You can serve this Cheese and garlic stuffed tomatoes as a starter or as a salad.
Cheese and Garlic Stuffed Tomatoes
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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This post was posted in Appetizers
Tomato Tart
Who said that tarts are only for dessert? Fill a square of puff pastry with colorful mosaic of tomatoes, cheese, Dijon mustard, herbs de Provence. Then surprise your friends or family with this savory piece of artwork.
Tomato Tart
This mediterranean tart is a must make. You can make it with tomatoes of the same or different size, of different colors and different varieties. The most important thing is that they are ripe and flavorful. Perfect dish for small crowds.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 1-2 Tblsp Dijion mustard
- 5-6 tomatoes
- 30 g shreaded cheese (parmesan)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- herbs de provence (optional)
- couple basil leaf (optional)
Instructions
- Cut tomatoes into thin (0.5 cm) slices. Put them in a single layer on paper towel. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. On the floured piece of parchment paper roll out the puff pastry and poke all over with a fork, to release the steam while baking.
- Evenly spread with dijon mustard.
- Arrange the tomatoes on top. Fold the edges of dough.
- Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with cheese and herbs.
- Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for about 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through and the cheese is softening and colouring at the edges.
- Cut the tart into quarters, garnish with fresh basil and serve.
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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
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.
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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This post was posted in Appetizers, Puff Pastry
Spring Egg Salad With Green Onion
Perfect simple and plain salad, of which I think every time I see bunch of green onion. You will only need 3 ingredients to make this salad. I normally use mayonnaise as a dressing, but you can use sour cream as well, or mix of sour cream with mayonnaise (50/50).
Spring Egg Salad With Green Onion
To avoid over salting your salad, taste the salad right after adding mayonnaise, and only then add salt and pepper. Don’t squish the salad, it has to stay light and fluffy.
Ingredients
- 6 hard boiled eggs peeled and chopped
- 1/3 bunch green onion finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pinch paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Stir eggs, mayonnaise and green onion in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with some paprika if desire.
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This post was posted in Salads
Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
This cabbage and carrot slaw is simple, healthy and nutritious. It is super easy to make and requires only a few ingredients. A perfect side dish to literally anything.
Cabbage and carrot slaw
It tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized cabbage head
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 carrots
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 4-5 Tbsp 5% white vinegar
- 4-5 Tbsp olive oil
- fresh herbs (dill, parsley, green onion)
Instructions
- Cut the cabbage in half and peel of a few of the thin outer layers. Cut each half into quarters, then cut out the tough core in the middle. Slice each quarter crosswise into thin shreds. Add salt and squeeze the shredded cabbage with your hands.
- Peel the carrots and shred them.
- Transfer the shredded carrots and cabbage into the mixing bowl. Add sugar, white vinegar and olive oil. Gently toss everything together. Taste and add some more salt if needed. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving.
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This post was posted in Salads
Cowboy caviar
Cowboy caviar (or Texas caviar) is a simple, healthy, colorful, and delicious appetizer, salad, side-dish, or dip. Using canned beans and corn is a quicker alternative to cooking dry beans. Spend less time in the kitchen but don’t forget to prepare in advance to allow the different flavors to blend together before serving.
Cowboy caviar
The jalapeño can be replaced by a few pinches of chili powder.
Ingredients
- 1 can (425 g) Black beans, Red beans, or Black Eye peas, or Tri-Bean blend drained and rinsed
- 1 can (425 g) whole kernel sweet corn drained and rinsed
- 1/2 red onion peeled and minced
- 1 bell pepper (red, yellow or orange) cored and cubes
- 1 jalapeño cored and minced
- 3 tomatoes cubed
- 1/4 bunch Fresh cilantro chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lime juice
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl, mix, cover, and let chill for about one hour in the fridge.
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This post was posted in Salads
Quiche With Mushrooms
French open-faced pie from puff pastry with buttery mushroom filling. To save time, I use canned sliced mushrooms. But you can use fresh ones as well.
Quiche With Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 15 g butter (or olive oil)
- 1 onion
- 250 g canned sliced mushrooms (drained)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 eggs
- 150 ml heavy cream( 35%)
- 5-6 thin slices hard cheese
- fresh parsley
- pinch nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and cut the onion. In a medium skillet, heat oil or butter until hot, add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for another 7-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lay the puff pastry on a parchment paper and transfer it onto a baking sheet. Prick all over with a fork.
- Evenly spoon the mushrooms mix on top.
- In a bowl, whisk together eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms.
- Place the cheese slices all over the pie. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
- Bake on the bottom rack for about 35 minutes, until golden.
- Garnish with herbs before serving.
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This post was posted in Main Dish, Puff Pastry
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
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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This post was posted in Appetizers
Creamy And Buttery Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are the perfect healthy appetizers and always welcome at a party. This is very easy recipe of stuffed eggs with softened butter and a bit of garlic.
Stuffed Eggs
To cook a perfect boiled eggs, simply place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 inch. Cover pan with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat, boil for 6 to 7 minutes over medium heat for perfect hard boiled eggs.
Ingredients
- 10 hard boiled eggs
- 2 tsp softened butter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 garlic cloves
- salt to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- fresh dill
Instructions
- Carefully peel the eggs and slice them in half lengthwise. Remove yollk and transfer it to a medium bowl.
- Mash the yolk with a fork until crumbly.
- Add the mayonnaise, butter,garlic, salt and pepper and combine until incorporated.
- Place the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a medium tip (or teaspoon), pipe the yollk mixture into the whites.
- Garnish with fresh dill.
- Refrigerate before serving.
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This post was posted in Appetizers
Tuna pate with smoked salmon
Delicious Tuna and Smoked Salmon Pate is an amazing appetizer served with fresh or toasted bread.
Tuna pate with smoked salmon
Ingredients
- 160 g tuna in water drained
- 5-6 slices smoked salmon
- 160 g mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 onion chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh dill to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine together mascarpone cheese and tuna, mash it with fork.
- Add chopped dill and minced onion, salt and pepper.
- Add finely chopped smoked salmon and stir together.
- Transfer to a small dish and garnish with chopped fresh dill or with thin slices of salmon. Cover with food plastic wrap.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
Notes
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This post was posted in Appetizers