MINI MORSELS

Mini Morsels 

Shavous is by far my favorite Yom Tov for menu planning. I wait all year to serve dairy meals. Truth be told, I’m a bit “fleishig phobic”. To me, there is nothing like dough made with real butter and pasta loaded with cheese. Over the years, I have noticed that many people do not serve dairy meals on Shavous. Some serve just one, and some will just have a dairy kiddush. Whatever your preference is, “petite plates” are an elegant way to serve a kiddush or buffet-style lunch. There are  many assorted mini plates and bowls available at most local grocery stores.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

2 8-ounce boxes of baby bella mushrooms (cleaned)

1 small onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons salted butter

2 frozen garlic cubes

½ cup plain panko crumbs

2 frozen basil cubes

¼ brick-style cream cheese

½ teaspoon kosher salt

pinch of pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove stems from mushrooms and chop finely. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add mushroom stems and onions sauté for three to four minutes, then add garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté until mushrooms are soft. Remove pan from heat, add panko, and mix well. Stir in cream cheese and basil and mix well. Lay the mushrooms in a 9×13 pan. Stuff the mushrooms and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve on a small 2-inch plate garnished with chives.

Classic Cheese Blintzes

Batter

Ingredients

8 eggs 

2 cups milk

2 cups flour

½ cups sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla sugar

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons oil

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Using an immersion blender, blend the batter until smooth and lump-free. Using a seven-inch skillet, apply a thin layer of oil to the pan. Ladle approximately ¼ cup of batter into the skillet. Tilt the pan so it covers the bottom. Fry on one side till set. Flip and repeat the process until all the batter is used up.

Filling

1.5 lb. farmer cheese

¾ cup sugar

2 heaping tablespoons sour cream

2 heaping tablespoons whipped cream cheese

Directions

Mix all filling ingredients till smooth.

To fill blintzes, place three tablespoons of filling into a two-inch by one-inch-long mound. Roll once to cover the filling. Fold sides and roll until closed. Heat one tablespoon butter in the skillet and fry on both sides until golden. Cut on an angle. Serve filling side up and garnish with a fresh strawberry.

Mini Salmon Burgers

Ingredients

1 can skinless boneless salmon

1 egg

1 potato

1 small onion

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

Salt 

Pepper

Panko for coating

Directions

Using the S blade of a food processor, grate the potato and onion until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse till just combined. Using a tablespoon-sized scooper, form small patties. Dip each patty into additional panko and fry until golden. Serve on a small plate, drizzled with spicy mayo, and garnish with micro greens.

Soft Caramels

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

½ cup sweetened condensed milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Lightly spray an 8 x 8 baking pan. Line with parchment and allow the ends to hang over the sides. In a medium microwave-safe glass bowl, heat the butter until melted, about one minute. In the bowl with the butter, stir in the brown sugar, corn syrup, condensed milk, and salt until a smooth mixture forms.

Return the bowl to the microwave and cook for six minutes checking for doneness. This can be done by preparing a glass of ice water. Drop a small spoon of caramel into the ice water allowing it to cool for a few seconds and remove it. It should form a soft pliable ball. If it needs more time, return to the microwave for an additional 30 seconds. It usually takes about seven minutes.

Using oven mitts, carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in vanilla. Pour the mixture into the baking pan and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. Pull out the parchment paper and place it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the caramels evenly into rectangular pieces. Wrap each one in wax paper, twisting the ends to seal. Can be served at each person’s setting in a small jar. This makes the ultimate sweet dessert for a dairy meal.