are popular accompaniments to potato chips, crackers, and raw vegetables. -Proper consistency is important for any dip you prepare.

Canapé spreads may be as simple as butter or softened cream cheese, but it's better to use a more highly flavored spread because:

-Sharp or spicy flavors are better for stimulating the appetite.

In Butler-Style Service, how large should each item be?

-Small enough to be eaten in one or two bites. -Each item should be easily handled by the guest. -Canapés or other foods that can be picked up without soiling the fingers are ideal.

Fish that may be used alone or in combination to decorate Canapés:

-Smoked Oysters and Clams -Shrimp -Crab Meat -Smoked Salmon -Rolled Anchovy Fillets -Lobster Chunks or Slices -Smoked Trout -Caviar -Sardines -Herring -Salmon or Tuna Flakes

In Butler-Style Service, how should you arrange food trays?

-Strive for simple, attractive arrangements on the tray. -The foods should look appetizing even when only a few items are left. -Trays that no longer look appealing should be brought back to the kitchen or pantry area to be refreshed and refilled.

Butler-Style Service

-The hors d'oeuvre selections are offered to guests by service staff carrying small trays as they pass among the assembled group.

Caviar

-The salted roe, or eggs, of the sturgeon. -In the United States and Canada, any product labeled simply caviar must come from sturgeon. -Roe from any other fish must be labeled as such (for example, whitefish caviar).

The cocktail sauce may be put in the glass first and the seafood then arranged on top, partially immersed. Or the cocktail sauce may be added to the seafood as a topping. What is the third alternative to serving a cocktail?

-The sauce separately in a small cup, as for raw oysters. -Garnish the dish attractively with lettuce or other salad greens and with lemon wedges.

Cocktail

-The term cocktail is used not only for alcoholic beverages and vegetable and fruit juices. -Cocktail is also the term for a group of appetizers made of seafood or fruit, usually with a tart or tangy sauce. -Such cocktails are always served well chilled, often on a bed of crushed ice.

As varied as they are, Tapas have a few points in common:

-They are served in small portions and are intended to be eaten immediately and quickly. -In most cases, they are served on small plates. -Many can be eaten by hand, but many others, especially those served in a sauce, are eaten with a fork. -Often they are the same kinds of foods that can be served as first courses of a dinner, but presented in smaller portions.

Raw vegetables must be served crisp and well chilled, with the freshest, most attractive vegetables possible. What can you do if they are a little wilted?

-They can be recrisped by holding them for a short time in ice water. -Serving vegetables embedded in crushed ice will maintain their crispness.

How thick should a Canapé Spread be?

-Thick enough to cling well to the base. -So the garnish sticks to it without falling off.

What does a Canapé consist of?

-Tiny portions of food presented on bases of bread, toast, or pastry. -They are perfect finger food, easily handled and easily eaten. -Nearly any food that can be served in a small portion can be served as a canapé topping.

What is the function of both Butler and Buffet Service?

-To enliven the appetite. -To do this they must look attractive and appealing. -Select garnishes in attractive colors that go together. -Cut all ingredients, including garnish, neatly and uniformly.

Meat or Fish Salad Canapé Spreads:

-You can use many cold meat or fish mixtures, such as cooked salads, to make canapé spreads. -Popular examples include: a. Tuna Salad b. Salmon Salad c. Shrimp Salad d. Chicken Salad e. Deviled Ham f. Liver Pâté

Hors D'oeuvres are typically served:

1. At a formal reception preceding a meal. 2. As part of a separate event not connected with a meal. 3. Simply as accompaniments to beverages at an informal gathering.

Examples of Recipes that can readily be scaled to Hors D'oeuvres:

1. Barbecued Spareribs 2. Shish Kebab 3. Deep-Fried Chicken (using wing sections) 4. Baked Clams Oreganata 5. Oysters and Clams Casino 6. Broiled Shrimp, Scampi Style 7. Broiled Scallops 8. Fried Breaded Scallops, Shrimp, Oysters, or Clams 9. Steamed Mussels (served on the half-shell, with a sauce) 10. Cod Cakes or other fish cakes 11. Fish Tartares 12. Seviche 13. Vegetable Fritters 14. Many salads 15. Quiche 16. Cheese Wafers and Straws 17. Sushi 18. Gravlax 19. Smoked Salmon 20. Smoked Trout 21. Smoked Duck 22. Pâtés, Terrines, and Galantines 23. Ham Mousse 24. Foie Gras Mousse and Terrine

Canapés consist of three parts:

1. Base 2. Spread 3. Garnish -The variety of possible combinations is nearly unlimited.

Canapé bases may be made from several items. The following are suggestions:

1. Bread cutouts 2. Toasted pita wedges 3. Toast cutouts 4. Tortilla chips or cups 5. Crackers 6. Tiny biscuits, split in half if necessary 7. Melba toasts 8. Polenta cutouts 9. Tiny unsweetened pastry shells (short dough, phyllo dough, or other pastry) 10. Miniature pancakes 11. Profiteroles (miniature unsweetened cream puff shells)

The two most common ways of serving Hors D'oeuvres are:

1. Butler-Style Service 2. Buffet-Style Service

To convert a cooked salad recipe to a Meat or Fish Spread recipe, you may need to make one or more of the following modifications:

1. Chop the solid ingredients very fine, or grind or purée them, so the mixture is spreadable and not chunky. 2. Do not add the liquid ingredients and mayonnaise all at once. -Add them a little at a time, just until the mixture reaches a thick, spreadable consistency. 3. Check the seasonings carefully. -You may want to increase the seasonings to make the spread more stimulating to the appetite.

-Typical components of an Antipasto include:

1. Cured meats, such as salami, prosciutto, bologna, and boiled ham. 2. Seafood items, especially canned or preserved items such as sardines, anchovies, and tuna. 3. Cheeses, such as provolone and mozzarella. 4. Hard-cooked eggs and stuffed eggs. 5. Relishes, such as raw carrots, celery, fennel, radishes, cauliflower, and tomatoes, and cooked or pickled items, such as olives, artichoke hearts, small hot peppers, and onions. 6. Cooked dried beans and other firm vegetables in a piquant vinaigrette.

What are the three basic categories that Canapé Spreads may be divided into?

1. Flavored Butter 2. Flavored Cream Cheese 3. Meat or Fish Salad Spreads

True or False: Although the larger eggs are generally more expensive, size or price alone does not necessarily indicate quality in Caviar.

True -All three types of caviar vary considerably in quality. -The only sure way to determine the quality of a particular tin or jar of caviar is to taste it.

True or False: Proportions of Flavoring ingredients to Butter can be varied widely, according to taste.

True -Because of this variability, and because the basic procedure is so simple, you should be able to make many flavored butters without individual recipes.

True or False: Even the spread can be used as a garnish on a Canapé.

True -For example, you may make a canapé with a mustard butter spread and a slice of ham, then decorate the ham with a border or design of mustard butter piped on with a paper cone.

True or False: -Fresh oysters and clams on the half-shell should be opened just before they are served and arranged on flat plates, preferably on a bed of ice.

True -Provide cocktail sauce in a small cup in the center or at the side of the plate. -Lemon wedges should also be provided.

True or False: Many mixtures used as Spreads can also be used as Dips.

True -Thin or soften them by adding a little mayonnaise, cream, or other appropriate liquid.

-Spoons for eating Caviar should be made of:

a. Bone b. Porcelain c. Mother of Pearl d. Or even Plastic (But not metal, which reacts with the caviar to give it an unpleasant taste)

What are some popular Seafood Cocktails?

a. Oysters b. Clams on the Half-Shell c. Shrimp d. Crabmeat e. Lobster f. Firm, flaked White Fish (with an appropriate sauce)

Appetizer

The first course of a multi-course meal.

True or False: At a reception at which many hors d'oeuvres are served, it's all right if a few of them must be eaten with forks from small plates, but finger food is much easier for the guests, who are standing and holding a wineglass while eating.

True

True or False: The Bruschetta is a type of Antipasto.

True

True or False: When making an Amuse Bouche, chef's typically borrow something from one of their regular menus, preferably not a dish on the menu that evening, and give it a different presentation, garnish, or sauce.

True

Trur or False: Many books give a recipe for a mixed salad called antipasto. This is misleading, however, because the Italian term does not refer to a specific recipe but to any typically Italian hors d'oeuvre, hot or cold.

True

What's the difference between Canapés and Bruschette?

Bruschette are similar to canapés in that they are toast with topping. -However, Bruschette are larger and heartier than typical canapés and can be served as the appetizer course of a dinner.

Guidelines for assembling Canapés:

1. Good mise en place is essential: -Preparing thousands of canapés for large functions can be tedious work, so it is essential that all bases, spreads, and garnishes be prepared ahead of time in order that final assembly may go quickly and smoothly. 2. Assemble as close as possible to serving time: -Bases quickly become soggy, and spreads and garnishes dry out easily. -As trays are completed, they may be covered lightly with plastic and held for a short time under refrigeration. -Be sure to observe all rules for safe food handling and storage. 3. Select harmonious flavor combinations in spreads and garnish: -For example, caviar and chutney or anchovy and ham are not appealing combinations, but these combinations are: a. Mustard butter and ham b. Lemon butter and caviar c. Pimiento cream cheese and sardine d. Horseradish butter and smoked salmon or smoked tongue e. Tuna salad and capers f. Anchovy butter, hard-cooked egg slice, and olive 4. Be sure that at least one of the ingredients is spicy or pronounced in flavor: -A bland canapé has little value as an appetizer. 5. Use high-quality ingredients: -Canapés can be a good way to utilize leftovers, but only if the leftovers have been carefully handled and stored to retain freshness. 6. Keep it simple: -Simple, neat arrangements are more attractive than elaborate, overworked designs. -Besides, you don't have time to get too fancy. -Be sure the canapés hold together and do not fall apart in the customers' hands. 7. Arrange the canapés carefully and attractively on trays: -Much of the attraction of canapés is eye appeal, and the customer never sees just one at a time, but a full tray. -Each tray should carry an assortment of flavors and textures, so there is something for every taste.

Popular and versatile flavors for butter and Cream Cheese Canapé Spreads include:

1. Lemon 2. Caviar 3. Shrimp 4. Parsley 5. Mustard 6. Olive 7. Tarragon 8. Horseradish 9. Shallot or scallion 10. Chive 11. Pimiento 12. Curry 13. Anchovy 14. Blue cheese 15. Caper

Nearly anything that can be served in a tiny portion can be served as an amuse bouche, including:

1. Salads 2. Soups (in espresso cups) 3. Canapés 4. Little portions of meat, fish, or vegetable with a few drops of sauce and a garnish.

Roe from other fish, including trout, salmon, whitefish, and lumpfish, is also salted to make caviar. Those of better quality are useful alternatives to expensive sturgeon caviar. Three popular types are:

1. Salmon Caviar - Large red eggs, often paired with smoked salmon or other salmon products in appetizer dishes. 2. Bleak Roe - Tiny, mild-tasting, orange eggs from a fish native to the Baltic. 3. Tobiko - Tiny orange eggs from Japanese flying fish, introduced to the West in Japanese sushi restaurants.

Cocktails of shrimp and other cooked seafood are generally served in a:

1. Stemmed Glass or 2. Small, cup-shaped bowl, which may be nestled in a bed of ice.

Procedure for Preparing Canapé Bases from Toast: METHOD 1

1. You may use ready-sliced bread (after trimming the crusts), but it is usually most efficient to use long, unsliced pullman loaves. -Cut the crusts from all sides (save for bread crumbs). -Cut the bread horizontally into slices ¼ inch thick. 2. Toast the slices in the oven or in a large toaster. 3. Let the toasts cool. 4. Cover with a thin, even layer of the chosen spread and cut into desired shapes with a knife. -Make the cuts neat and uniform. -Alternatively, cut the toasts into desired shapes with small cutters and reserve the trim for bread crumbs. -Spread each cutout with desired topping. (This method is more time-consuming, but it may be used with round or odd-shaped cutters if you want to save food cost by not losing spread on unused trimmings.) 5. Garnish the cutouts as desired.

Procedure for Preparing Canapé Bases from Toast: METHOD 2

1. You may use ready-sliced bread (after trimming the crusts), but it is usually most efficient to use long, unsliced pullman loaves. 2. Cut into desired shapes. -Brush both sides of each cutout with melted butter and arrange on sheet pans. -Place in a hot oven (450°F) until golden brown and very crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. 3. Let the bases cool. 4. Assemble the canapés. (This method is more costly but gives a crisper base that holds up better with a moist spread.)