A cold spread for a cocktail party is easier to make beforehand and has a wider range of choice too. In a cocktail party, it is always better to serve a number of tit bits that can give a wide range of choice to the guests, than a few heavy dishes. Besides, appetizers go well with drinks and are easier on the stomach. You can choose from a range of recipes depending on the guests that you are inviting.
An Aioli Platter
An Aioli Platter is a well arranged display of lightly done or even uncooked vegetables, displayed to bring out the best of colors and flavors. The Aioli platter is generally accompanied by a slightly flavored garlic dip. A few uncooked vegetables accompanied by some cooked, mildly blanched, or just steamed; bring out the best in the dish.
Ingredients
- Baby potatoes (steamed with jackets)
- Green beans (trimmed and blanched)
- Baby carrots (peeled with green tops left on, blanched)
- Green asparagus (trimmed)
- Baby sweet corn (steamed)
- Baby artichokes (blanched and halved or quartered)
- Cherry tomatoes (raw, washed well)
- Medium red peppers (seed removed and cut into strips)
- Cooked medium prawns (peed with tails left on)
Decorate all the ingredients in a large tray and your Aioli platter is ready! For the dip, a good idea that takes almost no time is the Garlic Dip. Pound 6 large garlic cloves and stir into 350 ml of bottled mayonnaise. Add two tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of freshly grounded black pepper for flavor. The dip is mildly flavored and goes well with all the vegetables that have been mentioned above, as also the prawn.
Quiches
Ingredients
- 150 grams, whole wheat flour
- 150 grams, plain flour
- ½ teaspoon, salt
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons, olive oil
Dissolve a tablespoon of yeast in 4 tablespoons lukewarm water, and leave standing for 5 minutes. Combine 150 grams whole wheat flour and 150 grams of plain flour with salt to taste, and stir in the dissolved yeast.
Beat one egg and 4 tablespoons olive oil into it, making the dough. Knead well, shaping into a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rise for 2 hours, till it softens. Punch it gently, and then let it rest for another 10 minutes. Roll out the dough into balls, cut into the shape of the quiche tin and bake for 5 minutes in a preheated oven at 190 °C.
Meatballs
Ingredients
- 175 grams, fine grain bulgur wheat
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 500 grams, chopped lamb
- 1 teaspoon, ground cinnamon and cumin mixture
- 2 tablespoons, water
- 750 grams courgette cut into thin slices and sautéed
Soak the wheat for about 15 minutes. Blend together onion and salt. Make a smooth paste. Add the onion mixture, cinnamon, cumin, and pepper to taste in the meat, making into an even paste.
Drain and squeeze the water out of the wheat. Add to the meat mixture and blend again till smooth. Moisten hands and form meat mixture into small balls about 2-cm in diameter. Place on baking tray and grill for about 3 minutes. Then, roll into a plateful of toasted sesame seeds. Serve on cocktail sticks, intertwined with the courgette strip. Serve when required.
Frittatas
To make the Frittata:(to make 1-2 inches diamond shapes).
Ingredients
- 10 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons, milk
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Tender Peas and Pepper filling:
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon, olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 large red pepper (cored, seeded and diced)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 large garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 375 grams, fresh peas
Heat oil in a have pan, add onions and cook till soft. Add red pepper and little salt and stir. Cook until just tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for one more minute. Steam onions for about 7 minutes, then rinse under cold water (to keep them green).
Stir into the mixture. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a 12-inch fry pan. Pour in the mixture and stir with a fork, lifting the edges of the frittata to let the egg mix run underneath, often. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. It should just set, not burn out or overcook. Brown the top under a pre-heated grill for 2 minutes. Serve this delicious appetizer to your guests to make them keep wanting more.
