finger food

Crispy Cheesy Polenta Stuffed Poblano Rings

June 21, 2017 by Ariel 1 Comment

SoCal is a great place to find premium Mexican products and I couldn’t helped myself to stock up on delicious poblano peppers. I used to grow them in my garden (back in the days where I didn’t travel so much because pepper plants are by far my favourite plants to grow) but they never came out as big and spicy as the one you find in California. Apparently, the more sun engorged the pepper plant is, the spicier it’s pepper will be. I learned this, the hard way, the first time buying some, when we briefly lived in San Diego.

Clearly, they aren’t even near as spicy at other peppers like the jalapeños or habaneros but they still got a nice mild kick to them. When ripen to their fullest, they turn to a nice bright red and called Ancho peppers, often ground in to powder.

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Sausage & Shrimp Puff Pastry Rolls

May 20, 2014 by Ariel 3 Comments

For days where you want a blast of flavor and don’t care about your diet… For either a game day, a friendly gathering or really just because your heart wants it. No need to start a guilt trip here, we all need a few days like this every months 😉

Serve these delicious puff pastry sausage and shrimps with Dijon mustard, regular mustard or ketchup depending on what you prefer!

Sausage & Shrimp Puff Pastry Rolls

Ingredients

Puff pastry dough
For the Filling:
9 raw shrimps, skin, vein and everything else removed
8 roasted garlic cloves
½ tightly packed cup of freshly chopped basil leaves
¼ teaspoon of fish sauce
½ teaspoon of cane sugar
1 teaspoon of low sodium soy sauce
6 tablespoon of VERY FINELY chopped carrots
3 tablespoon of VERY FINELY chopped celery
¼ teaspoon of ginger powder
Inside membrane of 2 small Mergez sausages**
For the Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 tablespoon of water
For the Garnish:
Sesame seeds
** Make sure you take one that the inside is a "pulverized paste" without too many big chunks. The goal here is that this sausage stuffing will keep the filling together.

Instructions

- Pre-heat your oven at 350. Line a parchment paper on a baking sheet.
- Mix all the ingredients for your filling in a food processor and blend everything together till it becomes a nice and smooth paste. In another small bowl, prepare your egg wash by whisking the egg and water, reserve in the fridge till the end.
- Roll your pastry dough (making sure it's always cold - never let your puff pastry get to room temperature - I usually work with a cold ice pack on the side) and make a few rectangles or squares of dough, the size you want.
- Time to add your filling and roll your pastry, follow the graphic below for the easy technique.
- Brush with your egg wash, sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or till the crust is golden brown.
Serve with any dipping sauce you want but I like mine with either ketchup of Dijon mustard!
IMPORTANT NOTE - Since you can find a lot of different style of Mergez... If, during the cooking process, you find there is a lot of juices coming out of the pastry, you can move your rolls on the paper to make sure it doesn't boil in juice and make the dough saggy.

Peaches & Blue Cheese Amuse Bouches

September 6, 2013 by Ariel 2 Comments

Yoohoo it’s Friday! What about a light recipe that is also easy, fast and delicious that could be the hit of tonight’s friendly gathering! If you have peaches, blue cheese, walnuts and baguette laying around, you have everything you need to realize in 5 minutes these delicious amuse bouches!

…Now who’s getting the beer?

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Stuffed Jalapenos Peppers

August 19, 2012 by Ariel 12 Comments

Planning a dinner party? Here’s a fun and EASY appetizer your guests who like spicy food will jump on!

** IMPORTANT ** Cutting Jalapenos peppers will BURN YOUR FINGERS!! The best trick I have found is rubbing alcohol or Hand Sanitizer in a pretty big quantity, then wash your hands with soap… don’t do like me and wait for two full day wondering why is your hands burning that much… it’s awful! lol

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