There's an app for that: 5 recipes that prove that appetizers can be better than the meal itself - Manhattan Mercury

It happens all the time: We go to a nice restaurant and begin our meal with an appetizer that is simply amazing. And then the rest of the meal fails to live up to it.

Maybe chefs try harder with appetizers. Maybe appetizers are where restaurants feel free to experiment with new ideas. Maybe restaurants concentrate on appetizers because they bring in more profit, relative to cost, than entrées.

Or maybe appetizers just catch us diners unaware. They are usually the first thing we eat at a restaurant, so we are impressed by how good they are. While the other dishes may be just as well-crafted, they don’t hit us with that same element of surprise.

Personally, I think appetizers are just better than entrées. To test my theory, I made five appetizers that span the spectrum from hors d’oeuvre to first course. And I was right.

The first one actually could be served in larger portions as a main course, but the restaurant where I first encountered it — the legendary the Frog and the Redneck in Richmond, Virginia — made it an appetizer. It’s all a matter of perspective.

I’m calling it grits risotto, because it cooks grits the same way you’d cook risotto.

In fact, that’s what I did; I used cornmeal instead of grits because it’s what I had on hand. To this, I added sausage and a healthy amount of shiitake mushrooms sautéed with garlic and shallots, and finished with chicken stock and butter and parmesan cheese.

On the other hand, grapes rolled in goat cheese was the easiest app I made, and perhaps the most intriguing.

You take seedless grapes and coat them in a thin layer of soft goat cheese, which you then roll in a mixture of toasted walnuts and chopped chives. That’s all there is to it, but its simplicity belies its well-balanced and complex flavors. The sweet pop of the grape is contrasted with the creamy tang of the cheese, which is mollified by the earthy nuts and the soft bite of the chives.

Next up was a salsa, but one without tomatoes. This one begins with a mixture of black beans and white beans (actually Great Northern). It gains momentum with chopped red bell pepper and red onion, is enlivened with lime juice and garlic and gets a nice kick from a jalapeño. Oregano, chili powder and cumin give it the spice it craves.

To be honest, I’ve seen prettier dishes. But the taste?

After your first bite, preferably on a tortilla chip, you think, “This isn’t bad at all.” After your second bite, you think, “This is quite good.” After your third bite, you think, “Yes, I am definitely enjoying this.”

And after your 96th bite, you think, “Who ate all the salsa and chips? Where did it go?” And you stand there feeling guilty, but inexplicably happy, when you realize what just happened.

Marinated mushrooms are always popular as an appetizer because they manage to be casual and elegant at the same time.

The ones I made lean toward the elegant because they are marinated in a liquid that is largely made up of wine. In other words, don’t use a bad wine. It doesn’t have to be especially good, but the chefs’ rule — don’t cook with wine that you wouldn’t drink — is especially important here.

I don’t want to give the wrong impression: The mushrooms aren’t marinated in wine alone. The mixture also has garlic, thyme, bay leaf, tomato paste and coriander seed in it and it is finished with olive oil, lemon juice and cilantro.

GRITS RISOTTO

1 cup stone-ground grits, polenta or coarse cornmeal

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons chicken, fish, veal or vegetable stock, divided

3 tablespoons butter, divided (2 tablespoons cut into small cubes)

Salt, to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms

Black pepper, to taste

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 small shallots or 1 large shallot, peeled and finely diced

12 ounces cooked, high-quality sausage, cut into cubes, see note

6 ounces Parmesan cheese, see note

Note: This recipe makes a restaurant-quality dish, complete with all the calories. To lower the calorie count a bit, use 10 ounces of sausage and 4 ounces of cheese.

1. Heat the grits or cornmeal and 4 cups of the stock in a medium or large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the cornmeal is soft, 20 to 35 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the butter and add salt, if necessary.

2. Meanwhile, remove stems from the mushrooms and discard. Lightly brush any dirt off mushrooms and cut caps into ¹⁄8-inch slices.

3. Heat a large, heavy pan, preferably cast iron, until it is very hot. Add oil. Add mushrooms and sauté for 30 seconds, sprinkling with salt and pepper to taste while cooking. Add garlic and shallots, but keep stirring so they do not color or burn. After 1 minute, remove from heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of stock to stop the cooking. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cubed butter and stir constantly until it is melted and thoroughly coats the mushroom mix.

4. Mix the grits or cornmeal, sausage, shiitakes and 3 ounces of the cheese. Spoon onto plates and top with the remaining cheese.

Adapted from “The Frog and the Redneck Cookbook” by Jimmy Sneed

GRAPES ROLLED

IN GOAT CHEESE

4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature

24 red or green seedless grapes, rinsed and patted dry

1/3cup finely chopped toasted walnuts

1/4 cup minced chives

Note: These may be prepared up to 6 hours in advance.

1. Divide the goat cheese into 24 equal-sized balls. With your fingers, mold the cheese around each grape until the fruit is completely covered. Keep cold.

2. Mix the walnuts and chives together in a small mixing bowl. Roll each coated grape, one at a time, in the walnut mixture until covered. Place in a single layer in a low, flat dish, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe from “The Berghoff Family Cookbook” by Carlyn Berghoff and Jan Berghoff with Nancy Ross Ryan

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound small white button mushrooms, washed and trimmed

2 cups dry white wine

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place the coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Cook a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the seeds are fragrant. Remove to a plate to cool. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder, with a mortar and pestle or by carefully crushing with a cast-iron skillet.

2. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft but not browned, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat if they begin to color. Add the thyme, coriander, bay leaf and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.

3. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt. Add the wine and tomato paste, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until soft, about 10 minutes more. Cool the mushrooms in the cooking liquid.

4. To serve, spoon the mushrooms and some of the cooking liquid into a bowl, drizzle with the lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.

Adapted from “Bistro Laurent Tourondel” by Laurent Tourondel and Michele Scicolone

BLACK AND WHITE BEAN SALSA

3 tablespoons corn oil, divided

1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed

1 (15- or 16-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15- or 16-ounce) can Great Northern beans, drained

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

3/4 cup chopped red onion

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 garlic cloves, minced, pressed or mashed

1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Note: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy, large skillet over high heat. Add corn and sauté until light brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet along with both beans, pepper, onion, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, oregano, chili powder and cumin. Cook just until spices no longer taste raw, about 2 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Adapted from “The Bon Appétit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook” by Barbara Fairchild

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