Ed Lein's Favorite Recipes: APPETIZERS

Braunschweiger Paté

8 oz. Braunschweiger
1/3 cup minced onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or sour cream)
2 Tbls. dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbls. Bourbon (or beer or near-beer)
Black pepper (2 or more grinds)
3 or so pinches of dried thyme/rosemary
Dash cayenne pepper or hot sauce
1/8 tsp. sugar (optional)

Blend ingredients well and refrigerate (covered) at least an hour. 
Return to room temperature before serving.

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups

Curried Cheese

16 oz. Palmetto Farms Pimiento Cheese Spread
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp.+ chopped green onion
1 tsp. curry powder
dash garlic powder
chopped fresh parsley (1/2-1 cup)
2-3 Tbls. toasted sunflower seeds

Mix ingredients and chill.

Lisa Martin's Dill Spread

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbls. milk
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
optional: 1 Tbls. chopped parsley, 1/4 tsp. celery salt

Blend ingredients. Chill.

For a vegetable dip: mix in also 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Ed's Guacamole

2 large (Florida) avocados, peeled, pitted & coarsely chopped
1 tomato, peeled & chopped
1-2 Tbls. lime (or lemon) juice
1/4 cup chopped green onion (white and green parts)
1 can (4.5 oz., Old El Paso brand) chopped green chiles, drained
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cumin
3-4 drops red pepper sauce, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
optional: 1-2 Tbls. chopped cilantro

Not more than 4 hours before serving, blend ingredients. Chill.

Smoky Salmon Spread

3-oz. cream cheese
1 Tbls. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. grated onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. liquid smoke seasoning
7 3/4 oz. canned salmon, drained, with skin & bones removed.

Blend together cream cheese and seasonings. Thoroughly mix in salmon. Mound on serving dish; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours. Serve with crackers, bagels, or party rye, and accompany with:

Dill Mustard Sauce

3 Tbls. mayonnaise and/or sour cream
1-2 Tbls. Dijon-style mustard
1 tsp. dried dill-weed
a pinch or 2 of sugar or sugar-substitute

Blend ingredients well, and chill.

Ed's Artichoke-Dill Hummus

2 15.5-oz. cans chickpeas, drained
1 14-oz. can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 Tbls. minced garlic
1 Tbls. tahini
3 Tbls. ground cumin
2 Tbls. dried dill weed
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
Crushed red pepper, black pepper & salt, to taste

Process ingredients until smooth, adding about 2 Tbls. 
of olive oil (or reserved artichoke liquid) to achieve 
desired consistency. 

Chill at least an hour, but return to room temperature to serve.

Yield: About 3 cups

Ed's Olive-Cheese Spread

The Dressing
2 Tbls. dry vermouth or sherry
    (OR grapefruit juice; OR 1 Tbls. balsamic vinegar)
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbls. dijon mustard
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4-1/2 tsp. freshly-milled black pepper

Dissolve the sugar in the wine; blend with 
the mustard, mayonnaise, and seasonings. 

The Rest
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green salad olives with pimiento
2 Tbls. additional chopped pimiento
2-3 Tbls. toasted sunflower seeds
1/2-1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Combine the cheese, olives, pimiento and seeds; 
fold in the dressing, adding more mayonnaise if needed. 
Stir in the parsley; cover, and chill. 

Bring back to room temperature to serve.

Variation: 
Use chopped black olives and capers 
instead of green olives and pimiento. 

Optionally, season dressing with a pinch or 2 
of dried rosemary.

Yield: about 3 cups

Ed's Orange-Coriander Cocktail Meatballs

1 jar (16 oz.) orange marmalade
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped green onion (white and green parts)
3/4 to 1 cup soy sauce (Kikkoman)
1 jar (12 oz.) brown mustard
1/4 to 1/2 cup Kentucky whiskey (or beer, or near-beer)
1-2 Tbls. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground ginger
A bag of pre-cooked frozen meatballs

Reserving meatballs, combine other ingredients in saucepan. 

Stir while heating to a slow boil. 
Stir in meatballs; return to boil, still stirring. 

Reduce heat and simmer till meatballs are heated through, 
continuing to stir as needed to keep the sauce from 
burning to the bottom of the pan.
 
Serve hot.

Ed's Easy Romesco Sauce/Spread (low-carb)

3-oz. smoked almonds (salty) (1/2 can)
8.5-oz. jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes with herbs
12-oz. jar flame-roasted red peppers, drained
2 -3 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
4.25-oz. can chopped ripe olives 
  (if chopped are unavailable, chop up about a cup of 
   pitted ripe olives, drained)

Optional: 1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

Grind almonds in food processor (S-blade).
Add tomatoes (undrained) to processor
Add remaining ingredients to processor
Process till fairly smooth.

Traditionally served with grilled seafood, 
but it's great with just about everything.

Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

Marzell Lein's Spam Salad
Great for party sandwiches!

Combine and chill: 
- 12-oz. Spam (or Spam Lite), grated
- Dill pickles (12-16 oz. jar), grated, plus a tsp. or 2 of the brine  
- 1 onion, grated
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp; yellow mustard

Tip: Use a food processor for the grating if you have one, especially if you double the recipe.
Also, you can use canned ham instead of Spam, but it's really not as good.

(A secret: When it's just for me, I sometimes substitute dill pickle relish and pre-chopped frozen onion)

Ed Lein's Favorite Recipes

APPETIZERS

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