S o here’s the proverbial pot calling the kettle black.
But here goes: As we teeter on the edge of the holiday season onslaught, let’s try to keep things under control, shall we?
By that I mean, we live in one of the most gorgeous awe-inspiring corners of the country. How lucky can we get? And if you’re even luckier, you’re living around some mighty darn special folks.
So at a time of year when the whole idea is to appreciate the ambience of the season and reconnect with folks who bring meaning to our life, let’s focus on the important stuff.
As I implied already, I haven’t earned the crown for queen of the simple life club. My life’s insane. But I do plan to make a list – a very short list – of who I want to see in the next eight weeks and then plot fun little events to see them.
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, it could be collecting a few friends for a wine-country tour over that long weekend. A simple soup ladled into a Thermos, some really great local bread and cheese, then off you go. A warmhearted memory in the making.
If you’re in great shape, then take your pals and the portable fare the other direction. A peaceful hike along a nearby stream. Or a little cross-country skiing up in the Cascades.
Find out if there are still some spawning salmon in a stream near you and then take a group to go appreciate this miracle of nature.
At the most simple level of all, consider last-minute gatherings where the meal consists of make-ahead appetizers. The ones I’m sharing today can all be made ahead while you’re still thinking straight, then dipped into at a time when you aren’t.
It’s that simple, really.
I encountered this tasty rendition of olive paste just last week and was blown away with its rich flavor. Better yet, it’s simple (Simple! Simple!) to prepare.
Kathy stresses that the measurements are relatively negotiable, so taste as you go and adjust to suit yourself.
Kathy’s tapenade
8ounces pitted and chopped kalamata olives
3-4cloves coarsely chopped fresh garlic
1/2-3/4cup coarsely chopped pine nuts
About 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
About 1 heaping teaspoon capers
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until finely minced. Add a bit of olive oil if necessary to smooth out the mixture. Pack into an attractive bowl and store in the refrigerator.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
From Kathy Byrum of Wild Rose Gallery in Philomath
Another simple but impressive spread from my friend Kathy. She serves it at her gallery receptions for local artists and it’s always a big hit.
Three-cheese spread
8ounces softened cream cheese
4ounces crumbled blue cheese
8ounces shredded sharp cheddar
A healthy glug of Worcestershire sauce
Crackers and baguette slices (toasted if possible)
Combine the cream cheese, blue cheese, cheddar cheese and Worcestershire in the workbowl of a food processor. Blend until the cheeses are thoroughly pureed. Scrape into an attractive bowl and refrigerate until needed. Serve with crackers and toasted baguette slices.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
From Kathy Byrum of Wild Rose Gallery in Philomath
This is a classic from Eugene’s own classic cookbook, “A Taste Of Oregon.”
Bacon and sour cream dip
3/4pound bacon, diced
1cup sour cream
2green onions, minced
Dash of garlic salt
Dash Tabasco
Lettuce leaves for garnish
Fresh vegetables and crackers for dipping
Cook bacon, remove to paper towels with slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, crumble into even smaller pieces. Combine bacon, sour cream, green onions, garlic salt and Tabasco. Cover and store in refrigerator. To serve, scoop into attractive bowl and place on a lettuce-lined platter, surrounded by fresh vegetables, crackers and baguette slices.
From “A Taste of Oregon,” by the Junior League of Eugene
This is a zesty spin on simple tapenade (see first recipe). It’s kicked up a notch in garlic, olive oil and other goodies, and even makes a hearty condiment on a submarine sandwich concoction of Italian-style meats and cheeses.
Several years ago I began fiddling with the formula and created the following version, which makes the perfect party spread, when accompanied by slices of a crusty baguette or crostini.
Muffuleta garlic-olive relish
1/2cup coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
1/2cup coarsely chopped pitted black olives
1/4cup coarsely chopped red onion
1/4cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/4cup balsamic vinegar (more to taste)
1tablespoon minced garlic
2teaspoons drained and rinsed capers
1/4teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground black pepper
1/3cup extra virgin olive oil
Place the olives, onion, parsley, vinegar, garlic, capers, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse the mixture until the ingredients are finely chopped. Add the olive oil and continue processing until the mixture is thoroughly chopped but not pureed.
Adjust seasonings, adding additional vinegar if it needs a “zing,” or additional olive oil if the mixture seems too “sharp.” Will keep in the refrigerator for at least one month. Since the olive oil solidifies at low temperatures, remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.
I get so many requests for this recipe that I have to include it in one of my holiday stories every couple of years. My Aunt Nida started making a version of it over 20 years ago.
After combining the cream cheese, salami and green onions, she would stuff the mixture into hollowed-out San Francisco sourdough rolls, and then, after chilling them thoroughly, would slice each roll into 1/4-inch thick pieces.
These days, I opt out of the messy stuffing procedure and simply serve the spread in a lovely ceramic pot, surrounded by baguette slices.
San Francisco spread
1/4pound salami, finely diced to yield 1 cup
1cup finely chopped green onions (use all of the white portion, about 2/3 of the green)
24ounces cream cheese, softened
1baguette, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
Nida used to mince the salami and green onions by hand, but a food processor does the task in a fraction of the time. Just don’t over-process or you’ll wind up with ground salami. Also, process the salami and green onions separately.
Combine the finely diced salami and finely chopped green onions in a medium bowl with the softened cream cheese. Stir well to evenly distribute the salami and onions.
Scrape the mixture into an attractive serving bowl, then cover and refrigerate until about 30 minutes before serving so the cream cheese is slightly softened.
To serve, place the bowl of spread in the center of a serving platter and arrange the bread slices around it. Be sure and provide a serving utensil with the spread so guests can scoop and spread a portion onto the bread.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contract her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.
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