Season’s Eatings!
By Chef Rachel Globensky
I’m sure we’ve talked about this before, but appetizers > main courses. I’m a big fan of small plates to fill my big appetite! My son and I often have appetizer dinners that mostly consist of various little cheesy, crispy nibblies, cut-up veggies (sometimes), and some kind of dip (always!).
With the busy holiday season about to clobber us, it’s the perfect time to treat yourself to some new appie recipes, whether you’re toting them to a friend’s or staying in for a cosy night. These two are easy, tasty, and tick all the aforementioned boxes. You can even make them ahead of time! Sweet and salty come together beautifully in these dishes, and they’re good enough to share… or not.
Marinated Olives (and Feta)
makes about 10 servings
Ingredients
2½ –3 cups green and black olives
⅓ c good olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 fresh sprigs oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
¼ c minced fresh parsley (or
1 small orange*
4+ cloves garlic, peeled & thinly sliced
Optional, but so, so good:
250 g block of feta
Sliced ciabatta or baguette, grilled or toasted
Drizzle of honey
*Many recipes use lemon, but I prefer the mellowness of orange. Remove the peel using a vegetable peeler or a channel knife if you have one, then slice the orange in half and squeeze one half of it into the marinade.'
Preparation
Step 1
I like a mix of Kalamata and Manzanilla or Castelvetrano, either pitted or whole. Pitted olives make it easy for the marinade to really get in there, and also make for an easier/neater eating experience. Just make sure to grab fresh or brined olives (not pre-marinated), and drain away any brine they come in before marinating.
Step 2
Combine the remaining marinade ingredients in a wide, shallow dish. Toss in the olives, and let them marinate for at least an hour (in this case, more is definitely better). Mix them around a little every now and then. Serve at room temperature, or warm them up in a 400°F oven.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the feta dry, and place it on a parchment-lined baking dish. Brush 1–2 Tbsp of olive marinade on top, and bake for 15 or so minutes, until it’s soft and lightly golden. Drizzle honey over the top and broil for a couple of minutes, until bubbly. Transfer to a serving dish, brushing on the remaining honey from the baking dish. Surround with marinated olives and toasted bread.
Creamy Jalapeño Cranberry Dip
Serves 10
Ingredients
12 oz fresh cranberries
4 green onions, rough chopped
¼ c fresh cilantro, rough chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
½–1 c sugar
½ tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
¼–½ tsp salt
500 g (2 x 250 g) cream cheese, softened
Crackers, for serving
Preparation
Step 1
Pulse cranberries in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
Step 2
Add the rest of the dip ingredients to the food processor and pulse until everything is uniformly chopped and combined well. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for at least four hours; overnight is best, so flavours have time to come together.
Try to pour off the juice that accumulates as the mixture sits, to prevent it from flooding the cream cheese base.
Step 3
Spread cream cheese in an even layer on a 9” serving plate or pie dish. Top with cranberry-jalapeño mixture.
Serve with thin crackers, pretzel chips, or pita crisps.
