Holiday Appetizers

Beverly McLaughlin of Beverly’s Foods showed us some easy ways to wow your guests at your next holiday parties (and maybe even keep them healthy). A vegetarian, Beverly is a 4^th generation vendor at the Mecklenburg County Market who uses local produce to create her products. She showed us how to make Lentil Walnut Pate on Puffed Pastry, Kalamata Olive Pinwheels, and Tofu Lettuce Wraps.

Lentil Walnut Pate on Puffed Pastry

Ingredients:

Puffed pastry dough (look for it in the freezer section)

Lentil Walnut Pate (made by Beverly, but you can use any topping)Cherry TomatoesParsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet and line with parchment paper. Unroll the slightly thawed puffed pastry dough. Using a cookie cutter (she used the lid of a spice jar), cut the dough into round pieces about the size of a large cracker. Put the round pieces on the cookie sheet. Spray a second piece of parchment paper and put it on top of the pastry circles and then put another cookie sheet on top of the second piece of parchment paper, sandwiching the dough between two cookie sheets. The weight of the second cookie sheet prevents the puffed pastry from puffing too high. Bake for 10-15 minutes (8 minutes if you are using a convection oven) until slightly golden. Allow to cool and then top with pate and quartered cherry tomatoes.

Kalamata Olive Pinwheels

Kalamata Olive Spread (made by Beverly, or use another filling that doesn’t use mayonnaise) Puffed pastry dough

Unroll the slightly thawed pastry dough and trim about a strip of dough about an inch wide from the sheet. Spread the kalamata olive spread in a thin layer on the dough. Roll the dough back into a log and wrap it with the parchment paper it was packaged in, and place it in the freezer for a couple of hours (you can also make this up to a month in advance and keep it in the freezer; let it rest for an hour on the counter until it is soft enough to slice). When you are ready to cook the pinwheels, preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with not stick spray and line with parchment paper. Cut ¼ of an inch slices and put the slices on the cookie sheet, making up to 20 per log. Bake the pinwheels for 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Serve warm.

Tofu Lettuce Wraps

Bibb lettuce (leaves about the size of your palm are perfect for individually-sized wraps)Extra firm tofu roasted in hoisin sauce (coat tofu in hoisin and toast in oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes)Cooked rice noodles, choppedCarmelized onions (onions sautéed to a darker complexion)Fresh red peppers, choppedFlat leaf parsley or cilantro

Combine the tofu, rice noodles, onions, red peppers, and parsley into a bowl. Fill the lettuce leaf with a couple of tablespoons of filling and plate on a large, flat platter so that the wraps can lie side by side. Serve with a vinaigrette, soy sauce, or hoisin sauce.