Little Party Bites

Oh look at these cute little bites!  

I made these to ease the Boyfriend's growling stomach while I prepared some 3-4 hour dinner.  If I had any friends here in CO I would prepare them as an appetizer, they'd be perfect to have out for parties.  

The herbed cream cheese gives these bites a savory note, the prosciutto adds a nice flavor from the fat and salt, and the cherry jam gives it a touch of sweetness to round it out.  

And they were so easy to prepare, the most time going into assembling them in a pretty fashion.  

I'll be honest, most of them I just smushed together.  Hey it was just me and the Boyfriend, you know?! What do you want from me?  

Little Party Bites

1 8 oz block cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tbsp minced fresh rosemary

1 tbsp minced fresh mint

1 tsp lemon juice

4 oz thin-sliced prosciutto, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch ribbons

Cherry preserves 

1 box wheat thins (or Gluten Free crackers)

Use a mixer to whip the cream cheese with the rosemary, mint, and lemon juice (or alternatively, mix well by hand)

To assemble, spread a bit of cherry preserves on the wheat thin.  Twirl the prosciutto ribbon loosely and place in a half circle on the cracker.  Place a dollop of herbed cream cheese in remaining empty space behind prosciutto.  Garnish with more rosemary, mint, or a spring of parsley. 

Tuscan Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp

These little shrimps have a big flavor.

Marinated in lemon, garlic, thyme, rosemary and sage, these are herb-a-licious.

The Boyfriend says the shrimps would be equally good without the prosciutto due to the super herb-y flavor from the marinade.

'I'd pay money for these,' he says. 

One shrimp I ate tasted like the pine-y rosemary, while the next had that sweet, almost citrusy thyme flavor.

Wrap them up in prosciutto and see how fast they get gobbled up.  

 Fast, easy, and prepared ahead, this is a great party appetizer, or an appetizer for an intimate dinner.  Shrimp are an aphrodisiac ;)

If it was warmer out, I would have slapped these on soaked bamboo skewers and threw them on the grill.

Tuscan Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp

Serves 2

1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp

5 or 6 slices thin sliced prosciutto (about 5 ounces)

4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and stem discarded

6 or 7 rosemary leaves (NOT whole sprigs!) minced

1 large sage leaf, minced

1 tsp lemon juice

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for cooking

In a Tupperware or ziploc bag, combine the shrimp, olive oil, and herbs.  Let marinate for 2 hours.  

Add the lemon juice, and let marinate another 20 minutes.

Slice the prosciutto in half width-wise, and then into about 3/4 inch slices.  Wrap each shrimp with a slice or prosciutto.  

When all shrimp are wrapped heat a few drizzles of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the shrimp and let cook until shrimp is opaque and prosciutto is crispy, about 3 minutes per side. 

Serve immediately. 

Oh, Fiddleheads!

Fiddleheads, fiddleheads, roly poly fiddleheads...

In case you didn't know, fiddleheads are a type of fern the grows in the New England area (as well as other areas worldwide.  They are the unfurled fronds of a fern.

Don't eat them before cooking!  They will make your tummy hurt.

I prepared them for an appetizer yesterday, and upon presenting them to The Boyfriend he looked at me like I had lost my mind.  'Am I supposed to eat that?' he says.

Of course!  And they were so good!  

They are extra-special because they are only available once a year for a couple weeks ONLY.  And that's it, they're gone!

They have a 'grassy' taste and texture- think asparagus or artichoke.   They're delish with something fatty/salty- like prosciutto di parma!

I got a super-simple recipe from MSNBC oddly enough.

Fiddlehead Ferns with Brown Butter and Prosciutto

1 lb fiddle head ferns, washed and trimmed (cut off  a couple centimeters of the cut end)

12 paper thin slices of prosciutto

3 tbsp brown butter (recipe follows)

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

pinch salt

1. We are going to boil the fiddleheads. Add about 1 quart of water to large pot and bring to a boil.
2. Grab a large bowl and fill it halfway with ice water. Set aside. 
3. Place a colander in sink.
4. When water is boiling, add fiddleheads.  Cook one minute (do not overcook!).
5. Remove fiddleheads.  Pour in colander to drain.  Then pour the fiddleheads into the ice water, submerging completely.
6. While they are in ice water, brown butter. Add the 3 tbsp of butter to a saucepan over med heat.  
7. The butter is going to start to turn a brownish color.  Start to stir constantly.  We are looking for the butter to turn a brown color and have a nutty aroma.  Once the butter begins to froth at the edges, keep stirring for about one more minute, and remove from heat. The butter will keep cooking in the pan.
8. Grab the plates and arrange a slice of prosciutto on each one.
9. Add the fiddleheads to the pan with the butter, and toss gently.  Add pepper and salt.
10. Top the slices of prosciutto with the fiddleheads, and voila!  Spring's finest. Serve at once.