Serious Eats: Recipes - Appetizers and Hors d'Oeuvres

Gluten-Free Jalapeño Poppers

2012-05-15T18:40:54Z

[Photographs: Elizabeth Barbone]

If you have time, consider making the filling ahead of time. This allows the flavors to mingle. Be sure to allow the filling to come to room temperature before piping into peppers.

About the author: Elizabeth Barbone of GlutenFreeBaking.com joins us every Tuesday with a new gluten-free recipe. She is the author of Easy Gluten-Free Baking. and "How to Cook Gluten-Free".

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: deep fryer

Ingredients

serves 12 poppers, active time 30 minutes, total time about an hour

12 jalapeño peppers
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
2 scallions, white part only, chopped
1 cup white rice flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup finely ground gluten-free bread crumbs
For Frying
2 quarts vegetable oil

Procedures

Slice peppers 3/4 of the way from end to stem. Using the handle of a spoon, remove seeds and ribs under cool running water. Take care not to split peppers. It’s a good idea to wear gloves during this step. And be sure to avoid touching face and eyes.
In small bowl, cream together cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, and scallions. Fit pastry bag with #12 round top or cut medium opening in disposable bag. Fill pastry bag. Pipe filling into peppers. If any filling oozes out of the peppers, wipe it away with a paper towel.
Freeze peppers for 10 minutes. Line up three pie pans or rimmed plates on your counter. On the first, place the white rice flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir with a fork to combine. On the next plate, whisk together eggs. On the last plate, combine bread crumbs and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine.
One at time, roll peppers in white rice flour, coating completely. Then roll in whisked eggs and bread crumbs. Return peppers to eggs and then, finally, to bread crumbs. Be sure there are no bare spots on the peppers.
Place peppers on large plate. Return to freezer for 10 minutes. In heavy bottomed Dutch oven, heat oil to 375°F. Two or three at time, fry peppers until golden brown, about three minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving. Filling will be hot.

Corn Fritters

2012-05-12T16:45:00Z

[Photograph: Sydney Oland]

About the author: Sydney Oland lives in Somerville, Mass. Find more information at sydneyoland.com (or read eatingnosetotail.com)

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 20 minutes

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 cup corn kernals (thawed if frozen)
About 2 quarts vegetable, canola, or peanut oil
powdered sugar (optional)
sliced scallions (optional)

Procedures

Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl combine milk and eggs then pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Add melted butter and corn and mix well.
Add 2 inches of vegetable oil to a Dutch oven or wok and heat to 350°F. Drop corn fritter batter into hot oil one tablespoon at a time. Cook, agitating and turning frequently until golden brown and crisp on all sides and fritters are cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Remove fritters to a large plate lined with paper towels and season with salt. Serve immediately, garnished with powdered sugar or sliced scallions.

Armadillo Eggs (Cheese-Stuffed, Sausage-Wrapped, Grilled Jalapeños)

2012-05-11T13:55:08Z

About the author: Joshua Bousel brings you new, tasty condiment each Wednesday and a recipe for weekend grilling every Friday. He also writes about grilling and barbecue on his blog The Meatwave whenever he can be pulled away from his grill.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: Grill

Ingredients

serves makes 24 eggs, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 hour 15 minutes

4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
6 large jalapeños, halved and seeded
2 pounds loose breakfast sausage
1 tablespoon favorite barbecue rub
1 small piece of light smoking wood, like apple or cherry
Type of fire: two-zone indirect
Grill heat: medium-high

Procedures

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and cilantro.
Place one spoonful of cream cheese mixture into each jalapeño half. Cut each jalapeño into two equal pieces.
Break off a ball of sausage about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Flatten sausage into a 1/4-inch thick disc and place stuffed-jalapeño piece in the center. Wrap sausage around jalapñeo, pinching sausage closed to completely encase jalapeño. Gentle roll sausage in your hands to create a smooth egg shape. Repeat with remaining sausage and jalapeños.
Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place smoking wood directly on top of coals. Sprinkle barbecue rub all over armadillo eggs, then place eggs on cool side grill and cover, with top air vent positioned over cool side of grill. Cook until sausage is cooked through and browned all over, about 30 minutes, flipping eggs halfway through. Any eggs not thoroughly browned can be quickly seared on hot side of grill, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a platter, let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.

S. H. Fernando Jr.'s Spicy Lentil Fritters

2012-05-09T16:45:00Z

[Photograph: Susan Now]

S.H. Fernando Jr., author of Rice & Curry, calls these Spicy Lentil Fritters an Asian take on falafel, and that's a spot-on call. Subbing out chickpeas for yellow split peas makes for fritters with a great bite and the chiles, onion, curry leaves, ginger, and fennel seeds give these guys beguiling flavor, one that will have you snacking on these little fritters until every last one is gone.

What Worked: Split peas have a toothsomeness that carries over even after being buzzed in the food processor, giving these a great crunch.

What Didn't: No complaints here, although the scent of soaking yellow split peas wasn't a favorite.

Suggested Tweaks: Chiles vary greatly when it comes to heat; when testing out this recipe three jalapeños wasn't quite enough heat to break through the split pea batter. Next time we might amp it up with bird chiles.

Ingredients

serves Makes about 20 fritters, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes plus 6 hours soaking time

2 cups (500 ml) dry yellow split peas
1 onion, chopped
4 to 5 green chilies, chopped
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Procedures

Soak split peas in water for at least 6 hours.
Wash and grind split peas to a smooth, thick paste.
Mix in all other ingredients except the oil.
Form mixture into golf-ball-size balls. Cup each ball in both hands and flatten slightly so the middle is thicker than the edges.
Deep fry in oil heated to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until golden brown. Remove to newspaper or paper towel to drain excess oil and cool slightly. They can be served hot or at room temperature.

Thai Shrimp Cakes with Sweet Chili Sauce

2012-05-07T21:10:00Z

[Photographs: Leela Punyaratabandhu]

These shrimp cakes can be served as an appetizer or a main course. Even though at many Thai restaurants in Thailand, these cakes are paired with Chinese-style plum sauce, I prefer to serve them with Thai sweet chili sauce which you buy from the store or make at home easily.

Note: If you live in the United States, your cilantro most likely comes with no roots. Simply substitute with the same amount of cilantro stems.

About the author: Leela is the author of the Thai food blog SheSimmers.com. You can follow her at @shesimmers

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 30 minutes

2 pounds peeled shrimp, cold
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons minced)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cilantro roots or 3 tablespoons finely-chopped cilantro stems (see note above)
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Approximately 2 cups of Japanese-style bread crumbs
2 quarts vegetable oil

Procedures

Add shrimp garlic, salt, cilantro, white pepper, and baking powder to bowl of food processor. Pulse until smooth paste is formed, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Run processor continuously until mixture becomes smooth and sticky, about 15 seconds. Transfer shrimp mixture to a large bowl and refrigerate it for at least 10 minutes.
Place bread crumbs in a shallow pie plate. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or wok to 325°F as registered on an instant read or deep-frying thermometer.
Roughly divide the shrimp mixture in the bowl into four equal portions. Divide each portion again into four portions to form 16 equal piles.
Form each portion of shrimp mixture into a patty about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll each patty in the bread crumbs and gently lower it into the hot oil. The shrimp cakes puff up quite considerably in the oil, so make sure you don't overcrowd your frying vessel.
Flip the shrimp cakes over a few times while they're frying. Once they're golden brown, fish them out onto a paper towel-lined plate.
Serve the shrimp cakes immediately with Thai sweet chili sauce.

Asparagus and Ramp Soup with Yogurt

2012-05-07T18:40:00Z

[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Note: If ramps are unavailable, substitute with 1 clove garlic and 1 bunch sliced scallions.

About the author: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is the Chief Creative Officer of Serious Eats where he likes to explore the science of home cooking in his weekly column The Food Lab. You can follow him at @thefoodlab on Twitter, or at The Food Lab on Facebook.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Ingredients

serves Makes about 2 1/2 quarts, serving 4 to 6, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes

2 pounds asparagus stalks, fibrous root end trimmed
Kosher salt
1 pound trimmed ramps, divided (see note above)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups vegetable or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped mint

Procedures

Cut the top inch off of each asparagus stalk. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Have a large ice bath ready. Add asparagus tips and cook until bright green and tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to ice bath until chilled. Dry carefully and reserve. Add asparagus stalks to water and cook until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to ice bath to chill. Transfer chilled stalks to jar of a blender.
Set aside 8 ramps (if using scallions, set aside 2 whole sliced scallions). Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add remaining ramps and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until tender and lightly browned. Transfer to blender jar. Add broth and yogurt to blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down sides and adding water as necessary until rich, soupy consistency is reached.
With blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then strain through a fine mesh strainer if smoother texture is desired.
Transfer to a medium saucepan and heat, stirring frequently. When ready to serve, stir in lemon juice. Melt remaining butter in a large skillet. Sautée ramps and asparagus tips until lightly browned then transfer to a plate. Ladle soup into individual bowl. Garnish with sauteed ramps, asparagus, chopped mint, and an extra drizzle of olive oil (be generous). Serve immediately.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

2012-05-04T13:41:59Z

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: Food processor

Ingredients

serves makes about 1 1/2 cups, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 hour 10 minutes

1 pound roma tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 medium jalapeño pepper
2 medium cloves garlic
1/2 medium white onion, peeled and quartered
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 a lime)
Sugar, to taste

Procedures

Preheat broiler. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt. Add jalapeño, garlic, and onion to baking sheet. Place baking sheet in broiler and cook until tomatoes, jalapeños, garlic, and onion have slightly blackened, about 20 minutes, flipping jalapeño and garlic half way through. Remove from broiler and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
Stem and seed jalapeño and peel garlic. Transfer tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, and onion to the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped.
Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and sugar to taste. Let rest in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container up to a week.

Coctel De Camarones (Colombian-style Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail)

2012-05-03T12:55:00Z

[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Note: For best results, use small, raw, shell-on shrimp and peel yourself (shelled shrimp tend to be a little mangled). Avoid par-cooked shrimp, as they will not absorb flavor properly. Traditional Colombian-style coctel is made with straight up mayo, ketchup, and hot sauce. I like adding some extra-virgin olive oil for extra flavor.

Ingredients

serves serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer, active time 25 minutes, total time 25 minutes

1 pound peeled small shrimp (see note above)
3 tablespoons juice from about 4 limes
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (see note above)
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup finely minced onion
Hot sauce (such as Tabasco) to taste
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
Saltine crackers for serving

Procedures

Place shrimp in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1 teaspoon salt and toss to combine. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a medium bowl, combine remaining lime juice, mayonnaise, olive oil, ketchup, and onion and stir until homogenous. Add hot sauce to taste and stir to combine. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Drain shrimp and add to pot of boiling water. Cook until just barely cooked through, about 45 seconds. Drain shrimp in sink and place under cold running water until well chilled, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large plate lined with paper towels and carefully dry shrimp. Add shrimp to bowl with sauce and toss to combine. Serve immediately with crackers and extra limes for squeezing.

April Bloomfield's Toasts with Ramp Butter and Fried Quail Eggs

2012-04-25T18:45:00Z

The following recipe is from the April 25 edition of our weekly recipe newsletter. To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here!

[Photograph: David Loftus]

These Toasts with Ramp Butter and Fried Quail Eggs from April Bloomfield's A Girl and Her Pig are yet another way to enjoy everyone's favorite fleeting spring vegetable. The butter in this recipe incorporates both the cooked bulb of the ramp and its tender, raw greens into a rich butter dressed up with capers, anchovies, lemon, and chiles.

Served on crusty slices of toast with a crisp-runny quail egg, the butter is downright fantastic. And luckily, this recipe makes enough butter that you'll be incorporating ramp butter into many meals to come.

What Worked: Adding a few anchovies to the oniony ramp butter is a genius move. Upping the umami factor works to up the tasty quotient.

What Didn't: No complaints, especially about the leftover ramp butter in the fridge.

Suggested Tweaks: No quail eggs? No problem; your run of the mill chicken eggs will do just fine. And there's no need to reserve this butter for toast. It also makes for a great pasta sauce or finisher for a grilled steak.

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes

A scant 1/4 pound ramps, roots trimmed
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Maldon or another flaky sea salt
3 whole salt-packed anchovies, rinsed, soaked, and filleted, then finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 large lemons)
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
A few glugs of extra virgin olive oil
Dried pequin chilis or red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
Eight 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices from a baguette, toasted and cooled
8 quail eggs

Procedures

Pile the ramps on your cutting board so the bulb ends line up. Start by thinly slicing the bulbs, working your way toward the green leaves. After you’ve sliced the purple stems and reached the greens, make your slices even thinner. Gather the sliced bulbs and stems into a little pile. Set the greens aside for the moment.
Put 1 tablespoon of the butter in a sauté pan and set it over medium-high heat. Once it melts and froths, add the sliced ramp bulbs and stems (along with a five-fingered pinch of greens) and a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the ramps have a hint of brown, 2 minutes or so.
Scrape the ramps into a bowl and add the remaining 10 tablespoons butter, the anchovies, lemon zest, lemon juice, a glug of olive oil, a few crumbled chilies, and, if you fancy, a few twists of black pepper. Mash, toss, and stir the mixture with a fork or wooden spoon just until everything’s nicely mixed. Give the reserved ramp greens a brief chop, then stir them in. Have a taste. You should taste the gentle onion flavor of the ramps, a good bit of umami-saltiness from the anchovies, and brightness, not tartness, from the lemon. To me, this butter tastes like spring. You might want to add another 1/4 teaspoon salt or another brief squeeze of lemon. (You can refrigerate the butter for a day or two in a bowl, or roll it into a log, if you’re feeling fancy.)
Slather the toasts with the ramp butter (you’ll have extra butter; reserve it for another day).
Pour a glug or two of oil into a nonstick pan just large enough to hold the eggs comfortably (you can also fry them in 2 batches) and set it over medium-high heat. When the oil is barely smoking, crack the eggs into the pan. (it helps to insert the tip of a knife into the shell, though not so far in that you break the yolk.) You should hear spitting and sizzling when you add them. Cook them until the whites are set and golden brown at the edges but the yolks are still runny, about a minute. Top each toast with a quail egg and add a little sprinkle of salt. Serve straightaway.

April Bloomfield's Devils on Horseback

2012-04-24T15:55:00Z

[Photograph: David Loftus]

This week we're going to be sharing what we consider to be April Bloomfield's greatest hits, many taken straight from the menu at The Spotted Pig. At The Spotted Pig, Bloomfield does drinking snacks right, and these Devils on Horseback are the ideal way to soak up whatever you're sipping.

Bacon wrapped prunes would be wonderful on their own but in typical Bloomfield fashion, she takes it a step further by plumping the prunes in tea and Armagnac, and stuffing them with tiny bits of tender poached pear. These are the kind of snacks that go fast, doubling the recipe might be a good plan.

What Worked: Sweet and salty, these Devils on Horseback are the kind of drinking snack we want to have around all of the time.

What Didn't: Nada, these bacon wrapped prunes are pretty much perfect.

Suggested Tweaks: We could see subbing in dates or perhaps even apricots for the prunes in this recipe.

Ingredients

serves makes 10active time 30 minutes,

For the Pears:
2 cups dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup superfine sugar
1 tablespoon sliced skin-on fresh ginger
10 black peppercorns
4 whole allspice berries
About 4 dried pequin chilies or pinches of red pepper flakes
1 large cinnamon stick
3 large perfectly ripe Bartlett pears
For the Prunes
1 English Breakfast tea bag, preferably PG Tips brand
3 tablespoons Armagnac or Cognac
10 large pitted prunes
10 thin slices bacon
Maldon or another flaky sea salt
2 or 3 dried pequin chilies or pinches of red pepper flakes

Procedures

For the pears: Combine the first eight ingredients in a pot just big enough for the pears to be submerged in the liquid in a snug fit. one at a time, peel the pears and halve them lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the tough core from each pear half, then trim off the hard bit at the base of each one. as you finish prepping each one, add it to the liquid so it doesn’t brown.
Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down the heat so it simmers gently (don’t rush it, or the pears will disintegrate). Cook just until the pears are tender but not very soft or mushy, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the firmness of the pears.
Turn off the heat and let the pears cool in the liquid. they’ll continue to cook
a bit as they cool. once cool, they’ll still have a touch of snap to them, a soft crunch. They’ll keep happily in their liquid in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
for the prunes: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small pan. add the tea bag and
let steep for 5 minutes, off the heat. discard the tea bag and let the tea cool completely.
Combine the tea, armagnac, and prunes in a small bowl. the prunes should be completely submerged in the liquid; if they’re not, use a different container. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge. let the prunes soak just until they’re plump and soft, overnight or longer if necessary.
When the prunes are ready, remove them from the liquid. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the liquid.
Cut half of one of the spiced pears into 10 oblique pieces that will fit inside the prunes but are not so small that the prune envelops it completely. You want an inch or so of the pear to peek out at one end of the prune. Stuff each prune with a pear piece. You might have to pop your little finger into the prune first.
Lay a slice of bacon on a cutting board, put a prune at one end, and roll up so the prune is wrapped in the bacon. if you feel there’s too much bacon, cut a little off—you want a nice balance between bacon and prune. repeat with the remaining prunes and bacon. Covered with plastic wrap, they keep overnight.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the broiler (if you don’t
have a broiler, heat the oven to 500°F).
Arrange the prunes seam side down in a shallow baking pan, leaving some room between them. add 3 tablespoons of the pear liquid to the pan, along with the reserved prune liquor, then add a generous pinch of salt and crumble in the chilies. Baste, then cook the prunes under the broiler, basting them with the liquid every few minutes or so, until the bacon is golden and slightly crispy, about 15 minutes. transfer the prunes to a plate or tray and drizzle with some of the liquid. if your bacon is on the sweet side, sprinkle on salt to taste. let cool slightly before you dig in.

April Bloomfield's Deviled Eggs

2012-04-23T15:40:00Z

[Photograph: David Loftus]

It would be a tragedy to go to April Bloomfield's The Spotted Pig and not order at least one round of her exemplary Deviled Eggs. They're just too good not to try, at least once. The thing is, they're not all that far off from the basic recipe, mayo, mustard and paprika are all there, but Bloomfield's added a few tweaks that round out the flavor, giving them an eggy, tangy richness that makes them so irresistible.

A bit of crème fraîche, a tablespoon of Champagne vinegar, and flaky sea salt along with a sprinkle of chopped chives and chervil are the unexpected but absolutely spot on ingredients that make for some of our most often craved deviled eggs.

What Worked: There's a reason these deviled eggs have been on the menu at The Spotted Pig from day one, they're the ideal bar snack.

What Didn't: All clear, this is our go to deviled egg recipe from here on out.

Suggested Tweaks: If you're feeling fancy, you could add a bit of curry powder or smoked paprika.

Ingredients

serves makes 12 deviled eggs, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 hour

6 large eggs
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Maldon or other flaky sea salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped chervil
Cayenne or paprika
Extra virgin olive oil (optional) for drizzling

Procedures

Fill a medium pot at least halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Use a slotted spoon to gently place the eggs in the water, and cook them for 10 minutes (set a timer). Drain the eggs and run them under cold water until they’re fully cool.
Lightly tap each egg against the counter to crack the shell all over, then peel them and pat them dry. Halve them lengthwise with a sharp knife.
Scoop the yolks into a small food processor. Add the mayonnaise and blend until smooth, then add the vinegar, creme fraiche, and mustard and blend again. Have a taste and season with salt.
For really pretty eggs, feed the mix into a pastry bag (alternatively, you can jerry-rig one with a large resealable plastic bag; snip off a corner before piping).
Pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes. Put the egg whites on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and put them in the fridge as well. Pat the whites dry with a kitchen towel and pipe or spoon an equal amount of the yolk mixture into each white. Top each one off with a sprinkle of the chives and chervil and a dusting of cayenne or paprika. If you like, add a sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Sausage Rolls (British-style Pigs In a Blanket)

2012-04-14T16:45:00Z

[Photograph: Sydney Oland]

About the author: Sydney Oland lives in Somerville, Mass. Find more information at sydneyoland.com (or read eatingnosetotail.com)

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: baking sheet

Ingredients

serves makes 12 sausage rolls, active time 10 minutes, total time 35 minutes

1 pound puff pastry, thawed if frozen
1 pound pork sausage (casings removed if necessary)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 egg, beaten

Procedures

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 375° F. Unroll puff pastry and cut into 12 rectangles about 4- by 5-inches. Divide the sausage into 12 equal balls. Shape each ball into a cylinder about 4 inches in length. Set aside.
Spread each piece of puff pastry with mustard, then place a sausage on the mustard. Roll the puff pastry around the sausage and seal with a thin brush of egg. Repeat with remaining ingredients and place on a baking sheet.
Brush each sausage roll with egg. Bake until pastry has puffed and is browned, about 20 minutes. Serve hot with more mustard.

Ripe's Toasted Nori Edamame with Garlic-ChileOil

2012-04-13T15:55:00Z

[Photograph: Paulette Phlipot]

Steamed and sprinkled with a bit of salt, edamame is great for snacking on its own. But it wasn't until we tried Toasted Nori Edamame with Garlic-Chile Oil from Cheryl Sternman Rule's Ripe did we realize its full potential.

This recipe coats the little soy beans in sesame oil spiked with garlic and chiles and flakes of oven dried nori. If you thought edamame was the perfect beer drinking snack before, this recipe will not only confirm that but take them to the next level.

What Worked: Nutty sesame oil, spicy rings of chile, and crunchy slices of garlic and seaweed make mild edamame into the realm of snacking perfection.

What Didn't: Nada, this recipe is that good.

Suggested Tweaks: Fans of chile heat might add an extra pepper to up the fire factor.
Reprinted with permission from Ripe by Cheryl Sternman Rule. Copyright © 2012. Published by Running Press. Available wherever books are sold. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

serves serves 4 to 6 , active time 15 minutes, total time 15 minutes

1 pound frozen, shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions, drained, and rinsed under cool water
2 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
2 large garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 medium red chile, sliced into thin rings

Procedures

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Pat the edamame dry and transfer to a serving bowl.
Lay the nori side by side on a baking sheet. Brush the top of one sheet lightly with water. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon of salt and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of the sesame oil. Quickly top with the second nori, pressing gently to adhere. Set a second baking sheet directly on top to compress the sheets together. Transfer the whole apparatus to the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet and let the nori cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, combine the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil, the garlic, and the chile (including the veins and seeds). Fry gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic crisps and turns golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Scrape the garlic-chile mixture into the edamame and season generously with salt, to taste. Crumble the nori on top in irregular shards. Serve immediately, at room temperature.

Zucchini Rolls with Goat Cheese and Mint

2012-03-30T14:25:00Z

Adapted from Two Fat Als

Special equipment: grill, charcoal

Ingredients

serves makes about 20 rolls, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes

1 small bunch fresh chives
4-5 medium zucchinis (about 2 pounds), washed, ends removed, and cut into 1/8-1/4” slices lengthwise
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
1 small bunch fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 handful baby arugula
2 fresno peppers, or other similar hot red pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/8” matchsticks
Type of fire: Direct
Grill heat: high

Procedures

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over medium heat. Blanch chives in boiling water until softened, about 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and set aside.
Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover gill and allow to preheat for 10 minutes. Alternatively, preheat a gas grill on high heat with lid closed for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Brush zucchini with oil and season with salt and pepper, flip and repeat on second side. Grill zucchini over direct heat until lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until browned on second side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to cutting board.
Spread 1 teaspoon of goat cheese over each zucchini slice, then sprinkle with mint and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Place 1 piece of arugula and 1 piece of sliced pepper at end of zucchini slice and gently roll slice together from that end. Tie a chive around each roll to secure close. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mushroom and Crushed Egg Tapas (Tapas de Setas con Huevo)

2012-03-30T12:43:00Z

[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Ingredients

serves serves 2, active time 10 minutes, total time 15 minutes

2 large eggs
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 large slices of rustic bread, such as ciabatta
1/2 pound mixed cleaned wild mushrooms (such as hen of the woods, black trumpet, or oyster)
1 medium clove garlic, minced on a microplane grater (about 1 teaspoon)
1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon picked thyme leaves
1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedures

Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover with a lid, and set aside for 10 minutes.
Drizzle bread slices with half of olive oil. Broil or toast until lightly charred. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat remaining two tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, shallot, and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Off-heat, season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small plate.
Peel eggs and crush with your hands. Top each slice of toast with mushrooms and crushed eggs. Drizzle with extra olive oil as desired and serve.