Garlic Appetizer De-Lites
Sweet Bell Pepper Explosion
Serves 6
6 red sweet bell peppers (miniature)
6 yellow sweet bell peppers (miniature)
1 cup finely minced Sweet onions
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
Cut off top of sweet bell peppers and hollow out inside. Combine sweet onions, parsley, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and salt to taste. Stuff miniature sweet bell peppers with a small spoon and refrigerate until time to serve.
Baby Pita Pillows
Serves 6
Ingredients:
12 baby pita pocket breads
1/2 lb.extra lean ground beef
3 whole green onions, finely chopped
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°. Gently slice side of pita bread open halfway. In a small bowl mix ground beef, onions, garlic, ginger and cinnamon; stuff mixture into pita breads. Wrap each pita bread in small foil pockets; bake at 350° for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Garlic Lemon Tiger Shrimp on Pita Crunchies
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 large Tiger shrimp
4 Tbs. minced garlic
4 Tbs. butter
1 cup thinly sliced sweet onions
1 cup Lemon Juice
Wash tiger shrimp, soak in lemon juice. In a small skillet combine butter, garlic and onions. Once onions caramelized place shrimp in pan until they turn red. Remove from heat and peel. Return back to pan and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to mixture and briefly heat up.
Pita Crunchies
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 baby pita pocket breads
3 Tbs. butter
3 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried parsley
4 oz whipped cream cheese
1 tablespoon garlic peppercorn medley (McCormick)
Slice pita breads open on the side seams. Sauté butter and garlic in a saucepan until garlic is golden brown. Add in parsley. Using a pastry brush, brush butter mixture on each pita bread. Place in oven at 425° for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool. Using a pastry bag, place a dollop of whipped cream cheese mixture on pita crunchie and then place tiger shrimp on top, grind the garlic peppercorn medley on top of the tiger shrimp and serve.
Mushrooms ala Garlique
Serves 6
12 mushrooms 2 1/2 inches in diameter
4 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. finely minced garlic
3/4 cup finely minced tomato flesh
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped mushroom stems
2 Tbs. finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbs. finely grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup white wine
Preheat oven to 350°. Clean stems from mushroom caps and finely chop them. Place butter, garlic, tomato flesh, sweet onions and chopped mushroom stems in a 10 inch skillet and sauté. Slowly add breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and salt. Stuff caps with mixture and place in a shallow baking dish. Pour white wine in bottom of pan and bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the Romano cheese on top and place back in oven until cheese melts.
Asparagus Garlic Spears
Serves 6
Ingredients:
12 fresh asparagus spears
2 Tbs. butter
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Par boil the fresh asparagus, drain and set aside. In a small saucepan gently brown garlic with butter. Add asparagus to garlic butter mixture and complete cooking process. Sprinkle kosher salt right before serving.
Carrots in Paradise
Serves 6
Ingredients:
16 oz carrots, sliced thinly, lengthwise
4 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. minced garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Clean carrots and place them in a small casserole dish. In a small saucepan melt garlic and butter. Add parsley. Pour mixture over carrots and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes depending on the thickness of the carrots. Once completed sprinkle with garlic powder and salt to taste.
– Alice Hagopian, Montclair, Calif.
Pancetta Wrapped Turkey Breast with Garlic and Wild Mushroom Stuffing with a Tuscan Pesto Sauce
Serves 6
2 1/2 lbs boned and skinned turkey breast
4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. chopped sage
1 Tbs. chopped rosemary
6 large cloves chopped garlic
1/2 lb. Cremini mushroom chopped
1/2 ounce dried Porcini mushrooms (reconstituted in hot water and chopped)
Salt and freshly ground black Pepper
1/4 lb. thinly sliced Pancetta
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. Pearl onions peeled
3/4 lb. carrots peeled and sliced
1 lb. new potatoes, scraped
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups low sodium canned beef stock
Stuffing: Heat the 4 Tbs. olive oil in a wide skillet; add the chopped cremini and porcini mushrooms and sauté until softened. Then add the chopped garlic and sauté until softened. Stir in the chopped sage and rosemary remove to a plate, spread out mixture so that it cools.
Using a sharp knife, butterfly the turkey breast out into a rectangle. Beat lightly with a meat mallet to even out. Season with salt and pepper, spread on the chopped herbs, garlic and mushroom stuffing. Roll up tightly and season again with salt and pepper. Wrap the rolled turkey breast in pancetta so that it is completely covered and tie up with kitchen twine. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sauté turkey roll, turning frequently until evenly browned. Add the onions, carrots and potatoes. Add the wine, reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the stock as necessary to keep the meat moist – the bottom of the pot should never become dry. When done, remove the strings from the Turkey, slice (not too thin), serve with the vegetables and a large luscious dollop of the Tuscan Pesto, and enjoy.
Pesto Sauce (pesto Toscano):
2 cups shelled Walnut halves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
6 cloves garlic peeled
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 cup low sodium beef stock
Dash of salt
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
Put the walnuts, basil and garlic in a food processor and chop into cream. Add the breadcrumbs to the stock, soak well, squeeze well and add to the walnut mixture. Add salt to taste, lemon juice and olive oil (add more or less depending on how much the walnuts absorb), mix well.
– Bob Hayden, San Francisco, Calif.
