party pleasers, appetizers, amuse bouche...

I know, small foods again, but i really love them.
1 bite-size and again french spot on name, amuse bouche: mouth pleaser!
You eat them twice, first with your eyes and again with your mouth therefore they must be cheerful, colorful tasty and sexy.
Classic amuse bouche is a 1bite size appetizer, crowd pleaser, but lets not be so conservative about it.

Perfect as a starter for any kind of party, girls-get-together, house opening, birthday, evenings together and so much more.... Stand or sit, at the table or in the garden, maybe balcony...
They are easy to make, I bet I could make an amuse bouche / appetizer from ingredients that any of you have in their home at any time! Because sky is the limit. You can use your culinary imagination, marry different kind of flavors together and present them! Dont forget a nice cocktail or wine to go along with them.

May I present you my personal spin on:

deconstructed caesar salad topped with a tiny, spicy meatball

and

an asian insipred chicken-squash salad in a wonton basket

you need:
skillet / soute pan
muffin tin
silicone mate or parchment paper
roasting pan
2 mixing bowls
small container or bowl to mix spices
aluminum foil
baking sheet
whisk or a small jar with a lid

ingredients:

caesar salad in a cheese bowl:
half romaine lettuce
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablesoons extra vergin olive oil
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon yellow mustard (dijon)
1 clove garlic
salt, pepper (I do not write how much salt and pepper you need, because everyone uses it according to their taste)

spicy meatballs
1/2 lb (~ 220g) lean ground beef
1/2 lb (~220g) lean ground pork
(meat can be swaped with ground turkey or lamb)
1 egg
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon fresh or dry oregano
handful of fresh parsley
salt, pepper

In a large mixing bowl combine meat with finely chopped onion, garlic and most of your parsley (rest keep for garnisha at the end). Mix all your spices  that you're planning to use in a little bowl, that way is so much easier when you cook, you can make any kind of spice mix yourself. Saves you time and will keep your spice rack clean, cause you do not need to worry about opening jars, cleaning hands, changing spoons.

Add your spice mix into the bowl with meat, add lightely beaten egg and mix it all well, again please dont squeeze the meat dry :) Let the meat rest for at least 15-30 mins or so.
Form nice small meatballs, place them next to each other in a deep baking dish. Put for 30-45 min. into peheated oven  at 400° F (220° C).
Cover your meatballs with aluminum foil add a bit of liquid on the bottom of roasting pan (can be plain water) that will make them cook evenly. After  30 min. check if the meatballs are nicely done inside. Uncover and leave them for another 10 min. or so, to broil (grill) in your oven, that will give them nice color. You do not need any breadcrumbs or bread, those are simple, not heavy and fat meatballs. But will satisfy you, I promise.
Take them out and let cool, in the meanwhile start preparing salad and cheese bowls.

Wash and cut (yes you can use knife to cut your romaine lettuce into nice small pieces) lettuce, if you didnt find romaine, use iceberg instead. It must be a lettuce that can hold the shape and dont get too soggy fast. Make the dressing in a separate container, mince garlic, add olive oil, sqeeze fresh lemon, add mustard, salt and pepper, whisk it all together until it forms an emulsion (you can use a small jar add all inside close the lid and shake it good until well combined. A jar can be also a super cocktail shaker just add crashed ice).
Wait to dress the salad at the very end, when everyting else is ready to assemble.

Ok now the tricky part, yes I know that every caesar salad should have parmesan cheese and croutans (if you really want croutans, roll your meatballs in italian breadcrumbs this will do hahaha ). Mine doesn't have croutans but definitely has parmesan. A parmesan bowls that will hold salad itself and a meatball.

Use a baking sheet topped with parchment paper or silicone mate. Place a tablespoon of grated cheese on the sheet leave spaces between each scoop. (If your parmesan is to dry, add a bit of easy melting cheese, that will help form the shape and wont cover the nutty parmesan flavor).

Place in the oven at 350° F ( 150° C), leave until cheese melts and forms a nice cheesy discs.

Take it out, let cool just enough to handle, before it cools totally and will be to hard to shape.

Wrap the discs around upsidedown standing muffin tin or a small shotglass. Let it cool completly this way and harden, forming a beautiful golden vessel.

When your little bowls are ready, is time to dress the salad! Fill each cheese cup with a spoonful of greens and top with luscious tiny meatball. Use the last bit of parsley, chop it and sprinkle on top. The crunchy bowl not only goes perfect with fresh green salad and a spicy meat, but is a perfect holder when you eat it.
enjoy!

ingredients:


chicken-squash salad in a wonton basket:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 small size squash
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon fresh or dry ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers or fresh chili pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
12 wonton wraps

Cut chicken breasts into small bite-size pieces, dry them with a paper towel so they brown good. In the large skillet on medium high heat, add oil, make it nice and hot, add minced garlic, red crushed peppers and freshly grated ginger. Don't let them burn, leave them just enough to release their natural oils, after 10 seconds or so, add your chicken and mix it well so the spices cover the meat. Let it brown for 5 mins. Mix from time to time. In the mean time wash and slice your zucchini, make the slices small and thin enough to go perfect with the bite size chicken pieces. Add veggies into the skillet with the nicely brown chicken stir in good, add soy sauce and let it steam for 1-2 min. Soy sauce will provide enough salt for this dish, but if you feel like is not enough for you, add a pinch more.

For the  little  wonton cups, take your muffin tin, grease it up and put the wonton wrappers inside. (If u don't find wonton wrappers, use toast bread slices, just trim the crust). Bake them for 5-7 min. in preheated oven at 350° F (160°C), until golden brown and firm. Take out and chill.

When ready, fill them with warm chicken-squash salad, its an Asian inspired appetizer, but easy and quick enough, anyone can make for any occasion.
Crisp, spicy full of flavor and low in calories, just can't say no to such a treat!