peppers | A Fork In Each Hand

Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Crostini

I came up with this appetizer, Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Crostini, while trying to think of a flavorful appetizer I could offer on Thanksgiving. The result is a tasty bite with layers of delicious flavor. Baguette slices are toasted and topped with basil, roasted red pepper, smoked gouda, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. This is an appetizer that can be made quickly if you are having a party or need a bite in a pinch. Come Thanksgiving, I hope I can steal a couple of minutes with the oven to make this because it is so tasty. I used roasted red peppers to save time but if you have fresh peppers on hand, roasting them is super easy (see below). When it comes to cheese, smoked gouda is my favorite hands down but any other smoked cheese will work here as well. This crostini is versatile too – consider tomato and mozzarella or apple and Gruyère here in place of the red pepper and gouda to make for an equally delicious appetizer. I have no doubt these will be a hit with both your vegetarian and meat-eating guests at your next get-together.

Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Crostini (makes 12 appetizers):

1/2 French baguette
12 pieces jarred roasted red peppers (about 1 1/2 inch in size)
12 small fresh basil leaves
12 smoked gouda cheese slices cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 lemon

Note: To make your own roasted red peppers, cut fresh red peppers in half, remove seeds and ribs, flatten, and broil for 15 minutes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place blackened peppers in a sealed zip-top plastic bag seal and let stand 15 minutes. Remove from bag, peel, and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

The ingredients:

Preheat the broiler. Cut bagette into 1/4 inch slices and put into a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and place under broiler for a few minutes until golden brown.

Meanwhile, pour balsamic vinegar into a small pan and bring to a boil over medium-heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until liquid reduces by half (about five minutes).

Remove bagette slices from the oven and top each piece with a piece of roasted red pepper and basil.

Cut lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the basil. Top each basil leaf with a slice of gouda cheese.

Place under the broiler until cheese melts (about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes). Move crostini to a plate and, using a spoon, drizzle balsamic glaze over each crostini. Serve warm.

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Me! 🙂

Caribbean Chicken Kebabs with Lime-Cayenne Butter

I’ve been wanting to make these Caribbean Chicken Kebabs for a while now but since I live in a condo and can’t have a charcoal grill on my deck, I decided to pull out my Cuisinart Griddler and do a little indoor grilling. I’m sure the taste is much better on an outdoor grill but I’ll tell you what, these were still pretty darn good. The marinade of fresh orange juice, soy, ginger and garlic gives the chicken a little flavor and the grilling brings out the natural flavors of the crisp peppers, sweet pineapple and juicy cherry tomatoes deliciously. The Lime-Cayenne Butter gives these kebabs the slightest bit of acidity and heat but there is something about smothering fresh vegetables and lean chicken with a stick of butter that just doesn’t seem right to me. A sprinkle of cayenne and a squeeze of a few limes before grilling still would have provided flavor with much less fat.