Even when a snack is not impromptu, it should seem so. Guests don’t want you to go to any trouble if they agree to go back to your place after a movie or an afternoon at flea markets or garage sales, so be prepared to say, “It’s no trouble. I’ll just make some toast.” Then they will usually let you cook up something scrumptious, which you can do with a casual air thanks to recipes like these. All may be served with olives and celery sticks.
Scotch Woodcock
75 ml (1/3 cup) butter
7 egg yolks
125 ml (1/2 cup) whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
6 pieces of toast spread with Anchovy Butter (recipe below)
Melt butter in a frying pan. Beat egg yolks and cream, then pour into hot butter and stir until thick and creamy. Season and pour over toast. Serves 3 or 4.
Anchovy Butter
6 anchovy fillets or 5 ml (1 tsp) anchovy paste
125 ml (1/2 cup) butter, softened
Puree anchovies if using fillets and mix with butter. Serve on crackers or toast. Keep remainder in the refrigerator.
Hungarian Liptauer Cheese
15 ml (1 tbsp) dry mustard
15 ml (1 tbsp) water
250 g (8 oz) cottage cheese
2 ml (1/2 tsp) anchovy paste
15 ml (1 tbsp) caraway seeds
25 ml (2 tbsp) minced chives
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped capers
250 ml (1 cup) butter, softened
Paprika to garnish
Mix mustard with water and let stand for 10 minutes. Put cheese through a sieve. Add mustard, anchovy paste, caraway seeds, minced chives, capers and butter. Mix well. Spread on toast or thin slices of caraway rye bread and garnish with paprika. Makes about two cups.
Oysters in Sherry Cream
250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
125 ml (1/2 cup) dry sherry
1 L (1 quart) oysters, drained
125 ml (1/2 cup) coarse breadcrumbs
Loaf of French bread
Heat cream, add dry sherry and stir together. Pour into a warmed casserole and add the drained oysters. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover the top with buttered breadcrumbs. Put under the broiler for a few minutes—just long enough to brown the crumbs and heat the oysters (they will curl at the edges). Serve with a toasted loaf of French bread.
Susan Hallett is an award-winning writer and editor who has written for The Beaver, The Globe & Mail, Wine Tidings, and Doctor’s Review, among others. She is currently the European editor of Taste & Travel International. Email: [email protected]
