BRUSCHETTA WITH YOGURT, BERRIES & BASIL
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 baguette, sliced diagonally into ovals
1 cup strawberries, diced
2 tablespoons basil, chiffonade plus extra for garnishing
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup plain Greek-style yogurt
2 teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Butter one side of baguette slices and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, reserving 1 tablespoon for berries. Place prepared slices on baking sheet and toast 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy.
Combine diced strawberries with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, basil and lemon juice. Toss lightly and set aside. In a separate bowl combine yogurt, honey and vanilla. To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons berry/basil mixture on toasted baguette slices. Top with a bit of the yogurt mixture and garnish with sprigs of fresh basil.
HAM, ASPARAGUS & SWISS CHEESE CRÊPES WITH MUSTARD SAUCE
INGREDIENTS:
CRÊPES:
2 eggs
1 ½ cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon parsley, minced fine
MUSTARD SAUCE:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons whole grain style prepared mustard
FILLING:
9 oz. cooked deli-style ham
2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded
1 pound blanched asparagus spears, trimmed
METHOD:
MAKE THE CRÊPE BATTER: Combine crepe ingredients in a mixing bowl using an immersion blender or wire whisk. Mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
MAKE THE CRÊPES: Spray a 7-inch non-stick skillet with pan spray and heat over medium heat. Pour ¼ cup batter into the pan. Twirl the skillet to coat the bottom of the pan evenly with batter. Cook crêpe until edges begin to brown. Loosen the crêpe edge with a heatproof spatula. Gently pick up the crêpe with fingers and flip it. Cook about 20 seconds on the second side. Transfer crêpe to a wire cooling rack. Continue cooking crêpes, coating pan with pan spray for each one.
MAKE THE SAUCE: Melt butter for sauce in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute until raw flour taste is gone. Whisk in broth and milk; bring mixture to a boil stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Reduce heat to medium and simmer sauce for 3 minutes. Whisk in mustard, salt and pepper; simmer to heat through.
ASSEMBLE CRÊPES: Preheat oven to 400 °F. Arrange sliced ham, grated Swiss and a few asparagus spears down the center of each crepe. Roll crepe into a loose cylinder and place seam side down in a buttered baking dish and bake until crepes are heated through and cheese is melted. Serve with grainy mustard sauce.
Victoria Topham, professional chef and owner of Petite Feast, owns a private chef service specializing in small private events and parties. She offers cooking classes, in-home meal planning and preparation, and customized vegetarian, gluten-free or low carb meals. In Salt Lake City, she ran a restaurant and catering business for 18 years. Vic's talents helped boost Salt Lake's culinary profile, garnering her a nomination for Food and Wine's 10 Best Chefs. Contact Victoria at petitefeastutah.com.