When entertaining family and friends on special occasions like New Year's Eve, birthdays or even for dinner parties, we never know what the weather conditions might be. Guests often show up late. It's always disappointing when you spend time preparing delightful dishes only to be disappointed when guests are tardy. The hors d'oeuvres end up cold and soggy or over-cooked and rubbery, both of which are insufficient as partners to complement Champagne or sparkling wine.
Here are a few sparkling wine and hors d'oeuvre pairings for that special occasions, ones that are "sure" to please your guests. The pairings are easy to prepare and can be served at the last minute with little to no work involved.
Choose either a brut Champagne or brut sparkling wine. The key is for the wine's crisp acidity to shine.
Sparkling wine and Champagne work with the recipes below. One dip is cold and healthy. The other is hot and rich. The other is just plain easy to make and complements the sparkling wine. When paired with these simple hors d'oeuvres, the wine sings with zesty acidity. A great contrast of texture and temperature that will complement the tangy acidity in the wines. The yogurt dip's tanginess harmonizes with the wine's crisp acidity. The feta dip has saltiness which nicely contrasts the wine's acidity. The lemon in the toasts also harmonizes with the bubbly's acidity.
Avocado Dip
For 6 to 12 guests*
2 ripe avocados
1/2 tub of fat free Greek yogurt
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup of fresh basil
1 clove garlic
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Serve with favourite crackers.
Feta Dip with Pita Wedges or Crackers
Serves 4 to 6
6 whole wheat pitas 6
1 piece of Greek Feta (8 oz/250 g) 1
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 50 mL
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig fresh rosemary 1
1/2 cup of pitted Kalamata olives
125 mL
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Separate the layers of each pita witha serrated knife. Stack 2 or 3 layers together and cut the pitas into quarters or eighths, if you prefer. Spread the wedges out on 2 large baking sheets sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the pieces are golden. Cool them completely. In a bowl combine olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Place the Feta block on a large piece of foil. Drizzle the cheese with the olive oil mixture. Top with the olives. Wrap the foil around the cheese and seal it. Place the foil-wrapped feta on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake it for 20 minutes or until the Feta is hot. Using a spatula, transfer the Feta to a serving plate. Top with olive oil mixture. Serve hot with pita crisps.
Pistachio and Cilantro Pesto Toasts
Serves 4 to 6
1 cup unsalted raw pistachios
2 cups (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 baguette
1 goat's milk Brie
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toast pistachios on baking sheet until golden, about 7 minutes. Transfer to processor. Maintain oven temperature. Add cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and next 3 ingredients to processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarse paste forms. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup olive oil. Season pesto with pepper. Set aside until needed.
But baguette into 12 slices. Add a coat of vegetable oil to fry pan. Heat until very hot. Add 4 slices at a time and fry slices on both sides, about 5 seconds per side. By the time you've laid all 4 slices into the pan, the first slice laid is already crisp and should be immediately turned to the other side. Let slices cool. When guests arrive generously coat toasts with pesto. Top with a generous slice of Brie. Grill until the brie is melted. Serve hot.
Discover the 3 Secrets that 90% of People Don't Know About Pairing Wine with Food.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shari_L_Darling
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