1136 Antipasti

[b]Celery Stuffed with Gorgonzola[/b]

[b][i]Ingredients[/i][/b]
12 crisp sticks celery, leaves left on
75g/3 oz/½ cup Gorgonzola
75g/3 oz/½ cup cream cheese
fresh chives, to garnish

1. Wash and dry the celery sticks, and trim the root ends.

2. In a small bowl, mash the cheeses together until smooth.

3. Fill the celery sticks with the cheese mixture, using a palette knife to smooth the filling. Chill before serving. Garnish with chopped chives.

[b]Serves 4-6[/b]

[b]Crostini with Cheese[/b]

[i]Crostini are small pieces of toasted bread. They can be made with various toppings, and are served hot or cold with drinks.[/i]

[b][i]Ingredients[/i][/b]
4-6 slices day-old white or brown bread
75g/3 oz/¾ cup thinly sliced cheese (fontina, Cheddar or gruyere)
anchovy fillets
strips of grilled red pepper
freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut the bread into small shapes (triangle, circle, oval, etc.). Preheat the oven to 190 C/375 F/gas 5.

2. Place a thin slice of cheese on each piece, cutting it to fit.

3. Cut the anchovy fillets and strips of pepper into small decorative shapes and place on top of the cheese. Grind a little pepper on each.

4. Butter a baking sheet. Place the crostini on it, and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Serve straight from the oven, or allow to cool before serving.

[b]Serves 6[/b]

[b]Crostini with Mussels or Clams[/b]

[b][i]Ingredients[/i][/b]
16 large mussels or clams, in their shells
4 large slices bread, 2.5cm/1 inch thick
40g/1½ oz/3 tbsp butter
30ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 shallot, very finely chopped
olive oil, for brushing
lemon wedges, to serve

1. Wash the mussels or clams well in several changes of water. Cut the “beards” off the mussels. Place the shellfish in a saucepan with a cupful of water, and heat until the shells open. Discard any that do not open. As soon as they open, lift the molluscs out of the pan. Spoon out of their shells, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 190 C/375 F/gas 5.

2. Cut the crusts off the bread. Cut each slice into quarters. Scoop out a hollow from the top of each piece large enough to hold a mussel or clam. Do not cut through to the bottom.

3. Break the scooped-out bread into crumbs, and reserve. In a small frying pan, heat the butter. Cook the parsley with the shallot and the breadcrumbs until the shallot softens.

4. Brush each piece of bread with olive oil. Place one mussel or clam in each hollow. Spoon a small amount of the parsley and shallot mixture onto each mollusc. Place on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve at once, while still hot, with the lemon wedges.

[b]Makes 16[/b]

[b]Cherry Tomatoes with Pesto[/b]

[b][i]Ingredients[/i][/b]
450g/1 lb cherry tomatoes (about 36)

[b][i]For the Pesto[/i][/b]
90g/3½ oz/1 cup fresh basil leaves
3-4 cloves garlic
60ml/4 tbsp pine nuts
5ml/1 tsp salt, plus extra to taste
100ml/4 fl oz/½ cup olive oil
50ml/3tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
90ml/6tbsp freshly grated pecorino cheese
freshly ground black pepper

1. Wash the tomatoes. Slice off the top of each tomato, and carefully scoop out the seeds with a melon baler or small spoon.

2. Place the basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt and olive oil in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Remove the contents to a bowl with a rubber spatula. If desired, the pesto may be frozen at this point, before the cheeses are added. To use when frozen, allow to thaw, then proceed to step 3.

3. Fold in the grated cheeses (use all Parmesan if pecorino is not available). Season with pepper, and more salt if necessary.

4. Use a small spoon to fill each tomato with a little pesto. This dish is at its best if chilled for about an hour before serving.

[b]Serves 8-10[/b]

Great recipes...thanks so much :) :)

[QUOTE=alex and lyn]Great recipes...thanks so much :) :)[/QUOTE]

I have more, just want to check - is your friend a vegan or will she take cheese, eggs, fish, etc?