Hey y'all. I need your helping finding some upscale Southern-style hors d'ouerve recipes.

S

steve2-in-la

Well-known member
It seems mid-December, I'm cooking for about 20 family members and close friends to celebrate the "oh" birthday of my beloved CB (child bride). As many of them are from the South, I figured it'd be cool to do something they're familiar with yet, updated and slightly upscaled.

That said, would you consider contributing some of YOUR like-themed recipes that aren't the usual, run of the mill finger foods?

I'm thinking along the lines of Mini-Collard Green-Bacon Tartlettes, Black-Eyed Pea Cakes with Roasted Red-Pepper Creme Fraiche, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Drumettes, Sweet-Potato Biscuits with Pulled Pork or Barbecued Shrimp, washed down with Watermelon Margaritas. Kind of Down-Home meets Tapas.

For the entree, probably a Shrimp, Crab and Andouille, Seafood Gumbo with either a garlic or cornmeal bread. Sweet Tea, Dixie Beers and Zinfandel to drink. For dessert, something made from Sweet Lady Jane's. (Amazing cakes!)

I welcome your input especially if you have thoughts or improvements. Thanks in advance.

 
Hi Steve, I found one Southern Style hors d'oeuvre recipe in my files from Food & Wine ...

(I haven't tried it yet):

PEPPER BISCUITS WITH CHEDDAR-PECAN SPREAD

ABOUT 4 DOZEN

This southern-style hors d'oeuvre is one of the best-sellers at Sage & Swift, a caterer in Durham, North Carolina. Serve any leftover cheese spread on white toast, wheat crackers or celery.

Ingredients

CHEDDAR-PECAN SPREAD
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 7 ounces)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (about 2 ounces)
2 medium scallions, white part only, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

BISCUITS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk

Directions

Make the cheese spread:
In a food processsor, blend the cream cheese and sour cream. Add the Cheddar and pulse until combined. Add the pecans and scallions and pulse until incorporated. Add the salt, black pepper and pepper sauce.

Make the biscuits:
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the chives. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and stir until a soft dough forms; do not overmix.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. Roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick. Using a 1 1/2 -inch biscuit cutter or Champagne glass, cut out rounds from the dough. Arrange the rounds on 2 large baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom and top. Let cool.

Using a sharp knife, cut the biscuits in half horizontally. Spread the bottom half of each biscuit with about 1 rounded teaspoon of the cheese mixture. Cover with the top halves of the biscuits and transfer to a platter. Sprinkle the biscuits with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped chives and serve.

MAKE AHEAD: The spread can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Let return to room temperature before serving.

The biscuits can be frozen for up to a month. Rewarm in a 350° oven before serving.

Recipe by Sage & Swift From "Hors d'Oeuvres"
Food & Wine

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pepper-biscuits-with-cheddar-pecan-spread

 
honey glazed pecans

1/4 cup honey*
1 pound pecan halves
cinnamon and other pecan pie sorta spices
cayenne to taste

cook pecans, honey and pepper in skillet on medium-high heat 4 to 6 min. or until mixture simmers and is foamy. Spread onto greased baking sheet, separating slightly with fork; cool completely.

*look for a more exotic-tasting honey than clover or ragweed. my favorite findable honey is chestnut honey. if you can find blue borage honey, snarfle some and please publish your sorce. it's tdf (to drool for0.

 
Rec: Carolina Grits Souffle from the chefs from Magnolia Grill in NC ((I LOVE that restaurant!!))

Not tried and True... Your menu sounds wonderful!

Regards,
Barb

Carolina Grits Souffle

Serves 8

This wonderful side dish is inspired by a recipe from Ben's mama, fancied up a bit. It's cheeze-a-licious!

Ingredients

2 cups homemade chicken stock + 1 cup water (or use 3 cups water instead)
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup white grits (preferably stone-ground, definitely not instant)
5 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups white or yellow sharp cheddar, grated
1/4 cup roasted garlic puree or 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt, coarsely ground black pepper, and Tabasco to taste
1/2 cup scallions, sliced thin crosswise

Preparation

Butter a 2-quart casserole or souffle dish.


In a 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the stock, water, half-and-half, and salt to a boil. Stir in the grits, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until thick, smooth, and creamy (the consistency of polenta).


Beat the egg yolks, temper with a spoonful of hot grits, and then stir into the grits. Stir in the cheese, garlic puree, and butter, and season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco to taste. Cool at room temperature.


An hour before serving, preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites and scallions into the grits mixture and spoon into the buttered souffle dish. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the grits are set. (If the surface appears to be browning too much, cover with foil until set.) Serve immediately.

 
oops. i'm loose after sampling my "death and disfiguration" hot sauce. clearly passed tense.

 
I am not sure how Southern these are, but my friend that was from the South used to serve these

mini orange muffins sliced horizontally, dabbed with a good mustard and a slice of country ham. The sweet-salty-spicy contrast was addictive.

 
Thanks for the input everyone. Some great ideas. At this point,

I think I'm going to abandon the chicken drumettes (I mean really, hasn't EVERYONE been-there-done-that?) and add rvb's recipe for Honey-Glazed-Pecans (Thanks rvb! Whole Foods, here I come, alookin' fer Borage Honey)

I also discovered a recipe in the "Heaven on Seven" cookbook for Shrimp and Andouille Egg Rolls with Gingered Mango Sauce. That should fill the "fried food" gap. Can't wait.

 
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