Sunshine is peeking through and the weather is warming… which means spring is here! I love the delicate spring vegetables that are popping up in the grocery aisle and I thought this buttered radish and baby carrot appetizer would look adorable (and taste delicious) at any springtime soiree. It would also make amazing edible centerpieces, don’t you think? It’s inspired by a dish I tried at a Dallas restaurant, Proof and Pantry, and I think part of what makes it so special is serving it in a clear vase with the tops of the vegetables peeking out of the ‘soil’. I hope you try it, along with these other easy appetizers and small bites. And don’t wait until you have to entertain, all three recipes would make a delicious light weeknight dinner!
Mini Asparagus Phyllo Tarts
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 mini phyllo cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg white
- 3/4 cup half and half
- dozen stalks of asparagus, blanched and chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
- 2 tbsp basil pesto
- 1 green onion, chopped
- generous pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375. Whisk the eggs, half and half, and basil pesto.
- Add half the cheese, asparagus, green onion and salt, and pepper.
- Fill each tart, almost to the top, with the asparagus mixture.
- Top with a little cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes until cheese bubbles. Serve immediately.
Keywords: Asparagus Phyllo Tarts
Fava Bean Hummus
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups shelled fava beans
-
2 cups shelled edamame
-
1 – 15 oz jar canned chickpeas
-
1/4 cup tahini
-
1/4 cup water
-
2 garlic cloves, minced
-
Juice of 1 lemon
-
1 tsp salt
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides, taste for seasoning and pulse until completely incorporated. Serve with vegetables or pita chips.
Keywords: Fava Bean Hummus
Radishes in Edible Dirt
Ingredients
- 1/2 loaf Pumpernickel bread
- 1/2 cup roasted and salted pistachios
- 8 oz very good quality butter, room temperature
- 1 bunch radishes (Easter radishes, mini, or trip colored are especially beautiful)
- 1 bunch baby carrots (these are not the small carrots you can buy washed and peeled in a bag, but rather the petite and sweet baby carrots with the tops on)
- generous pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse pumpernickel until it resembles crumbled dirt.
- Place on a baking sheet and spread out. Allow to dry overnight.
- Pulse the pistachios as well and place them in a separate container.
- The following day, melt two tablespoons of butter in a large pan and fry the crumbled bread until it is fragrant and crispy. Remove and cool.
- Toss with the pistachios, then fill the mixture into a large, clean, flower vase or pot.
- Whip the softened butter until light and fluffy. Sprinkle sea salt and taste. It should taste perfectly salty and creamy.
- Dip the radishes and carrots in the whipped butter, then sprinkle finely with sea salt.
- Dig a little hole in the bread ‘dirt’ and bury the vegetables.
Keywords: Radishes in Edible Dirt
