When I was looking for an appetizer to serve at the Trifecta last Sunday, I was constrained by certain family dietary requirements. Some people would eat one thing, others could not eat others. Salad was out (don't ask) soup would be "too filling" according to my mother. What to do. What I needed was a tiny tasty bite. An "amuse bouche"was called for. But how to amuse the mouths of this crowd?
I decided on a crostini, a neat snappy little bite of toasted bread and topping. When we'd eaten at the Michelin starred Sante Restaurant, we'd been served a crostini topped with a salmon mousse. Perhaps something similar would work for me.
I went on the hunt and studied every crostini recipe I could find that contained anything these picky people would eat. Finally I stumbled across a recipe at Epicurious attributed to Bonnie Wilkins Metully of Cincinnati, Ohio. A bit of tinkering and I had adapted the recipe to my familys' Easter/Birthday/Anniversary lunch.
I wish I had a better picture to show, but my Italian dinnerware blended into the food on this one.
I used part of the loaf and gave each person 3 little crostini. I had 8 at table. This would make a great finger food for any party gathering. It has a lot going for it in that it can be made ahead and then put together in just 10 to 15 minutes. Sweet.
What did the impossible to please family think of it? They loved it. My mother wanted the recipe. I had to ask her, "Now, aren't you glad you have a kitchen?"