Avocado Boats With Balsamic Vinegar

You are missing out if you haven’t made this incredible snack from ripe avocados. Anybody can make it, even my 7 year old makes it when she comes home from school. This is her favorite way to eat avocado. Split it in half and fill the center stone hole with some balsamic vinegar. Enjoy this healthy, delicious snack or appetizer.

Avocat au vinaigre balsamique

Avocado boats with balsamic vinegar

Natalija
Eat avocado halves with tea spoon.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 avocados
  • salt and freshly ground pepper optional
  • 6 tsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Cut the avocados in half lengthwise, remove pits but do not peel them. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar in each hole, and serve.
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Puff Pastry-Wrapped Shrimps

The reason I love making Puff Pastry-Wrapped Shrimp so much is the simple ingredients. And because I almost always have frozen shrimp and puff pastry left in my freezer!

Mini-feuilletés à la crevette

Puff Pastry-Wrapped Shrimps

Natalija
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 20 medium peeled shrimps
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/2 sheet all butter puff pastry
  • 1 egg

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Season shrimp with salt, pepper and seasoning.
  • Roll out the pastry dough and cut into 1 cm wide strips.
  • Starting at the top, wind one pastry strip around one shrimp, slightly overlapping the pastry and ending just before the tail. Repeat with each shrimp.
  • Place shrimp onto the baking sheet. Beat the egg in a small bowl with a fork, to make egg wash. Brush the shrimp pastry with egg wash.
  • Bake for about 12 min, or until golden brown. Do not overcook.
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Boursin™ Stuffed Mushrooms

Tasty and very easy recipe with only 2 main ingredients that you can find in every store: mushrooms and Boursin.

Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms

Natalija
The Boursin™ Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese is aleredy salty enough so don’t add more salt. On the other end, if you like spicy food, season with pepper.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 30 small mushrooms (Cremini or Button Mushrooms)
  • 1 block Boursin™ Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley) finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Wash and dry mushrooms. Remove stems. (You can use them for another recipe),
  • Place mushroom caps on a baking sheet. Season with pepper. Fill each mushroom’s hole with 1-2 tsps of Boursin™.
  • Bake about 25 minutes until mushrooms are golden and cooked through.
  • Sprinkle the baked mushrooms with fresh herbs and they’re ready to be served!
Keyword Appetizers, mushrooms
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Homemade Hummus

With or without tahini, homemade hummus made from scratch only takes 5 minutes to make. No needs to cook the chickpeas, just open a can and mix with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil! This delicious healthy snack can be serve for any occasion with pita bread or garden vegetables.

Houmous fait maison

Homemade Hummus

Natalija
If you don’t like spicy food, use paprika instead of chili powder, it makes the dish look pretty, and only slightly alters flavor.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can (400 g) garbanzo beans (chickpea)
  • 1 lemon
  • 2-3 cloves garlic chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp tahini (sesame paste) optional
  • 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
  • A few pinches chili powder (or paprika)

Instructions
 

  • Drain garbanzo beans, keep half of the juice.
  • In a food processor, place the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, tahini, chili powder and 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Mix until smooth. Add 1 or 2 Tbsp of the juice from the can (or water) to give a desired texture to the hummus.
  • Transfer hummus to a serving bowl, drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and sprinkle with chili powder or paprika.
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Green Mango Salad (Кalawang)

Green and unripe mangoes can be eaten, and are often delicious. For example, this salad with shredded green mangoes is very popular in French Guyana, and if you like spicy food, you will love this salad! Serve cold, as an appetizer or as a side dish with fish, shrimp, or meat. For a pretty presentation, I serve the Kalawang in individual plates with shrimps.

Green Mango Salade (Кalawang)

Natalija
Fresh chili pepper can be substituted with chili powder.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 green mangoes (unripe)
  • 1/2 onion peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and pressed
  • 1/2 chili pepper seeded and finely chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon (or lime) juice
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley)
  • 24 prawns (or shrimps) cooked and peeled

Instructions
 

  • Peel the mangoes with a peeling knife. Shred the pulp and discard the pit.
  • In the salad bowl, toss the mangoes, onion, salt and pepper. Drizzle with lemon juice and oil. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in a refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
  • When ready to serve, transfer the salad on to the serving plates, embellish with fresh herbs, and prawns.
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Homemade Olive Tapenade

The homemade olive tapenade is a dip or paste made with olives (black or green), anchovies and capers. This appetizer comes from Provence, France and is great with fresh bread or toast. With the help of a food processor, or blender, this hors d’oeuvre is ready within 5 minutes.

Homemade Olive Tapenade

Natalija
The anchovies are very salty. If you find your tapenade too salty, add more olives or olive oil.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g black olives pitted
  • 1 Tbsp capers (optional)
  • 20 g anchovies filets in oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 lemon (juice only)
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in an electric blender. Pulse a few times until finely chopped. The tapenade should have small pieces of olives. Do not over blend!
  • Serve with crackers or fresh baguette slices.
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Salmon Теrrine

Make a Salmon Terrine with fresh and smoked salmon, eggs, sour cream, and parsley. This elegant french recipe is a refined and delicious appetizer and it is perfect for cold buffets. Serve the terrine with mayonnaise, vegetables, or a green salad.

Salmon Terrine

Natalija
This Salmon Terrine is served cold and gets even better the next day. Very convenient to prepare in advance.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g salmon fillet with no skin or bones
  • 5 eggs
  • 250 г sour cream
  • 1/4 cup parsley chopped
  • 250 g smoked salmon cut into small pieces
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 390° F (180°C). Grease a loaf pan using cooking oil.
  • Cut the fresh salmon into pieces and mix with a food processor.
  • Add the eggs and mix well.
  • Add the sour cream and parsley.
  • Add the smoked salmon, salt and pepper. Mix with a spatula.
  • Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
  • Allow the salmon terrine to cool before removing it from the pan. Serve the dish chilled.
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Cheese and Garlic Stuffed Tomatoes

You can serve this Cheese and garlic stuffed tomatoes as a starter or as a salad.

Cheese and Garlic Stuffed Tomatoes

Natalija
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 18 large cherry tomatoes
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup grated cheese american, cheddar, etc.
  • fresh herbs chives, parsley, basil leaves
  • 2-3 Tbs mayonnaise
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cut off the top of cherry tomatoes. Keep the tops for presentation.
  • Using a small spoon, scoop out the insides of the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes upside-down on a paper towel.
  • Remove juice and seeds from the pulp. Mince the pulp.
  • Press garlic using a garlic press. Mix the cheese and garlic together.
  • Add mayonnaise, finely chopped herbs and tomato pulp. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
  • Using a spoon, add cheese filling to the tomatoes and place the tops back on top of your cherry tomatoes.
  • Refrigerate tomatoes before serving.
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Puff Pastry Swirls With Smoked Salmon

What could be better with puff pastry than sour cream and smoked salmon? Kids and adults will really appreciate these savory small appetizers. The best part is, they are very simple to make. All it takes is spreading the filling onto the puff pastry, rolling it up, cutting it into rolls and bake.

Puff Pastry Swirls With Smoked Salmon

Natalija
You can cut the puff pastry sheet in half and make two rolls, but this is only if you want to make them super tiny.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 15 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
  • 2 Tbsp sour cream
  • A bit of dill fresh or dried
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 200 g smoked salmon slices

Instructions
 

  • Roll the puff pastry out with rolling pin into 1/2 inch thick square. Spread the sour cream on the top. Leave about 1cm around the edges. Sprinkle with tiny chopped dill.
  • Arrange the smoked salmon evenly on top of the puff pastry sheet.
  • Starting at one end, roll the pastry up as tightly as possible.
  • Tightly cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. It will be much easier to cut cold roll.
  • Preheat the oven to 380 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. With a very sharp knife, cut the roll into 1 cm slices.
  • Remove the plastic wrap and transfer them to the baking sheet.
  • Bake for about 15 -20 minutes until the “snails” are puffed and golden.
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Smoked Salmon Puffs

These are irresistible little Smoked Salmon puffs, filled with a delicate cream made of smoked salmon. Excellent as an appetizer with a glass of Champagne!

Check out my other recipes with puff pastry.

Smoked Salmon Puffs

Natalija
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 40 small puffs

Ingredients
  

Dough

  • 200 ml water or milk
  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • 3 pinches of salt
  • 120 g all purpose flour
  • 3-4 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk (optional)

Salmon filling

  • 250 g smoked salmon cut into pieces
  • small onion minced
  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • 1 Tbsp sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 100 ml heavy cream( 35%) very cold
  • Some fresh dill, or chive, minced
  • Few pinches of paprika for decoration

Instructions
 

Dough

  • Preheat oven to 390 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a pot, add water, butter and salt. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
  • Add flour and mix well, until the dough comes away from the walls and forms into a ball.
  • Add the eggs one by one. Stir well. The dough should become smooth and shiny.
  • Place saucepan back on the heat and keep mixing for about 30-50 seconds, to dry out the moisture. Remove from the heat.
  • Transfer the dough to a piping bag.
  • Pipe puffs (no bigger than a walnut). Space the puffs on the baking sheet, because the dough will rise.
  • Lightly brush the top of puffs with egg yolk.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the puffs are puffed and golden brown in color. Do not open the oven while baking. Remove from the oven, let them cool down completely and carefully transfer to a flat surface.

Smoked salmon filling

  • In a food processor, combine the smoked salmon with the onion, garlic, sour cream and olive oil. Process until smooth.
  • Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Mix once more.
  • Whip heavy cream, until soft peaks form.
  • Gently fold in salmon mix into the whipped cream. Add the minced fresh dill.
  • Cut puffs in half. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag and fill the puffs. Replace the top.
  • Dust puffs with paprika. Serve right away or keep in the refrigerator.
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