Recipes: These holiday appetizers can make a meal

Making a meal out of a platter or two of alluring appetizers has always appealed to me. A little of one thing, a smidgen of another – all enjoyed at a tranquil pace. Whether it’s a family Friday-night pleasure, or a small gathering with friends, the relaxed menu promotes conviviality. At holiday time, with all the hubbub and overloaded schedules, it seems a perfect time to breakout some hors d’oeuvres and nosh.

To follow, are a few scrumptious options. Two recipes designate grilling to finish them off, usually not a problem in Southern California. But if it’s chilly or wet outside, cook the kebobs and/or the lamb lollipops under the broiler in the oven, placing the chops or kebobs on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet about 8-inches below the broiler element, turning halfway through the broiling.

If you like, fill out the menu with a cheese and charcuterie board, and/or a platter of raw vegetables. And bake or buy a decadent dessert for a tasty, sweet finish.

Easy Sausage Kebobs with Tzatziki

Grilled kebobs made of sausage meat lend themselves to this casual kind of meal. The sausage, first formed into hardy meatballs, is threaded onto skewers and patted to flatten into thick patties. They can be served with a variety of complementary accompaniments. My favorites include store-bought hummus, pita bread, radishes, and tzatziki, a yogurt-based sauce with cucumbers, fresh mint, and lemon juice.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound mild Italian sausage

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely diced unpeeled English (hothouse wrapped in plastic wrap) cucumber

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

For serving: hummus, pita bread cut into triangles, radishes

Cook’s notes: Often I prefer to use small skewers and just put one sausage patty per skewer.

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat grill to medium-high and clean grates. Remove sausage from casings. In a bowl combine sausage meat and mix with clean hands. Form into meatballs about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Thread onto bamboo skewers, two per skewer. Press them to form patties.

2. Prepare Tzatziki sauce: In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, oil, cucumber, juice, and mint.

3. Grill kebobs: Place on grill. Cover and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Turn with long-handled spatula and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with Tzatziki, hummus, pita bread and radishes.

Endive Boats with Smoked Salmon

These lovely endive “boats” can be prepared an hour in advance, placed on a platter, and refrigerated. A microgreen garnish provides a welcome texture contrast, as well as visual beauty; I buy an assortment of these colorful immature greens at Trader Joe’s.

Yield: About 24

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound smoked salmon, slices or trimmings, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup whipped cream cheese

1/3 cup sour cream or crème fraiche

1/4 medium-sized brown (yellow) onion, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper, white pepper preferred but not mandatory

24 large Belgian endive leaves

Optional: 1 1/2 tablespoons salmon roe, whitefish roe or red-orange tobiko (flying fish roe sold in Japanese markets)

Garnish: Microgreens or alfalfa sprouts

PROCEDURE

1. In a food processor, combine salmon, cream cheese, sour cream or crème fraiche, onion, and juice, plus lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Process to combine until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of work bowl as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more pepper and salt if needed (often the salmon is salty enough that no salt is needed). Pulse again to mix.

2. Arrange endive leaves on platter. Spoon salmon mixture into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch star tip; pipe a generous “rosette” of salmon mousse on the wide end of each endive. OR, if you prefer a more casual approach (that is perfectly fine) spoon about a tablespoon of salmon mousse onto the large ends of the endive leaves (using two dinnerware teaspoons is handy, using one the scoop and the other to push it off).

3. If using, garnish each with a small amount of roe next to the salmon, about 1/4 teaspoon. Add a pinch of microgreens to each. Serve or refrigerate up to 1 hour.

Lamb Chop ‘Lollipops’

Personal chef-caterer Katherine Louis Boucher knows how to turn lamb chops into luscious Greek style “lollipop” appetizers. She says to offer guests napkins and stand back to watch the chops disappear.

Yield: 25 chops

INGREDIENTS

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Minced zest and juice of 2 lemons, Meyer lemons preferred

2 fresh jalapeños, halved, seeds removed, thinly sliced; see cook’s notes

2 medium shallots, minced

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 cup fresh oregano

/4 cup fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

5 rib (from rack) lamb chops, at least 1-inch at bone ends scrapped to clean them

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish: 1 lemon thinly sliced, Meyer lemon preferred, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Cook’s notes: Use caution when working with fresh chilies; upon completion wash work surface thoroughly and do NOT touch face or eyes.

PROCEDURE

1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice, jalapeños, and shallots. On a cutting board, chop the garlic, oregano and 1/4 cup parsley until coarsely chopped; add to olive oil mixture.

2. Arrange the lamb chops in a nonreactive baking dish; top with the marinade and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.

3. Heat grill to medium-high. Season the lamb chops generously with salt and pepper. Grill until slightly charred, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with thinly sliced lemons and parsley.

Port-Roasted Grapes on Blue Cheese Toasts

The counterpoint of sweet Port-infused roasted grapes and tangy cheese make these nibbles a delectable treat. A blue cheese spread is smeared atop small portions of toasted bread and then topped with a generous scoop of the roasted orbs. The sharp, salty taste of the blue cheese is cut by adding a little mascarpone cheese, but if you prefer, substitute cream cheese.

Yield: 12 servings, recipe can be doubled

INGREDIENTS

1 cup seedless red grapes

2 tablespoons Port

1 teaspoon sugar

3 ounces Gorgonzola

3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese or cream cheese

Toast: 12 thin slices of French baguette or slices of rustic artisanal whole wheat bread, each slice cut in half crosswise after toasting

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In small pan, mix grapes, port and sugar. Roast, shaking the pan occasionally, until grapes begin to soften, and skin starts to shrivel, but grapes are still holding their shape, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool.

2. In small bowl, mix blue cheese and mascarpone.

3. Spread about 2 teaspoons cheese mixture on toasted bread. Top with grapes, adding a little of the syrup.

Source: Adapted from “The All-American Cheese and Wine Book” by Laura Werlin (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, out of print)

Cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.