Food

1 t red hot pepper sauce
(such as Tabasco)
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for sauteing
For sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a small
bowl and whisk until smooth.
For salmon cakes:
Mix all ingredients, except oil for
sauteing in a large bowl and stir well
to combine. Form the mixture into
small (2-inch) patties.
Heat a small amount of oil in a
large non-stick skillet over medium-
high heat. Add salmon patties and
saute until lightly browned on each
side, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer
the patties to a paper towel-lined
cookie sheet. Repeat with all
the cakes. To serve, heat the
patties in a 325F oven for 8-
10 minutes until hot. Serve
hot with the sauce on the
side for dipping or spooning
over. Serves 8.

WILD RICE BLINI
WITH CAVIAR
2 cups water
1/2 cup wild rice
3 T flour
1 large egg
1/2 t salt
1/4st fresh ground pepper
4 scallions, white and green
parts, minced
1/2 cup minced red bell
pepper
3 T vegetable oil
1/4 cup sour cream
4 ounces whitefish caviar
Place water and rice in a small
saucepan over high heat and bring
water to a boil. Reduce heat and sim-
mer rice, uncovered, for 35-45 min-
utes until the rice is tender (do not
allow the rice to "open"). If there is
still water left in the pan, drain the
rice and let cool. When cool, place
rice, flour, egg, salt, pepper, scallions
and bell pepper in a medium bowl.
Stir to combine the ingredients well.
Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet
over medium-high heat. Drop tea-
spoons of the rice batter into the skil-
let, using the spoon to make the cakes
a round shape. Cook the cakes for 3-
4 minutes, turning once.
Transfer the cakes to a paper towel-
lined cookie sheet. Repeat with all the
cakes. To serve, heat the patties in a
325F oven for 8-10 minutes until
hot. Serve warm or at room tempera-
ture with a dollop of sour cream and
a small amount of caviar on top.

12/24
1999

92

Makes 8-12 servings.

GARLIC AND ROASTED RED-
PEPPER DIPPING SAUCE
This sauce is perfect for dipping
fresh-cut vegetables or toasted pita
wedges.
1 red bell pepper, roasted
(recipe below) or roasted
and canned
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
kosher salt to taste
1 t red hot pepper sauce (such as
Tabasco) or to taste
Char bell peppers directly over a
stove gas flame or in broiler until the
skin is black on all sides (you'll need

stirring occasionally, until the onions
are softened, about 5 minutes. Add
the mushrooms and cook, stirring
occasionally until they are softened
and much of the liquid they give off
has evaporated.
Stir in the flour and cook the mix-
ture, stirring, for 3 minutes more, or
until the mixture is thickened. Stir in
the cream and seasonings and cook to
heat through.
Serve the mushroom mixture in a
small chafing dish or fondue pot to
keep warm. Serve the mushroom
mixture as a topping, spooned onto
the toasted baguette slices. Serves 8.

OLIVE, CHEESE AND ONION
SPREAD
1 cup chopped, pitted Calamata
olives, drained
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced, peeled shallots
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Combine all ingredients and
spread in an oven-proof serving dish.
Just before serving, preheat oven to
350F. Bake the spread for 15-20 min-
utes until hot and bubbly. Serve as a
spread for crackers or French bread
rounds. Serves 12 20.

-

to turn the pepper with tongs while
it's charring to get all the sides black).
Let the peppers cool slightly and wrap
in foil or place in a paper bag and let
stand 20 or more minutes.
Under running water, peel and
seed the pepper and pat dry.
Place the garlic and oil in a double
foil packet (shiny side out). Place in a
preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes
or until the garlic is tender when
pierced with a fork.
Place all ingredients in the bowl of
a food processor and process until
smooth. Makes 1 1/2 cups dipping
sauce.

WILD MUSHROOM TOASTS
2 T butter or margarine
2T olive oil
3 cups chopped Spanish onions
1 pound wild mushrooms, cleaned
and sliced
3 T flour
1/4 cup heavy cream or non-dairy
creamer
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 baguette, sliced thin and toasted
until lightly browned
Heat butter and oil in a large pot
over medium-high heat until butter is
melted. Add the onions and cook,

LENTIL AND SUN-DRIED
TOMATO HUMMUS
8 peeled, roasted garlic cloves

1 T olive oil
2 cups cooked and drained lentils
(cooked according to package
instructions)
6 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in
oil,
drained
1 t ground cumin
1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
toasted pita wedges
Place the garlic and oil in a double
foil packet (shiny side out). Place in a
preheated 350F oven for 30 minutes
or until the garlic is tender when
pierced with a fork.
Place garlic and remaining ingre-
dients in the bowl of a food proces-
sor and process until smooth. If the
mixture is too thick, while process-
ing add warm water, 1 tablespoon at
a time, until the mixture is the
desired consistency. Adjust season-
ings and serve room temperature or
chilled with toasted pita wedges.
Serves 8-12.

SMOKED SALMON AND
SPINACH LAVASH SPIRALS

Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, room tern-
perature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces smoked salmon or lox
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 red bell pepper, minced
1/2 cup minced red onion
(optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
kosher salt and pepper to taste
4-5 large whole wheat lavash
Place all filling ingredients in the
bowl of a food processor and pulse
until the mixture is well combined,
but not a paste. Place 1 lavash on a
clean, dry work surface. Spread one-
quarter or so of filling, filling half the
lavash, leaving about an inch border
on either side of the lavash. Roll up
the lavash tightly into a "log," spread-
ing a little more of the mixture on the
top edge as "glue."
Wrap the lavash "log" in plastic
wrap and chill until ready to serve.
Repeat with remaining lavash and fill-
ing. To serve, slice the log into 3/4-
inch rounds (about an inch off both
ends are waste) and serve cold or
heated slightly in a 350F oven for 5
or so minutes. Makes about 3 dozen
appetizers.

TOASTED WALNUT,
ARTICHOKE AND BLEU
CHEESE PATE
1 pound crumbled Bleu cheese
4 ounces (1/4 pound) cream cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room
temperature
1 1/2 cups toasted walnut halves
(toasted in 350F oven for 8-12
minutes)
3 scallions, white and green parts,
chopped
4-6 ounces marinated artichoke
hearts, drained and mashed
1/2 cup fresh minced parsley
fresh black pepper
Place all ingredients except arti-
chokes, pepper and parsley in the
bowl of a food processor. Pulse until
the mixture is combined.
Line a small mold or loaf pan with
plastic wrap. Spread one-third of the
mixture into the lined pan, pressing
the mixture to fill any nooks and
crannies. Spread the mashed arti-
chokes over the cheese mixture.
Carefully spread another layer of
cheese over the artichokes. Sprinkle
the parsley over the layer and careful-
ly spread the last layer of the cheese
over the parsley. Cover with plastic
wrap and chill until the cheese is