Project Foodie - Bar Food

Bar Food

Save Recipe: Personal Caviar Tortes with Toast Points

Do you like bar food? We're not talking about chips and beer nuts. No - we're talking about tasty elegant treats, or appetizers, that go with cocktails such as crabcakes, deviled eggs or shrimp wrapped in bacon. In "Great Bar Food" by Kate Heyhoe you'll find all of those plus many more cocktail bites, bistro plates and brewpub nibbles. The recipes vary from simple to somewhat complex and produce treats that are equally great for nibbling at home or serving at your next party. For an example try out "Personal Caviar Tortes with Toast Points" an elegant appetizer that looks far more expensive than it is…

Personal Caviar Tortes with Toast Points

From Great Bar Food at Home by Kate Heyhoe, Wiley 2007

Makes 4 personal-size tortes

Caviar epitomizes refinement and elegance, but you don't have to break the bank to enjoy it. Splurge on expensive caviar if you like, but the two-ounce jars of lumpfish caviar stocked in supermarkets work just fine in this affordable indulgence. Each individual disk of seasoned cream cheese, topped with caviar, is the right size for one or two people. Make the cream cheese foundations up to three days in advance, then top them off with caviar right before serving.

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
One 2-ounce jar black caviar, chilled

Serve with Toast Points (see below), cocktail bread, or crackers

1. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, dill, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and white pepper together. Line four 1-cup ramekins with plastic wrap. Pack the cheese mixture evenly into each ramekin, to make 4 short disks. Pull the sides of the plastic up, and seal the mixtures. Refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 3 days.

2. Unwrap the disks and set them on individual serving plates. With your fingers, press each top down to create a depression, leaving a rim around the edge to help hold in the caviar (kind of like shaping a moon crater). Spoon the caviar on top of each torte, garnish with dill, and serve.

TOAST POINTS: Preheat the oven to 300°F. To make 12 points, remove the crust from 6 slices thin white sandwich bread, and slice the bread on the diagonal, into triangles. Arrange the triangles on a baking sheet. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until dry and toasted. Cool on a wire rack. (May be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.)

About Great Bar Food at Home

This is not a book about how to mix drinks. It's about what to eat after the drinks are mixed, poured, or uncapped. These recipes are stress-free, easy, and meant to be made and eaten casually. Their appeal lies in their robust flavors, serving simplicity, and the way the recipes complement beverages. They're the same type of tasty nibbles found at all the best bars - and they can look and taste just as tempting, even when made at home.