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    Appetizers

Below are a variety of applications for appetizers or hors d' oeuvres at your next gathering or cocktail party.  Scroll down through each product category for a sampling of appetizers that use our products.

Honey Dijon                          Applewood Smoked Barbecue Sauce
Chipotle Ranch                     Tamarind Lime Grill Sauce
Buttermilk Ranch                  Pomegranate Chipotle Grill Sauce
Ginger Miso                          Sundried Tomato Horseradish Dip
Cranberry Lime Sauce         Chipotle Bleu Cheese Dip
                                             Chipotle Honey Mustard

Sundried Tomato Horseradish Dip

Fried Calamari with Horseradish Dip
(makes 4 hors d'oeuvre servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb          Cleaned squid
4 cups     Vegetable oil
¾ cup      Rice flour (or all purpose flour)
¾ tsp.      Sea salt
¼ tsp.      Ground black pepper
6 fl oz       Sundried Tomato Horseradish Dip
               Candy or high temp. thermometer

Preparation: Rinse squid, pat dry lightly. Leave tentacles whole and cut bodies crosswise into ½-inch-wide rings. Heat 2 inches of oil in a 4-5 qt. heavy pot over high heat until it registers 390°F on thermometer. Preheat oven to 200°F. Whisk flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Dredge a small handful of squid at a time in the flour mixture, coating well, place in small sieve and shake off excess flour, set aside. Once oil is hot fry squid stirring often to separate rings. After about a minute the squid should be a golden brown, transfer to absorbent towel or paper towel, do not stack. Transfer cooked calamari to oven to keep warm. Serve with Sundried Tomato Horseradish as a dipping sauce, garnish with fresh lemon and parsley as desired.

Shrimp with Zucchini Fritters
(Yield 10-12 patties)

Ingredients:

12              Cooked jumbo shrimp
1                Fresh lemon
½ cup         All purpose flour
¾ tsp.        Sea salt
¼ tsp.        Ground black pepper
¼ tsp.        Baking soda
pinch          Ground nutmeg
1¾ cup       Coarsely grated zucchini
¼ cup         Chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 Tbs.        Chopped fresh chives
3 Tbs.        Extra-virgin olive oil
1 jar          Sundried Tomato Horseradish Dip

Preparation: Whisk flour, salt, pepper, baking soda, and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl. Mix in zucchini, parsley, and chives. Let stand for 15 minutes. Using wet hands shape spoonfuls into 2-inch-diameter patties. Heat oil in skillet over medium high flame, sauté until brown and crisp on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Spread heaping teaspoon of horseradish spread on each fritter, top with 1 shrimp, serve with lemon wedges on the side.
 

Chipotle Bleu Cheese Dip

Chipotle Bleu Cheese Dip with Garlic Pita Crisps
(8 servings)

Ingredients:

¼ cup          Extra-virgin olive oil
2                 Garlic cloves
2 Tbs.          Fresh cilantro finely chopped
3 Tbs.          Cilantro stems, finely chopped
6                 Pita bread
1 jar            Chipotle Bleu Cheese Dip
¼ cup          Chopped fresh chives

Preparation: Combine oil and garlic in small saucepan, cook over medium heat until oil begins to bubble around garlic, about 5 minutes. Add cilantro stems, remove saucepan from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain oil into small bowl, discard stems and garlic. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut pita round in half horizontally so you now have 2 very thin rounds. Cut thin rounds in half then into quarters so each round gives you 8 wedges. Place pita wedges on baking sheet, drizzle with cilantro oil then toss pita wedges gently to coat. Bake 5 minutes then sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves and bake until pita wedges are light brown and crisp, about another 5 minutes. Let pita chips cool. Refrigerate Chipotle Bleu Cheese for 1 hour prior to serving. Place in china dip bowl, stir well, and top with chopped chives. Serve with pita wedges arrange around dip bowl on serving platter.

Chiquita Blankets
(32 hors d' oeuvres)

Ingredients:

1 pkg.          Frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
4                 Fully cooked all natural andouille sausages
1 jar            Chipotle Bleu Cheese
1 lg              Egg
2 tsp            Milk

Preparation: Lightly flour your work space. Unfold 1 pastry sheet on work surface, pierce sheet's surface using a fork. Cut sheet into 4 strips, each about 3 inches wide, then cut each strip into 4 squares for a total of 16.  Spread 1 tablespoon of Chipotle Bleu Cheese in the center of one pastry square. Slice each sausage into 8 rounds. Place one piece of sausage on top of pastry square with bleu cheese. Fold opposite corners of pastry square over sausage, overlapping slightly and press to seal. Place sealed side down on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat steps with remaining pastry squares. Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk egg and milk in small bowl. Turn pastries right side up and brush with egg wash. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until pastry is puffed and golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to platter and serve warm.

Chipotle Honey Mustard

Shanghai Dumplings with Sweet Chili Sauce
(Yield 16 dumplings)

Ingredients:

1lb           Bok choy
1 lb          Boneless pork cutlets
1 Tbs.      Grated fresh ginger root
¼ tsp       Sea salt
1 tsp        Toasted sesame oil
1 tsp        Rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs.      Oyster sauce
16            Wonton wrappers
4 Tbs.      Sunflower oil
6 oz         Chipotle Honey Mustard

Preparation: Cook bok choy in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain then soak in cold water. Finely mince pork, set aside in a large bowl. Finely chop bok choy, add to pork with ginger, salt, sesame oil, vinegar, and oyster sauce. Using wet hands mix well. Place a spoonful of pork filling in the center of each wonton wrapper, seal edges, set aside. Heat 2 Tbs. of oil in wok or sauté pan over medium flame. Add 8-10 dumplings, sealed side down, cook for 3 minutes. Add 2 fl oz of water to pan, lower heat, cook until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Repeat with remaining dumplings. Serve dumplings with Chipotle Honey Mustard on the side as a dipping sauce. 

Wildflower Honey Dijon

Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes
(makes 6 crab cakes)

Smoked Salmon Tartare
(serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 lb           Smoked lox
¼ cup       Finely chopped red onion
¼ cup       Chopped fresh dill
2 Tbs.      Capers (drained, coarsely chopped)
2 Tbs.      Fresh lime juice
2 Tbs.      Minced shallot
2 tsp.       Olive oil
¾ tsp.      Sea salt
½ tsp.      Ground black pepper
1  pkg.     Wheat or pumpernickel cocktail bread
8 oz         Wildflower Honey Dijon

Preparation: Coarsely chop lox, place in a medium size bowl. Add onion, dill, capers, lime juice, shallots, olive oil, salt and pepper, mix well. Chill for 1 hour. When ready to serve place heaping spoonful of salmon mixture on slice of cocktail bread, drizzle a touch of Wildflower Honey Dijon over salmon, transfer to platter and serve.

Chilled Jumbo Prawns
(serves 4)

Buttermilk Ranch Sauce

Aleppo Chicken Tenders
(serves 6)

Ingredients:

Preparation: Preheat oven to 500°F. Butter large rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons butter. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small saucepan and set aside. In a small mixing bowl whisk eggs and milk. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, Aleppo, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then breadcrumb mixture, coating generously. Place on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle reserved melted butter over chicken. Bake chicken until browned and cooked through, turning once, about 10 minutes. Garnish chicken with watercress, serve with Buttermilk Ranch as a dipping sauce.

Ginger Miso Sauce

Avocado Sushi Tartare
(serves 8)

Ingredients:

8 oz             Sushi quality ahi tuna steak (diced)
1 med          Avocado (diced)
1 cup           Seeded cucumber (diced)
1                 Green onion, finely chopped
¼ cup          Toasted sesame seeds
2 Tbs.         Chives, minced
1½ tsp.       Wasabi paste
12               Wonton wrappers
6 oz            Ginger Miso
                  Olive oil

Preparation: In a medium bowl add Ginger Miso and wasabi paste. Add tuna, avocado, cucumber and green onion, stir gently to coat evenly. Chill 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each wonton wrapper diagonally in half. Arrange wonton triangles on baking sheet, brush each with a little olive oil. Sprinkle wonton wrappers with 2-3 Tbs of the sesame seeds. Bake until triangles are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool before serving. When ready to serve, place tuna tartare in a small serving bowl, sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds. Serve with wonton crisps.

Ginger Chicken Skewers
(serves 2)

16             Jumbo shrimp (peel, devein, leave tail on)
1½ cups    Medium shredded unsweetened coconut
¾  cup      All purpose flour
1 tsp        Curry powder
¾ tsp       Baking powder
¼ tsp       Sea salt
1 lg          Egg
1 cup       Club soda
4 cups      Vegetable oil for deep frying
6 oz         Tamarind Lime Sauce

Tart & Spicy Shrimp Skewers
(serves 4)

1 lb           Trimmed boneless leg of lamb cut into 24 ¾-inch squares
2 lg.          Red bell pepper cut into 24 ¾-inch squares
8 oz          Pomegranate Chipotle Grill Sauce
1 pkg.       Wooden skewers (soak 30 minutes in water)