Distinctly Montana Magazine

d i s t i n c t ly m o n ta n a • w i n t e r 2 0 1 5 44 Kitchen Guy Kitchen Guy Kitchen Guy Mer ry Mini Me als thErE'S aN app(EtIzEr) for that! 'T is the season to be hungry. Holiday partygoers generally want to be fed and I've got a few suggestions that are easy to make and won't have that telltale store-bought look. For several years, between November 1 and December 23, I used to offer what I called a "Holiday Rescue Menu." It consisted of side dishes and desserts one might serve at a holiday meal or dinner party during the holiday season. And while the sides and sweets sold well, I received more requests for appetizers and small plates, a trend that was right in line with the tapas craze a few years back. So here is my holiday season take on small plates and appetizers. These are miniatur- ized versions of full-sized entrées, salads and first courses from my recipe archive. Three suggestions for this year's parties: mINI Crab CakES The secret to a great crab cake is to ensure that it contains mostly crab and not too many fillers like breadcrumbs and mayonnaise. While I use mayo and breadcrumbs, I put in only the bare minimum, using each for its binding qualities (along with an egg yolk). Crab has a natural sweetness to it, so I like to balance that with a little heat, both internally and externally. My recipe includes finely diced jalapeños as part of the mix, and an ancho chili aioli as a topper. I settled on ancho chili powder because of its own quality of background sweetness and gentle spicy heat. CapréSè SkEWErS I've nicknamed this one "Christmas on a Stick" because of the bright red of the cherry tomatoes and vi- brant green of the fresh basil, as well as the snow-white mozzarella balls. This creation comes from my favorite summertime salad. My full-sized version of Caprésè includes a sprinkling of the most fragrant and fruity olive oil I can find, along with a few dots of thickened balsamic syrup. It may not be possible to have the latter with the skewers, but don't pass up the opportunity to give the mozzarella balls a quick soak in the best extra virgin olive oil you have. mINI LatkES The most well-known dish used in celebrating Cha- nukah is latkes–potato pancakes. It's traditional to serve them with applesauce and sour cream, but a few years ago, I created my "Latke Napoleon," using apple jam in- stead of applesauce; crème frâiche instead of sour cream; and garnishes of caviar and chives. When making the mini-latkes for pass-around appe- tizers, I put out half with the apple jam and the other half with the crème frâiche and caviar. You can substitute shredded zucchini and carrots for the potatoes, but no matter which vegetable you use, it's absolutely critical that you squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible, otherwise you'll have a splatter-fest on your stove and pancakes that don't hold together. It took me about an hour or so to put together these three appetizers, with enough of each to serve eight. Here's hoping that your Christmas, Chanukah, and New Year are filled with happiness, health and flavor. by ChEf JIm gray kItChEN guy'S mINI Crab CakES IngrEdIEntS 1 lb. lump crabmeat, preferably pasteurized 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced ½ red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (divided use) 4 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise 2 eggs, lightly beaten and thinned with a little water canola or peanut oil MEthod In a large bowl mix the crabmeat with the jalapeño, red bell pep- per, Old Bay seasoning, and about 3 Tbsp. of the breadcrumbs. Then mix in the 2 Tbsp. of the mayonnaise, adding more if needed. Form about 16 crab cakes (about 1 oz. each) and put them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and let them "cure" in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Also note that at this point you can freeze the mini crab cakes to make at a later date. Set up a dredge of the beaten eggs and the rest of the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a large skillet and coat the crab cakes in the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Lightly fry the cakes. Be careful because they cook very quickly. Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve with a spicy aioli (4 Tbsp. mayonnaise; 1 Tbsp. garlic powder; 2 Tbsp. chili powder of your choosing. Mix well.)

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