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appetizers for a Merlot tasting

post #1 of 8
2/28/10 at 10:19am
Thread Starter 
Our wine group is doing a Merlot-tasting (California, Washington, France, Australia, and Chile).  We usually just have a little bread and cheese during the tasting, note-taking, and discussion.  But after that, we get down to actual drinking and enjoy some appetizer-like foods that go with the wines.  One friend is making an onion tart, but I'm drawing a blank.  I'd like to make something special because part of this evening is a celebration for a member who spent 12 days on a ventilator for double pneumonia--possibly H1N1 complication--and just came home a few days ago after 3 weeks in rehab (6 weeks total including ICU and regular hospital recovery). 
Any thoughts?
Emily

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"If you are not killing plants, you are not really stretching yourself as a gardener." -- J. C. Raulston, American Horticulturist
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post #2 of 8
2/28/10 at 11:37am
Couple of questions, Phoebe:

1. Is your recently-ill friend on any sort of food restrictions.
2. I assume you're talking strictly finger foods? Or are knife & fork dishes ok?
3. I'm not a big merlot fan. But I figure seafood is out?

What about something like aroncini? Make 'em on the small side and stick a pick in each.
Various croquettes lend themselves, too. I'd consider a serrano ham croquette.
Char Shu Pork slices might work. I'd fold each in half and secure with a pick for service.

If you think it appropriate, and want to go through the work involved, I'll send you my recipe for Mini Lamb Burgers Afrique. In the past I've served these on slider-sized pumpkin buns. Lately, though, I've been playing with a cheddar-onion-rye bread that makes incredible slider buns, and those would work too.
They have taken the oath of the brother in blood, in leavened bread and salt. Rudyard Kipling
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post #3 of 8
2/28/10 at 12:02pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KYHeirloomer View Post

Couple of questions, Phoebe:

1. Is your recently-ill friend on any sort of food restrictions.
2. I assume you're talking strictly finger foods? Or are knife & fork dishes ok?
3. I'm not a big merlot fan. But I figure seafood is out?

What about something like aroncini? Make 'em on the small side and stick a pick in each.
Various croquettes lend themselves, too. I'd consider a serrano ham croquette.
Char Shu Pork slices might work. I'd fold each in half and secure with a pick for service.

If you think it appropriate, and want to go through the work involved, I'll send you my recipe for Mini Lamb Burgers Afrique. In the past I've served these on slider-sized pumpkin buns. Lately, though, I've been playing with a cheddar-onion-rye bread that makes incredible slider buns, and those would work too.
Hey Sweetie!

1.  No food restrictions--he lost 20 pounds and would like to gain back 10 of them.
2.  Finger would be nice, but I don't think anyone would object to knife and fork
3.  Yeah, I don't see seafood with this. 
I forget why we decided on Merlot for this one.  We've done Syrah, Zin, and Viognier so far. 

The serrano croquettes sound like a great idea, but I think it's too late for me to get into the lamb burgers--we're meeting early this evening and I'm fairly busy most of the day.  Yeah, I know, I put off posting until I realized my brain was empty.
Emily

______________________

"If you are not killing plants, you are not really stretching yourself as a gardener." -- J. C. Raulston, American Horticulturist
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post #4 of 8
2/28/10 at 2:49pm
Well you know what they say: Anything worth doing is worth thinking about until the last minute.
They have taken the oath of the brother in blood, in leavened bread and salt. Rudyard Kipling
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post #5 of 8
3/1/10 at 8:22am
This is super easy to make, only assembly is required.  A long sandwich cut into small portions made with proscuitto, asiago cheese, arugula, and fig jam spread.  You can buy fig jam in a jar but in case you don't find any slowly simmer a package of dried figs with a little bit of water and a tsp of sugar for 20-30 minutes.  At the end squeeze in a little fresh lemon juice and pulverize.  Let it cool and voila, fig jam!

"You are what you eat, so don't be fast, cheap, easy, or fake."

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post #6 of 8
3/1/10 at 12:40pm
Early this evening, shucks.  I was going to suggest braising some beef short ribs in merlot, which could be done in advance.  Then just pull the meat apart the day of the event and serve on small slider size buns with the reduced braising liquid.

Oh well.


mjb.
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post #7 of 8
3/1/10 at 12:55pm
Maybe past due for Emily's shindig, Teamfat. But that sounds good. Later this week for sure.
They have taken the oath of the brother in blood, in leavened bread and salt. Rudyard Kipling
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post #8 of 8
3/1/10 at 3:58pm
Short ribs are currently my favorite cut of beef, they can be so savory when properly prepared.  I've already got dinner for th enext few nights planned, but later in the week definitely some wine-braised short rib sliders, probably a ceasar on the side.

It has been a while since I added any new recipes to my web sites, this could be a good one for that purpose.

Didn't mean to hijack Emily's thread, hope the evening goes well.


mjb.
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