Cookbook showcase The Big Book of Appetizers By Meredith Deeds and Carla Snyder Chronicle Books $19.95 352 pages Halloween is meant to be scary, but for parents or those trusted with answeringdoor duty on trick-or-treat night, finding the time and energy to fix and eat a meal among the festivities can be downright frightening. Meredith Deeds and Carla Snyder offer a solution to this one terror-inducing part of Halloween. These culinary instructors and former caterers wrote “The Big Book of Appetizers” with more than 250 recipes for any occasion, including a hectic night when small dishes, easily consumed between doorbell rings or trick-or-treat shepherding throughout the neighborhood, are just the thing. This book isn’t just for Halloween. Their claim of recipes for any occasion is backed up with recipes from soup to nuts. Yes, soup served in shot glasses for a portable portion. The chapters include basics for setting up a cocktail/appetizer party, along with a host of themed menus from a Super Bowl Party to a Summer Picnic. Other chapters include Nuts, Nibblers and Cheese, Seafood, Salsas, Dips and Spreads, Libations, Meat, Poultry and Eggs. Appetizers are often my favorite part of the meal and this book gives any cook a host of ideas for parties or for a meal, if you make one or two of the small dishes. The recipes range from the simple and expected like Hot and Spicy Buffalo Wings to the exotic like Timbales of Scallop and Sole with Lemon Beurre Blanc and Melted Leeks. Ethnic choices run the gamut from Greek -- Pita Nachos with Hummus and Greek Salsa to Thai -- Spicy Red Curry Beef -- to Spanish –Spanish Tortilla. Each recipe has a introduction, giving the recipe’s background or some tips on alternative ingredients. The book’s two drawbacks: No photos – and I’d love to see what some of these look like – and the ingredient lists are in a rather small, italic type. The design looks nice, but it’s a little hard to read. I tried two recipes that seemed perfect for a Halloween evening: Oven-Fried Chicken Lollipops and Taco Popcorn. Match these with a dip and vegetables for a good Halloween trick. The chicken came out moist and tender from its buttermilk bath with a crunchy outside. The chicken was good hot or cold. And while I’m not sure popcorn needs flavoring, this was an easy, tasty snack that I’ll make again. Oven-Fried Chicken Lollipops
30 chicken wing drumettes 2 cups buttermilk 1 teaspoon salt, divided 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cups panko crumbs ( Japanese bread crumbs) ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder Run a sharp paring knife around the bone at the narrow end of a drumette to separate the skin and tendons and push the meat down toward the thick end to form a ball at the end of the bone. You now have a “lollipop.” Repeat with the remaining drumettes. Place the chicken, buttermilk, and ½ teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the butter on a large baking sheet and place in the oven to melt. Remove from the oven and set aside. Combine the panko crumbs, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne and garlic powder in a large plastic bag. Lift the chicken pieces out of the buttermilk and, 3 at a time, drop into the bag and shake to coat. Place the chicken on the pan, meat end down. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Test kitchen notes: It was much easier than I had anticipated to make the “lollipops.” I did end up cooking them more than the time specified in the recipe. – about double. Taco Popcorn ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons chili powder ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/3cup unpopped popcorn kernels 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted In a small bowl, combine the salt, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and cayenne. Set aside. Heat the oil with 3 popcorn kernels in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat cover, until 1 or 2 kernels pop. Quickly add the remaining popcorn and cook, covered,
shaking the pan frequently, until the popping stops, about 3 minutes. Drizzle the butter over the hot popcorn in a large bowl, and toss to coat. Then toss with the spice mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.