Chef Anne Burrell serves up 6 appetizers to start off Thanksgiving Day
Every dish is approved by "The View" co-hosts!
Celebrity Chef Anne Burrell helped "The View" kick off the holiday season with savory fall-inspired dishes to start off Thanksgiving Day with friends and family.
"The View" co-host approved, these appetizers are sure to impress your guests while keeping things simple in the kitchen. From figs stuffed with gorgonzola and walnuts to cappuccino panna cotta with chocolate sauce, there's something for everyone on the menu!
All recipes are courtesy of Chef Anne Burrell
Pumpkin soup with allspice whipped cream and fried leeks
"I love this soup because it's my favorite color and the garnishes bump up the fancy factor! It's also totally seasonal," Burrell said. "What could be more autumnal than a pretty pumpkin soup with spiced whipped cream and crispy leeks?"
INGREDIENTS
For the soup...
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise, washed and diced
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, cut into ½-inch dice
• 2 celery ribs, cut into ½-inch dice
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
• Kosher salt
• 2 pounds' pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice (I recommend a sugar or cheese pumpkin, or in a pinch, butternut squash)
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 cups white wine
• 2 quarts' chicken or veggie stock
• 1 thyme bundle, tied with butcher's twine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 orange, cut in half
For the fried leeks...
• Canola or other neutral-flavored oil, for frying
• 1 leek, cut into 2-inch julienne, washed Kosher salt
For the whipped cream...
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon allspice
DIRECTIONS
1. Coat a large, deep pot with olive oil; add the leeks, carrots, celery and garlic and bring to medium-high heat. Season with salt and sweat the veggies until they start to soften and are very aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin and potato and sprinkle with salt. Stir to coat the mixture with the oil and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes; add the wine and reduce by half.
2. Add the stock, thyme bundle and bay leaves. Squeeze the orange halves directly into the soup, then add both halves. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Bring to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS); cook for 35 to 40 minutes.
3. Remove and discard the orange halves, thyme bundle and bay leaves and use an immersion blending or upright blender to purée the soup. (if you're using a regular blender, cool the mixture for about 5 minutes and work in batches.) You want to purée the crap out of it! If the consistency is too thick, add a bit of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
For the fried leeks...
Heat an inch of oil in a small saucepan set over medium heat. While the oil heats, set up your drying situation next to the stove by putting a couple layers of paper towels on a baking sheet. When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the leeks until crispy and brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon and fish spatula to remove the leeks and set them on the paper towels to drain; sprinkle with salt.
To whip the cream and serve...
1. Use a hand or stand mixer -- or if you're feeling strong, a regular old whisk -- to whip the cream and allspice until the cream holds its shape in soft peaks.2. Ladle the soup into service bowls, top with a dollop of the whipped cream, and garnish with friend leeks.
Bacon-wrapped dates with chorizo and Manchego
Makes: 12 pieces | Time: About 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
• 12 Medjool dates, pitted
• ½ pound Manchego, cut into 12 rectangle logs
• 3 links fresh chorizo, casings removed
• 6 slices of bacon, cut in half
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Make an incision lengthwise in each date, open it up and flatten.
3. Place a piece of Manchego in the center of each date.
4. Break each chorizo link into quarters. Form each piece of chorizo into a log that is the length of the date and squish it onto the Manchego. Close the date around the filling and squeeze to secure. Wrap each date with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
5. Place all the dates on a baking sheet, transfer to the oven, and roast for 7 to 8 minutes or until the bacon is starting to crisp up. Turn over the dates and roast the dates for another 7 to 8 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, combine the syrup and vinegar.
7. Remove the dates from the oven and brush them with the syrup-vinegar mixture. Return the dates to the oven and bake another 1 to 2 minutes or until they are crackly and sticky. Remove from the oven and let rest for a minute, remove the toothpicks and serve.
Sausage and pancetta-stuffed mushrooms
Makes: Approximately 30 | Time: About 20 minutes
"These mushrooms are double-stuffed with pork, so even if you think you don't like mushrooms, remember, they're just the vessel for a double dose of porky deliciousness!" Burrell said.
"I make these all the time and here's a tip: Always make a small tester patty out of the stuffing before filling all the caps. Cook the patty and taste it to make sure it's delicious. It may sound like an unnecessary step, but it's one you don't want to skip," she added. "There's nothing fun about an under-seasoned mushroom!"
INGREDIENTS
• Extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ pound pancetta, cut into ¼-inch dice
• 2 onions, finely diced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and finely chopped caps reserved
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano
• ½ cup bread crumbs
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil, add the pancetta, and bring to medium-high heat. Cook the pancetta until it starts to brown and crisp on the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onions and the red pepper and season with salt. Continue cooking until the onions are soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in the mushroom stems and rosemary and cook until the mushrooms are brown and soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the wine and cook until evaporated. Remove from the heat and cool.
4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the sausage, egg, Parmigiano and bread crumbs; add the mushroom mixture, season and mix well (if the filling seems a little dry, add¼ to½ cup water to moisten things up).
5. Make a 1- to 2-inch tester patty out of the stuffing mixture. In a small sauté pan, heat a bit of oil and cook the patty until it's done. When it's cool enough, taste your tester patty to make sure it's delicious-if it's not, re-season.
6. When your tester tastes fabulous, generously fill each mushroom cap with the stuffing mixture, and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup water into the pan to keep the mushrooms moist. Bake until the filling is cooked through and brown and crispy on top, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to serving platters.
Figs stuffed with Gorgonzola and walnuts
Serves: 6 to 8 | Time: Approximately 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
• 12 fresh Black Mission, Brown Turkish, or (in a pinch), dried figs
• High-quality balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt
• 8 ounces Gorgonzola Dolce, at room temperature
• ½ cup walnuts, quartered and toasted
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice the figs in half lengthwise, place them on a baking sheet and dig a little hole in the middle with your pinky finger. Drizzle the fig halves with 2 or 3 drops of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt.
3. Fill each fig with Gorgonzola and top with a quarter of a walnut. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
White bean puree with prosciutto
Serves: 6 to 8 | Time: About 2 hours, mostly unattended
"This is not your ordinary bean dip. A lovely combo of beans, veggies, rosemary and prosciutto makes this a simple but sophisticated twist on an old standby," Burrell said. "While I recommend cooking your own beans, popping open a can instead is totally acceptable in a pinch."
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 pound cannellini beans, soaked overnight (see opposite)
• 3 onions: 1 peeled and cut in half, 2 cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 celery rib, trimmed
• 1 carrot
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 thyme bundle, tied with butcher's twine
• Kosher salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• ½ cup prosciutto scraps, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
DIRECTIONS
1. Put the beans, onion halves, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in a large pot and cover with water -- it should come at least 2 inches above the level of the beans. Bring to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS); cook until the beans are tender when you taste them, an hour or more.
2. When the beans are cooked through, turn off the heat, season the water generously with salt, and let sit for 20 minutes. Remove the onion halves, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves and thyme and strain the beans, reserving about a cup of liquid to loosen the purée later if needed.
3. Coat a large sauté pan generously with olive oil, add the diced onion and red pepper, and bring to medium heat; season with salt and cook until the onions are soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the prosciutto and rosemary and sauté for 3 to 4 more minutes, or until the meat just begins to color. Add the beans and some of the reserved bean cooking liquid if the mixture seems dry. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes or until the beans are just warm.
4. Transfer everything to a food processor and purée until smooth, adding a bit of olive oil or reserved cooking liquid to loosen the purée if necessary. Taste, adding more salt if needed.Serve on bread or wherever bean dip is needed. BEAN there, done that!
Cappuccino panna cotta with chocolate sauce
Serves 4 | Time: Approximately 30 minutes active and at least 2 hours to chill
INGREDIENTS
For the panna cotta...
• 4 sheets of gelatin
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean
• 1⁄2 cup chocolate-covered espresso beans, for garnish
For the chocolate sauce
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
DIRECTIONS
For the panna cotta...
1. In a small bowl of cool water, submerge the gelatin sheets to soften. They will go from stiff to soft, kind of like the texture of a giant contact lens. Feel one -- it's SO cool!
2. In a small saucepan, combine the cream, sugar and espresso powder. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise down one side, open it up and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife. Add the seeds and the hull to the pan. Whisk to combine everything.
3. Bring the cream mixture to a boil and then immediately turn off the heat. Remove the softened gelatin sheets from the water and squeeze out the excess water. Add the gelatin sheets to the pan and whisk to combine.
4. Immediately ladle the cream mixture into four 6-ounce ramekins and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
For the chocolate sauce...
1. Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a boil (BTB).
2. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate chips, heavy cream, butter and corn syrup. Place the bowl on top of the pan of water (this is a double-boiler setup). Reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir until the chocolate has melted and all the ingredients are combined. Remove and use immediately or store in a warm place until ready to use.
To unmold the panna cotta...
1. Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Run a paring knife around the outside edge of the panna cotta to loosen it. Set each ramekin in the saucepan for 10 seconds. Place a small serving plate on top of each ramekin and flip it over to unmold the panna cotta. If it doesn't release, put the ramekin in the water for a few seconds more and try again.
2. To serve, ladle a couple tablespoons of the chocolate sauce around the panna cotta and sprinkle with a few chocolate-covered espresso beans.
NOTE: If you can't find gelatin sheets, you can substitute powdered gelatin, but first you need to "bloom" it in water -- which just means dissolving it in a little bit of water until it looks sort of like jelly. It takes only a few minutes. Then you need to dissolve it with your hot liquid -- it's easy, but sheets are a lot more fun. To use powdered gelatin in this recipe, first bloom one 1⁄4-ounce envelope in 2 tablespoons water, then add it to the mix and you're back to business as usual.
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