Roasted Potatoes and Cheese Hors d'oeuvres Created by Ruth Paget

Roasted Potatoes and Cheese Hors d’oeuvres Created by Ruth Paget

I would make a recipe similar to this one when I lived in France and Germany called gratin Dauphinois.  It is made with crème fraîche, an ingredient which can be expensive in the United States.  I have used sour cream in this recipe and changed the Emmenthal cheese to Monterey Jack.

This version is a great as an hors d’oeuvres or as a side dish for steaks or beef or pork roasts.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

-4 large, washed, peeled, and sliced Idaho potatoes

-2 teaspoons dry garlic

-4 cups sour cream

-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

-Pam® for spraying baking dish

Steps:

1-Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray Pam© on baking dish.

2-Spread some of the cheese mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.  Place a layer of potatoes on top of the cheese mixture.

3-Spread some cheese mixture on top of the potatoes and layer with more potatoes.  Spread cheese mixture on top of this.  Repeat and finish with a layer of the cheese mixture.

4-Bake for 1 hour.

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Shrimp-Avocado Hors d'oeuvres Recipe Created by Ruth Paget

Shrimp-Avocado Hors d’oeuvres Recipe Created by Ruth Paget

I love this festive looking hors d’oeuvres.  It tastes great chilled with a chenin blanc wine.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

-4 seeded avocado halves with the skin left on to form a shell

-1/2 pound thawed and shelled shrimp

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 teaspoon dry garlic

-1 (4-ounce) can drained California sliced olives

-1 cup Ranch or blue cheese dressing

Ingredients:

1-Sauté the shrimp and garlic in the olive oil for 10 minutes.

2-Mix black olive slices with the shrimp.

3-Place shrimp-olive mixture in the cavities of the avocados.

4-Serve with dressing on the side.

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click here for:  Ruth Paget's Amazon Books

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Prosciutto with Figs Hors d'oeuvres by Ruth Paget

Prosciutto with Figs Hors d’oeuvres by Ruth Paget

If you can find figs, this hors d’oeuvres is super easy to make. 

You will need toothpicks to make this recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

-4 cleaned figs cut in half

-8 slices of prosciutto

-8 toothpicks

Steps:

1-Fold prosciutto slices in an s-shape and press down, so you have 3 layers.  Insert a toothpick through the center of the prosciutto.

2-Press the fig half down the toothpick to the top of the prosciutto.

3-Chill until serving.

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Brussels Sprouts Hors d'oeuvres Recipe Created by Ruth Paget

Brussels Sprouts Hors d’oeuvres Recipe Created by Ruth Paget

This is one of my favorite appetizers at Jack’s in the Portola Plaza Hotel in downtown Monterey.  I make mine differently for somewhat mushy Brussels sprouts, but look forward to this hors d’oeuvres and baked rigatoni when I go to Jack’s.  Their French onion soup is scrumptious, too.

Balsamic or sherry vinegar add the flavor to these somewhat sour vegetables.

You will need a collapsible steamer to make this recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

-16 washed Brussels sprouts

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-2 tablespoons Balsamic or sherry vinegar

-32 toothpicks

Steps:

1-Steam Brussels sprouts for 30 minutes.

2-At the end of the steaming time, cut the Brussels sprouts in half.

3-Sauté the Brussels sprouts in the olive oil and sherry for 10 minutes.

4-Skewer the Brussels sprouts with toothpicks and serve warm.

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Sriracha Tuna Celery Canoe Hors d'oeuvres Recipe Created by Ruth Paget

Sriracha Tuna Celery Canoe Hors d’oeuvres Recipe Created by Ruth Paget

Serves 4

Ingredients:

-1 (5-ounce) can drained and chopped tuna packed in water

-1 (4-ounce) can drained and chopped California black olives

-1/4 cup Sriracha or Sriracha mayonnaise

-1 cup sour cream

-8 washed celery stalks with bottoms cut off so the stalks lie flat on a serving tray

Steps:

1-Mix tuna, black olives, and Sriracha together.

2-Add sour cream to the tuna mixture and mix thoroughly.

3-Fill the celery cavities with the tuna mixture.

4-Cut the celery into 2-inch segments and serve.

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click here for:  Ruth Paget's Amazon Books

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