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8 Easy Appetizers for the Holidays
Try some Tuna Tartare, Tourtieres, and more
Here are eight recipes for your easy, elegant, delicious entertaining this holiday season. Celebrate the season with more recipes from Yankee food editor Annie B. Copps.
Ho, Ho, Ho Cocktail
Beverages Recipes
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 5 minutes
Yield: Yield: 6 glasses
Garnet red in color and filled with bubbles, this festive cocktail fairly shouts "Happy Holidays" from its glass.
- 3 ounces pomegranate juice
- 3 ounces Chambord liqueur
- 1 bottle chilled, dry sparkling wine (Champagne, Prosecco, or Cava)
Into each of 6 Champagne flutes, pour 1/2 ounce pomegranate juice, then 1/2 ounce Chambord. Give each glass a stir. Fill with sparkling wine.
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Tuna Tartare
Dips and Spreads Recipes | Fish and Seafood Recipes
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Yield: 6 individual servings or 12 appetizers
- 1/2 pound sushi-grade tuna, finely chopped
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons garlic-chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
- 1 tablespoon ponzu sauce (optional)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro, unseasoned rice crackers
In a medium bowl, combine tuna, scallion, cilantro, ginger, garlic-chili sauce, ponzu, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Chill 20 minutes.
To serve, place in 6 chilled martini glasses. Garnish each serving with cilantro and place 2 rice crackers into the tuna at an angle. Or scoop 1 tablespoon mixture onto each of 12 spoons and arrange in a circle (handles pointing out) on a serving plate; garnish with cilantro.
Cold-Storage Tip
Chopping fresh tuna finely by hand will be easier if you pop it in the freezer for about 20 minutes beforehand.
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Polpettini on Spoons
Sauces Recipes | Meat Recipes
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Yield: about 3 dozen meatballs
- 1/4 pound ground beef
- 1/4 pound ground pork
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 and 1/2 cups unseasoned bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup (1/2 ounce) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- Garlicky Tomato Sauce
- Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Heat oven to 200 degrees. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, garlic, bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, eggs, salt, and pepper. Form very small (marble-sized) balls and place on a baking sheet.
Heat a cast-iron skillet with 1/4 inch olive oil over high setting. Fry meatballs about 1 minute per side, moving them around in pan to brown lightly on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven until you’ve cooked all meatballs.
To serve as an appetizer, 12 pieces at a time, place one meatball onto each of 12 decorative spoons and top with 2 teaspoons tomato sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley. Place a dozen spoons in a circle (handles pointing out) on a serving platter and serve immediately.
Garlicky Tomato Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 jar tomato puree
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté garlic in olive oil 2 to 3 minutes; do not brown. Add tomato and cook 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Everything in Season
Not sure whether you've seasoned your meatballs (or your meatloaf, dumpling stuffing, or other raw mixture) correctly? Simply heat a small saute pan and fry a tablespoon or so of the raw mixture until it's cooked through. Taste for salt, pepper, or other seasonings and adjust as necessary.
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Cheese Stars
Cookies and Bars Recipes | Miscellaneous Recipes
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 60 minutes
Yield: Yield: about 2 dozen stars
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 cup flour, plus extra for surfaces
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts or pistachios
In a standing or electric mixer, whip butter until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheeses. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cayenne, and salt. Add cheese mixture and stir well. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times. Divide dough in four. Wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes (or overnight).
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove one ball of dough from refrigerator and turn onto floured surface. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. With a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut dough and arrange stars on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (Combine leftover dough and roll out again.)
In a small bowl, whisk together egg white and water. Brush the top of each star with egg wash and sprinkle with nuts. Bake 8 minutes, or until golden brown.
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Braised Short Ribs with Horseradish Creme
Meat Recipes
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 4 hours
Yield: Yield: 2 dozen appetizers
This humble meat dish becomes an appetizer people will be talking about long after the Christmas lights have come down. Serve over cooked rice for a rich cold-weather meal.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 beef short ribs
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 3 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons red chili pepper flakes
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup beef or chicken stock
- 1 recipe Horseradish Creme
- Garnish: finely chopped chives
Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a small Dutch oven over high setting, heat oil and sear ribs on all sides. Remove ribs to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Lower heat to medium and saute onions, carrots, celery, and garlic about 8 minutes, or until onions are softened and slightly translucent. Add star anise, bay leaves, and chili flakes; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Place ribs back in pan, into the vegetables. Add wine and stock. Cover with foil, then lid.
Cook 3 hours. Remove meat from bones and shred (discard tough connective tissue). Strain sauce and reduce until thick, about 10 minutes. Put meat back in sauce and heat through. Scoop meat onto spoons. Top with a small dollop of Horseradish Creme and a few chopped chives. Arrange in a circle.
Horseradish Creme
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish sauce
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese or sour cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together horseradish, mascarpone, mustard, and juice until mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Yield: about 1-1/4 cups
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Beet and Herbed Goat Cheese Napoleon with Watercress, Orange, and Almond Salad
Salads Recipes
Preparation Time: 60 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 2 hours
Yield: Yield: 6 servings
- 6 medium beets
- 1 cup goat cheese (or substitute ricotta)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups watercress
- 2 oranges, supremed (see below)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced almonds, toasted
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place beets in a roasting pan with 1/4 inch of water. Seal tightly with aluminum foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, slip off and discard skins. Slice beets thinly (1/8 inch) by hand or with a mandoline. For uniform pieces, trim each beet slice with a small round or square cookie cutter.
In a small bowl, combine goat cheese, chives, and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, combine orange juice concentrate, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to mix. Add watercress and orange segments and and toss gently.
Place one beet slice in center of salad plate. Place a teaspoon or so of cheese mix in center. Place second beet on top and push gently to force cheese out to edge. Repeat with as many layers as you like (three or four work well). Make five more servings. Scatter watercress and orange salad around beets on each plate. Sprinkle with almonds.
How to Supreme an Orange
To cut a citrus fruit so that you get clean, membrane-free segments, or cut "supreme," start by slicing 1/2 inch off the top and bottom. Then slicing from cut end to cut end, carefully remove the outer white pith. With a small knife, carefully remove each individual segment, leaving no pith or membrane attached.
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Tourtieres
Pies and Pastries Recipes | Meat Recipes
Preparation Time: 60 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 90 minutes
Yield: Yield: 6 servings
We borrowed this Christmas Eve treat from our Quebecois friends and gave it a twist by creating individual servings. Accompanied by a salad, this is a filling lunch or dinner (and you can make it ahead and freeze it).
- 1/4 pound ground pork
- 1/4 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup beef or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pastry Dough
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook pork and beef in oil 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, celery, and carrot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Add stock, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mustard and cook another 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid is gone. Stir in bread crumbs and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool to room temperature.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a muffin tin generously with nonstick cooking spray. Roll out pastry dough to 1/4-inch thickness. With a 5-inch biscuit cutter, cut 6 rounds of dough. Cut remaining dough into 6 rounds with a 2- or 3-inch biscuit cutter. Line muffin tins with larger rounds of dough. Fill with meat mixture. Top with smaller rounds of dough.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove from muffin tin and serve with a small salad.
Pastry Dough
- 2 -1/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup cold water, divided
Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and a pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and pulse until butter is the size of a pea. Add half the water and pulse. Add remaining water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing, just until dough comes together. Form a ball and refrigerate 20 minutes.
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Chocolate-Dipped Fruit
Fruit Recipes | Candy Recipes
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 90 minutes
Yield: Yield: about 3 dozen pieces
Without a tremendous amount of effort, this dessert will make a lasting impression. Older children can get into the act and have fun helping out.
- 8 ounces dark chocolate
- 8 ounces milk chocolate
- 8 ounces white chocolate
- 8 ounces strawberries, stems on
- 8 ounces cherries, stems on
- 8 ounces dried apricots
- Chopped pistachios
- Chopped almonds
- Toasted coconut
In separate containers, melt dark, milk, and white chocolates, either in your microwave or in a double boiler on your stovetop. Dip each piece of fruit into your favorite chocolate until well coated. Roll in chopped nuts or coconut to taste. Place on a sheet of waxed paper and chill at least 1 hour.
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