BY ALEXANDRA TROY
Again, it was my turn to host The Book Club. The book we read was “Marriage of Opposites” by Alice Hoffman.
This engaging “faction” book is set in St. Thomas in the 1800s and chronicles the life of Camille Pissaro’s mother and Camille Pissaro. I immediately started to research what hors d’oeuvres were served in the Carribean.
After much reading, I came up with the following menu.
All recipes are very easy to prepare and delicious. They may easily be prepared ahead of time allowing the host to be a guest.
The following hors d’oeuvres may also be worked into your Spring Entertaining repertoire. Start the evening with a welcome drink of Rum Punch to set the mood. Set out the hors d’oeuvres on a Carribean pareo, instead of a tablecloth.
Then let guests help themselves while discussing the book. I am sure your guests will enjoy these tasty tidbits as much as mine did, as not a morsel was left at the end of the evening!
MENU
(Serves 8)
Rum Punch
Curried Chicken with Endive
Carribean Nuts
Mango with Chili Powder
Plantain Chips*
Deviled Eggs
*Recipe Not Given
Rum Punch
Pineapple Juice
Cranberry Juice
Orange Juice
Rum
Triple Sec
Ice
1. Fill a pitcher with ice. Pour in equal parts of the liquids. Stir.
2. Fill glasses with ice. Pour Rum Punch into the glass. Garnish with a paper umbrella, if desired.
Curried Chicken with Endive
8 oz. cooked chicken breast-skin removed
1/4 cup Major Grey’s Chutney
3 tblsps.sweet curry
1/8 cup mayonnaise
2 endives, separated
1. In a Cuisinart, fitted with a steel blade, roughly combine all of the above, except for the endive.
2. Place chicken mixture in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, stand up the endive leaves. This maybe refrigerated up to 12 hours.
Carribean Nuts
(Yields 1 lb.)
1 lb. unsalted peanuts
1 tblsp. freshly ground pepper
3 tblsps. butter
salt, to taste
1. In a skillet, saute the nuts and the pepper in the butter over moderate heat, stirring often, until lightly browned and very fragrant.
2. Drain on paper towels, season with salt.
NOTE: Keeps 2 to 3 weeks; can be frozen
Mango with Chili Powder
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into batons
3 tblsps. the freshest chili powder
1. Place chili powder in a shallow bowl. Place bowl on a plate. Surround with mango spears. Refrigerate until serving.
Deviled Eggs
8 large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Paprika, for garnish
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
1. Cover the eggs with cold water in a heavy, 3-quart saucepan and bring to a rolling boil, partially covered. Reduce the heat to low and cook the eggs, covered completely, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Transfer, with a slotted spoon, to a bowl of ice and cold water and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Peel the eggs and halve them crosswise. Carefully remove the yolks and place them in a medium bowl. Placer the egg whites, cut side up on a service plate.
3. Mash the yolks with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard and cayenne pepper and stir with a fork until smooth, then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a 1/2-inch star top, with the yolk mixture and pipe it into the egg whites. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika.
Alexandra Troy is owner of Culinary Architect Catering, a 35 year-old Greenvale-based company, specializing in private, corporate and promotional parties.
Need help making your Spring and Summer parties delicious and stress-free, call 516-484-7431 and you will be a guest at your own party!
