Party Foods Archives - Proud Italian Cook

Grilled Potato and Asparagus Napoleon

May 6, 2013 by Marie 15 Comments

I’m so happy grilling season is back in full force! This is one of the things I made recently, Grilled Potato and Asparagus Napoleon, it’s the perfect side dish for all your summer grilling events.

Grilled asparagus, grilled red pepper slices, creamy and slightly tangy goat cheese layered between grilled potato slices topped off with nicoise olives and a rich balsamic glaze to swipe it all in. I spoke about Mandarano Balsamic Glaze before, it’s a staple in my kitchen, I use it all the time and many times on this blog. I adore it and highly recommend it!

Once you get a bottle you’ll never want to be without, it’s that good! Good news, all my readers will get a discount at checkout using the code, PIC.
I did three stacks of potato slices here but two stacks would work as well especially if your serving a bunch of other side dishes. It looks impressive, the flavors are amazing, it’s a win, win!

Grilled Potato and Asparagus Napoleon

Ingredients

Amounts will vary depending on how many you will be making and whether you have a 2 or 3 high stack. This will be a guideline.
I used large baking potatoes which need to be precooked until tender but not mushy. You could either steam, boil or bake After they are cooked cut off the ends and make 1/2 inch slices. Brush slices with olive oil then finish cooking on grill for a few minutes. Be sure to get some nice grill marks!
Asparagus, pre grilled and cut into 1 inch pieces
Goat cheese log, cut into rounds
Red pepper slices, pre grilled
Nicoise olives and balsamic glaze for finish
Light vinaigrette or fresh lemon olive oil dressing

Instructions

Have everything ready for assembly,
Potato* goat cheese round* red pepper slice* asparagus pieces* a few olives.
Drizzle layer with either a light vinaigrette or fresh lemon and olive oil dressing.
Repeat!
When napoleon is made, garnish with more dressing, olives, asparagus pieces and a healthy swirl of luscious balsamic glaze around the plate.
better served either slightly warm or room temperature.

http://www.prouditaliancook.com/2013/05/grilled-potato-and-asparagus-napoleon.html

15 Comments Filed Under: Party Foods, Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: goat cheese, grilled asparagus, grilled potatoes, Mandarano balsamic glaze, vegetable napoleon

Last Minute, Holiday Appetizers

December 21, 2012 by Marie 17 Comments

If your looking for a quick holiday appetizer to pull together on a moments notice have no fear, these bite size bundles are the perfect thing!

Providing you have a box or two of puff pastry tucked away in your freezer. You have some don’t you? If not you should!

Take it straight out of the freezer, lay it on your counter, in ten or fifteen minutes you’ll be able to separate the sheets. Then sprinkle a little flour on your counter and with a pizza cutter, cut the sheet into thirds, then each third into four slices, for a total of 12 per sheet, if you cut into the other sheet you’ll have a whopping 24 appetizers!

Now place each square into a mini muffin pan, I didn’t have to grease mine but it has been called to my attention that you might have to depending on the type of muffin tins you might have. My tins are not non stick but they are fairly new so maybe the butter in the pastry was just enough.

Now the fun begins, the fillings are endless! I had less than a cup of caramelized onions sitting in my fridge so I took a bowl and mixed the onions with gorgonzola cheese and toasted walnuts, that’s how I made mine here.
Each puff pastry cup only requires a heaping tablespoon so you don’t need much filling at all.
Think, tomato, basil and goat cheese, roasted peppers and fontina, spinach, artichoke and feta, crabmeat and cream cheese, gouda and apple, roasted mushrooms with gruyere, Do you have a jar of fig jam or even chutney in your fridge? How about a little brie and fig? You get the picture, use what you have, it’s all good!
They take 20 minutes in a 375 oven, in the meantime open a cold bottle of wine, they’ll be done in no time!

I know this is a busy time for everyone, myself included, I’ve shopped, wrapped, planned my Christmas menu and baked my last cookie, with a little help from my granddaughter!

Puff Cookies, they’re tradition in my house! One bite brings back happy memories to me.
Now if I could just stop at one bite, that would be a good thing!

But what I really wanted to do was to take this opportunity to thank you, all my readers, for the wonderful support you’ve given me, and to wish you all a very Happy Holiday filled with an over abundance of happiness, amazing food, surrounded by those you love!
xox

17 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Party Foods, Winter Tagged: christmas, holiday appetizers, puff cookies, puff pastry

Dinner Party Worthy, Shrimp and Artichoke Risotto

December 12, 2012 by Marie 17 Comments

I made this recently and it was such a big hit I wanted to share! Succulent tiger shrimp with fresh artichoke hearts, sitting on a bed of creamy risotto.

The flavor was super enhanced by this fabulous roasted garlic olive oil I received from Colavita. I love their olive oils but I never tried their roasted garlic version, all I can say is you need a bottle of this in your kitchen! I had a few fresh artichokes ( you could use frozen, I wouldn’t use canned) that I cut, quartered and steamed, then tossed them into the garlic oil and placed them in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, the flavor is addicting!

I did the same thing with the shrimp, tossing them into the roasted garlic oil, sprinkling them with salt, pepper and a little peperoncino. I roasted the shrimp Ina’s way on a baking sheet for 5 or 6 minutes at 400 until the shrimp are cooked through. This method is full proof, cooks perfect every time!

The risotto itself was made with 1 box of chicken stock that was warmed in a pot on my stove and
1 1/2 cups of arborio rice.
In a heavy bottomed pan heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sweat 1/2 diced onion. Add the rice, stirring and coating it with the butter and oil. Saute for a couple of minutes but don’t brown it, then add 1/2 cup of white wine and let it absorb. Add a ladle of hot chicken stock to the rice and let all the liquid absorb, then add another ladle and repeat the process stirring constantly.
I tossed in a handful of frozen peas along the way, added fresh snipped basil and parsley and a touch more butter in the end.
Pour your creamy warm risotto on a nice big platter and lay your roasted artichokes and shrimp all around.
The roasted garlic flavor took the risotto to another level, there wasn’t one grain of rice left!