Slow-cooker carnitas

When I mentioned this recipe on Facebook, I wrote it as "carnitas," with the quote marks.
That was because it is not made in a traditional way of braising then frying the meat, instead it cooks all day in the slow cooker.
But now that I have had it as leftovers (and it was even better than the delicious first meal), I dropped the quote marks.
I know purists may argue with me, but this recipe is worthy of no quote-mark innuendo.
And it is so easy. Seriously. Just about the easiest thing I have made in the slow cooker.
Even easier than the oh-so-simple braised short ribs.
And I was skeptical of the results since I like my carnitas to have a bit of crispness to the edges. But I think that using such a small amount of liquid is the key. The juice/broth barely covered the meat when I started it. By the time I got home, most of it had cooked off.
Not all of it. It was not dry. But enough had cooked off so that the top edges were above the liquid and and developed a sort of dry (in a good way) edge.

Slow-cooker carnitas

2 pounds pork shoulder
Freshly squeezed juice of a large orange (about 1/2 cup)
Freshly squeezed juice of two limes (about 1/2 cup)
9 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 cup beef broth

Trim pork of excess fat (it's OK to leave some, it will help keep the pork moist and flavorful. I just don't like big pieces of fat).
Cut into 3-4 inch pieces and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Sprinkle with salt and cumin, then toss to coat.
Add orange and lime juices and the smashed garlic cloves to the pork.
Add broth.

Cook on the lowest setting for 8-10 hours (I set mine for 10 hours since I was going to be gone for work.)When the meat is cooked, remove it from the pot with the garlic, leaving any excess juice. Roughly chop the meat and garlic.
Serve in warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.For dinner I served these with warmed corn tortillas and several garnishes so we could customize our tacos. (avocado chunks, chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, salsa)
Since I wanted to have a more complete meal, I made some sauteed yellow squash with shallot and garlic and then mixed in a can of (drained) black beans.

Today for lunch we had the leftover meat, once again in tacos. The citrus flavors were even more present than the prior night. I reheated the meat in a skillet on the stove to crisp it up a bit.

When I think about making this, I think I spent more time getting the garnishes ready than I did prepping the meat and then chopping it at the end.
We loved it, the kid loved it and it was easy.
This will definitely become part of the regular rotation.

Slow-cooker carnitas

When I mentioned this recipe on Facebook, I wrote it as "carnitas," with the quote marks.
That was because it is not made in a traditional way of braising then frying the meat, instead it cooks all day in the slow cooker.
But now that I have had it as leftovers (and it was even better than the delicious first meal), I dropped the quote marks.
I know purists may argue with me, but this recipe is worthy of no quote-mark innuendo.
And it is so easy. Seriously. Just about the easiest thing I have made in the slow cooker.
Even easier than the oh-so-simple braised short ribs.
And I was skeptical of the results since I like my carnitas to have a bit of crispness to the edges. But I think that using such a small amount of liquid is the key. The juice/broth barely covered the meat when I started it. By the time I got home, most of it had cooked off.
Not all of it. It was not dry. But enough had cooked off so that the top edges were above the liquid and and developed a sort of dry (in a good way) edge.

Slow-cooker carnitas

2 pounds pork tenderloin (This is what I used since it is what I had. Shoulder would work, too.)
Freshly squeezed juice of a large orange (about 1/2 cup)
Freshly squeezed juice of two limes (about 1/2 cup)
9 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 cup beef broth

Trim pork of excess fat.
If using tenderloins, cut each into four pieces and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Sprinkle with salt and cumin, then toss to coat.
Add orange and lime juices and the smashed garlic cloves to the pork.
Add broth.

Cook on the lowest setting for 8-10 hours (I set mine for 10 hours since I was going to be gone for work.)
When the meat is cooked, remove it from the pot with the garlic, leaving any excess juice. Roughly chop the meat and garlic.
Serve in warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

For dinner I served these with warmed corn tortillas and several garnishes so we could customize our tacos. (avocado chunks, chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, salsa)
Since I wanted to have a more complete meal, I made some sauteed yellow squash with shallot and garlic and then mixed in a can of (drained) black beans.

Today for lunch we had the leftover meat, once again in tacos. The citrus flavors were even more present than the prior night. I reheated the meat in a skillet on the stove to crisp it up a bit.

When I think about making this, I think I spent more time getting the garnishes ready than I did prepping the meat and then chopping it at the end.
We loved it, the kid loved it and it was easy.
This will definitely become part of the regular rotation.

Low-and-slow baby back ribs

Sorry the picture is not the best. I forgot the real camera,
so this was taken with my phone. And I was anxious to sink
my teeth into those ribs, so I kind of rushed the shot.

Living in Southern California, it is pretty much barbecue weather all year long.
But summer is, of course, prime season for grilling.
And ribs are always a favorite at any cookout.
I have tried several methods for making barbecued ribs.
The method that yields the most tender, flavorful ribs for me is a combination of a long briny soak, a low-and-slow roasting in the oven then a quick trip around the grill.
I also like to use a dry rub after brining and before roasting.
Sauce or no sauce is up to the cook. Sometimes I like no sauce, letting the brine and rub shine through. Sometimes I like to use a little sweet, spicy sauce.

So yes, these take a while from start to finish, but most of the time is not active time.
If you plan on making these, allow overnight to brine and a good 2-3 hours of roasting before you need to grill them.
They can be brined and roasted ahead of time and then grilled later. I have done this where I have cooked them on a Saturday and grilled them on a Sunday. It works just fine.

Low-and-slow baby back ribs

4-6 servings (depending on how hungry you are!)

for the brine:
8 cups water
1/2 cup kosher or sea salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, cracked (I use a mortar and pestle to crack the spices)
2 tablespoons fennel seeds, cracked
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, cracked
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried marjoram or oregano
3 garlic cloves, smashed or split horizontally
4 pounds pork baby back ribs (I cut the racks in half so they will fit in the pan I use)

for the rub:
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

make the brine:
In large pot combine water, salt, sugar, spices, herbs and garlic. Simmer and stir until sugar and salt dissolve.
Either arrange the ribs to fit into the pot with the brine, making sure they are fully submerged, or arrange them in a single layer in a roasting pan and pour the brine over them.
Refrigerate, covered, for 8-12 hours.

make the rub:
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container until needed.

once the ribs are brined:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove the ribs from the brine, rinse and pat dry.
Divide the rub evenly over the ribs and rub it into the meat.
Arrange the ribs in a single layer on a baking sheet or sheets and cover with foil.
Roast for about 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

Either grill the ribs now, or put them in the fridge to grill later.

grill the ribs:
Get the grill started, it is ready at a medium-high heat.
If you use sauce, brush the ribs lightly with your favorite barbecue sauce.
Grill the ribs for 5-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are done to your liking.

I like these with and without sauce, probably a little on the longer end of grilling time. I like them to get a little crispy outer crust on them and the meat inside stays very tender and moist from the roasting.

Mini potato pancakes

I was at the grocery store recently and saw a magazine with these beautiful little potato cakes on the cover.

I decided, without even buying the magazine, that I could attempt something similar.

I have made the big, skillet size potato pancake before. This would just be on a smaller scale.

And a little fancier as an appetizer.

Mini potato pancakes with dill

served with chopped shallots, capers, smoked salmon and wasabi cream

This recipe makes about 12 cakes

1.5-2 pounds potatoes - I used a small white variety

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup very fine bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped dill

salt and pepper

canola or vegetable oil for cooking

to garnish:

1 large shallot, chopped

smoked salmon slices

capers

sour cream

wasabi (the prepared kind in the tube. If you don't like horseradish, just skip the wasabi.)

Wash potatoes. Depending on the type you are using and your taste, you may want to peel them, too.

Since I used the tiny potatoes with the thin skins, I just washed them.

Using a cheese grater or a food processor (this was a big time saver!), shred potatoes.

As you work, transfer potato shreds to a large bowl of cold water.

Let potatoes rest in the cold water for 15-20 minutes to reduce the amount of starch in them.

Drain potatoes and rinse with cold running water and dry using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Dry the large bowl used to soak potatoes and put the dried potato shreds back in it.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, dill, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.

Add egg mixture to potatoes and stir to mix well.

To cook:

Heat a large frying pan with 3/4 inch of oil in it over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, use a large spoon or your hands (I used my hands, they are the best kitchen tool!) to scoop out a ball of the potato mixture about the size of a golf ball.

You want kind of a loose lump of potato. Don't compress it too much or you will squeeze out all the egg, which is what holds it together.

Flatten the potato ball slightly and use a spatula to slide it into the hot oil.

Press down a little more to make the potato patty.

Do not crowd your pan. I cooked these four at a time.

Cook until edges are brown and crispy, about 2 or 3 minutes, then carefully flip them over.

Cook on other side about 2 or 3 more minutes until that side is also golden and crispy.

Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

To serve:

I like these at room temperature, but they are sure good hot, too.

They also are good plain, but for me even better with a few tasty treats on top.

This time around I went fancy.

First, I made the wasabi sour cream. Which basically means taking a couple spoons of sour cream and mixing in some wasabi until I get the flavor and heat I like.

I drizzled a little of the cream on each potato cake, sprinkled on a bit of shallots, added a piece of the smoked salmon then some capers.

We had two each as an appetizer. The rest went in the fridge for leftovers.

Manfriend was not a fan of the capers. He said they were quite strong. Which is why I liked them. We had leftovers of these the next night and I reheated the cakes in a little oil and skipped the capers on MF's portion.

Vietnamese-style summer rolls

OK, I will not claim that these are authentic Vietnamese Summer rolls.

But they were good. And, other than the chopping, they were easy to make.

Vietnamese-style Summer rolls

1 medium carrot - julienned

1 small cucumber - peeled, seeds removed and julienned

1/2 cup bean sprouts

4 to 5 green onions - julienned

1 bunch cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon soy sauce or Ponzu sauce

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)

1 package thin rice noodles - optional - (I used mee krob type)
Cook about a handful of these according to package directions and let cool.

8 (8-inch) rice sheets (plus more in case some tear)

Warm water, for soaking rice sheets

So here, we go... a little picture show on making summer rolls.

First get all your veggies cut up and ready to go.

As I pointed out in the previous post, I find this ceramic blade slicer very handy.

I sliced the veggies thin, then used a chef's knife to cut the julienne strips.

Thin, thin, thin.
This did not work for the green onions though. I just used the knife for that.

Once all the veggies are chopped, combine the carrots, cucumbers, green onion and bean sprouts. Toss with soy or Ponzu sauce.

Assembly goes pretty fast, so you want to have all your ingredients on hand.
Have veggies, noodles and cilantro ready.

The rice sheets are dry and stiff and must be reconstituted in warm water.
I used a small sautee pan of warm water, just from the tap. No need for boiling. You will be working with your hands in this, so it should not be too hot.

Soak one sheet at a time in the water until the sheet is soft and pliable. If there are any large holes or tears, discard and start with a new sheet.

Carefully remove sheet to a work surface and spread it out as flat as possible.
This is where you need to work somewhat quickly so the sheet does not get too dry and stick to the surface.

In the center of the sheet, sprinkle some cilantro leaves.

Add a small portion of the noodles on top of that, then top with some of the veggie mix.

Fold one end then the other over, like above. Then fold a third side all the way over the veggie mixture. From here, roll it up tight like a little burrito. The last side should basically stick to the outside of the roll and seal itself.

To serve, I cut them in half and served with a few things: peanut sauce, hot mustard, red chili sauce and Ponzu mixed with a little honey.

These were vegetarian (no fish sauce in mine), but I think they would be good with some cold, cooked shrimp in there.

This was an experiment, but it was a fun one that turned out to be a tasty one, too. Use what you like, basically.
These were great as a starter. And with the leftover ingredients, I was able to quickly assemble a couple for my lunch the next day after diving.

OK. That's all I got for today.

pots of gold (or grilled camenbert or brie)

This was quite yummy. I made just one to share and had bread and apple slices for dipping/spreading.
You can probably use whatever you like. It called for a tomato and basil salad thing. I skipped that and just made a simple salad. I will include that in the recipe.


Here is my modified version that served two.


I got the grill heating before I started the salad, since the salad was so fast.



Salad


2 cups of your favorite salad greens (I used romaine and arugula)
red onion to your liking - sliced as thinly as possible into slivers
sea salt
ground pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons olive oil


Mix lemon juice and olive oil. Toss with greens and onions. Salt and pepper to taste.
Set aside.



Pots of Gold


enough of your favorite bread for two people, cut into chunks or small pieces
1 small green apple, cut into slices
1 small round of camenbert or brie. It MUST be totally incased in the rind.
olive oil


special equipment:

grill pan (Mine is a big, flat cast iron plate with grill ridges on one side and flat on the other. In the small pictures on that link it is on the right, in the middle.)


to make:
Put grill pan on barbecue rack and heat barbecue to high.


Rub all sides of the cheese round with olive oil to coat.


Place cheese on hot grill pan and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Using a flat spatula, carefully flip cheese over.


Grill about 5 more minutes on the second side or until cheese starts to feel soft and runny when you squeeze it with tongs.

This is where I was overly cautious. I ended up with mostly soft cheese, but it could have gone a little longer.

I was worried about it getting too soft and breaking open.
So I took it off a little too soon. My fix? I nuked it for less than a minute with the rind still intact.



To serve, cut open the top of the rind and dip!

I especially liked the apples. I think it would be good with slightly steamed then cooled asparagus spears, too. And of course, the bread was good.



The salad was not for dipping. It did provide a nice bright flavor in contrast to the creamy, creamy cheese.


I made this for two. But as an appetizer it probably would work for four depending on the size of the cheese round.

I would be leery of doing a round that is too large since it may take too long to melt before the rind starts to break down on the grill.

mini zucchini and goat cheese tarts

It has been quite warm here the past few days.

My plan, since I had four days off work, was to cook up a storm.

But it is almost too hot to even think about cooking.

At least cooking in the house.

But Saturday was manfriend's birthday and he wanted chocolate-rum cake.

I figured since I already had the oven on for that I would try some mini zucchini and goat cheese tarts.

I saw the recipe in the June 2008 issue of Bon Apetit.

I really like goat cheese and these looked easy.

The trick is that you use premade pie crusts for the tart crust.

They were really good.

I think, since I am more likely to have puff pastry than pie crusts in my freezer that I will try them with puff pastry next time.

And I would imagine you can use something other than the zucchini if you don't like that or don't have it.

Maybe red peppers, mushrooms, a bit of sundried tomato... So many possibilities.

Oh, and I did not make as many as this recipe calls for. I just made enough for me and the manfriend. That was four each.

This recipe says it makes six servings, or 24 pieces.

Mini zucchini and goat cheese tarts

1 refrigerated pie crust (half of 15 ounce package)

2.5 pounds zucchini (1-inch diameter) cut into 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick slices

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional oil for drizzling

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (lemon or regular)

3 ounces soft, fresh goat cheese at room temperature

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

black pepper

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place pie crust on floured surface.

Using 1.5 to 1.75 inch cookie or biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out 24 pieces; transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart.

Place in freezer until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss sliced zucchini with salt and let sit 15 minutes.

Drain, rinse and pat dry.

Toss zucchini with 2 tablespoons olive oil and thyme; sprinkle with pepper.

Spread goat cheese generously over each piece of dough.

Fold 3-4 zucchini slices in half and place on goat cheese, making a flower-like or criss-cross pattern.

Repeat until all pieces are assembled.

Reserve any extra zucchini for another purpose.

Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake until crusts are light golden, about 20 minutes.

Transfer to serving dish.

Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

The recipe did not call for it, but I had some extra grape tomatoes.

I sliced some up to add to the top of the tarts before serving.

It gave it another flavor and a punch of color.

I barely had them on the plates and garnished before
manfriend was trying to sneak a taste.

Tomato tart (on phyllo dough crust)

This recipe was passed along from my friend, Jennifer. She made it for the main course at our last stampers gathering.

I used it as a savory bite to go along with the tea sandwiches and cake at a little luncheon I had at my house over the weekend.

It is very easy to make and has a beautiful presentation.

I had a lot of the ingredients left over, so I made another tart this morning and took it to work.

I was very popular today.

Tomato tart

6 sheets phyllo (may also be spelled fillo or filo) dough, thawed

(Look for it in the freezer section near the puff pastry)

6 tbsp. butter, melted

6 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1 medium onion, very thinly sliced

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

8 Roma tomatoes, cut into 1/8-in thick slices

1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tbsp. fresh basil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

parchment paper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay 1 sheet phyllo on paper and brush lightly with a little melted butter.

Sprinkle all over with 1 tbsp Parmesan.

Repeat layering 5 more times (with phyllo, butter and Parmesan), pressing each layer firmly so it sticks to the sheet below.

Lay the last phyllo sheet on top, brush with remaining melted butter and sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp Parmesan.

Scatter onion across top, sprinkle with mozzarella and arrange tomato slices in a single layer.

Sprinkle with thyme and basil.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake until phyllo is golden brown, 30-35 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes, then serve.

Makes about 20 3-in squares.

Note: cut tomatoes very thinly so juice evaporates while baking, or dough will be soggy.

I pretty much followed this to a T. But I did not add salt. I figured Parmesan is usually salty enough.

Oh and the original recipe only called for thyme.

I like a little more herb, so I added the basil.

The second time I made it I used oregano and basil instead of thyme and basil.

I think pretty much any combo of thyme, basil and oregano would be fine.

I think dill or tarragon or sage might not be the right flavor with the tomato and cheeses though.

And when I cut it, I cut it into smaller pieces. It ended up being one lovely Roma slice in the middle of each piece of tart. I got 30 pieces out of it.

The dough, which is very fragile when you are handling it, holds up really well to the tomato. I think the Parmesan acts as a good binder in there.

Next time I make this I want to experiment with some different veggies. Maybe toss some red and yellow peppers on there or some mushrooms.

The key with the veggies will be to make sure they are sliced thin enough so they don't sog down the dough. And if juicy Romas work, a pepper should be just fine.

Chevre and mango steak bites

This was from something I saw in Sunset magazine.
I lost that page somehow, but found this version online:

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1654760

It seems to be exactly what I saw in Sunset.

I made the flank steak and cheese mixture two days ahead, sliced the steak a day ahead and rolled them up the day of the party.

I used two big flank steak from the Costco meat department. They came out great.

Asian-spiced meatballs with snow peas and hoisin sauce

I made these two weeks ahead and froze them, cooked.

Meatballs
1 pound ground pork (I have used ground turkey in the past, but pork is a richer flavor)
6 sweet Italian sausages, removed from casings
3 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 can water chestnuts, finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons red chili sauce (Sriracha type sauce)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro


Hoisin Sauce
splash of sesame or olive oil
1 jar prepared hoisin sauce (Most grocery stores will have this in the Asian-food aisle.)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons white wine

Snow Pea garnish
48-50 snow peas of approximate size (I knew I needed 48 since I made the meatballs ahead of time and bought the snow peas a couple days before the party. You can guess how many you will need. The recipe should make about 4 dozen meatballs.)

wooden picks to hold snow peas to meatballs


For meatballs:
Preheat oven to 400.
Combine all the ingredients. I find the best way is to use my hands. It feels a little gross, but then I know all the stuff will be really well-mixed.
Form meatballs into 1-inch balls and place in large roasting pan.
Roast 20-25 minutes, turning every 5-7 minutes so they can brown on all sides.
Once cooled, these can be frozen. Thaw before reheating.
To reheat them, I put them in a skillet with a splash of chicken broth and steamed them for about 5 minutes.

For the sauce:
Heat oil in sauce pan and add garlic and ginger.
Sautee for just a couple minutes over medium heat, but do not let it brown.
Add store-bought hoisin sauce and wine.

That is it for the sauce. I made this three days ahead and stuck it in the fridge.

For the snow peas (Make this part the day of your event):
Bring large pan of salted water to a boil.
Add peas and cook until bright green and flexible. This should be 30-60 seconds.
Rinse with cold water.
Drain and set aside.


To assemble:
Warm hoisin sauce in microwave or on stove.
Pour onto platter in thin, even layer.
Fold each snow pea in half and attach it to a meatball with a wooden pick.
Place the meatballs on top of the sauce.
Serve.

I think that is it.

This one sounds more complicated than it is. Especially since I did in stages. But that really makes it easier. Then you just have to heat the meatballs and sauce and serve them.

I think these meatballs would be good in some type of brothy soup with bok choy. I may have to experiment.

Creamy mushroom and tarragon bites

First up, make the bread cups. This recipe makes two dozen:

Oh, and you need a mini-muffin pan to make these.

1 1-pound loaf sliced white bread. I like Milton's brand if you can find it.
1/2 stick melted unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375.
Cut bread into 2-inch squares. I have a set of square cookie/pastry cutters and use one of those. You can just use a knife, too. I get two squares per bread slice.
Brush a light coating of butter on each side of bread.
Press the bread square into a mini-muffin tin making the sides fairly even.
Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until golden brown.

They can be made ahead and kept in airtight containers or frozen for up to three weeks.


For the filling (slightly modified from Cocktail food Deck recipe):

4 tablespoons butter
4 cups sliced brown (cremini or Italian brown) mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Melt butter in large skillet.
Add mushrooms and onions, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Cook about 7 to 10 minutes, or until mushrooms start to brown.
Add wine and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Put mushrooms mixture in food processor with creme fraiche/sour cream, Parmesan and tarragon.
Pulse 4-5 times or until mixture is combined but not pureed.

I made the filling a week ahead and froze it. I took it out the night before the party and thawed it in the fridge. It worked great.

To assemble:

Spoon mixture into bread cups and place on baking sheet.
Bake in 400-degree oven until filling is hot.

Roasted Asparagus with Mountain Ham

The recipe called for serrano ham, which is Spanish cured ham. It is great, but tough to find.
I used prosciutto di Parma, which is great and easy to find.
And the book said this was a fine substitute.

This is the recipe from the book. Obviously I made more than 12 of these.

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices serrano ham
12 asparagus spears, trimmed
pepper

Preheat oven to 400.
Coat bottom of a roasting pan with olive oil.
Cut each piece of ham in half.
Roll asparagus spears in ham slices.
Season with pepper.
Roast for about 10 minutes, depending on thickness of asparagus. They should be tender, but firm so they can be eaten as finger food.

The recipe called for making a complicated aioli.

I passed on this. I blended some mayo with dried tarragon, lemon juice and a bit of sugar. I got a sweet, but tangy sauce that went nicely with the salty ham.

I served this in a little bowl on the side of the asparagus/ham rolls.

spinach and smoked gouda spheres

From the Cocktail Food Deck with a couple of my own variations (I like extra cheese!):

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch of pepper
1 10-ounce package froze, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess liquid
1 1/4 cups dry bread crumbs
1 cup grated smoked gouda
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add onion and season with salt and pepper.
Cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Put spinach in a food processor, adding the onion, 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs and the remaining ingredients.
Process until combined and smooth.
Form mixture into 1-inch spheres and roll each sphere in remaining bread crumbs to coat completely.
Place on foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake until hot and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
Do not overcook, or they will get dry.

I made these a few days ahead of time and frozen them on a baking sheet. Once they were individually frozen, I put them in a freezer bag. I took them out to thaw the morning of the party and cooked them just before guests arrived.

The freezing worked great. I have made these before with no freezing and there was no difference in taste or texture.