Hot olives, creamy goat cheese and a crisp panko crust? Yes, I’m in love. Go beyond the cheese board and crudite, think hot, toasty amuse bouchée and give your guests an extra bite that says you were expecting them.  We all know the kitchen, no matter the size, is the favorite hang out in the house. Stay a step ahead and have these sitting up on the kitchen island ready for guests arrival.  My favorite thing about these bites is that they hold well fried up to 5 hours in advance and reheated in the oven at 250F for 15-20 minutes on a rimmed cookie sheet before serving. You will look like such a kitchenista effortlessly pulling these from the oven – not a trace of flour, panko or fry pan to be seen. Grate a little parmigiano on top just as you see the first familiar face appear and bonus points if you toss in some fried parsley. Don’t you love a winter gathering? *Substitute Gorgonzola for the herbed goat cheese for a rich, earthy alternative.

Ingredients: yields 50 stuffed olives

• 50 Sicilian Olives, pitted (I like to get mine at the olive bar at the supermarket or specialty store)
• 8 oz goat cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (I like to use Allepo dried pepper)
• 1 Tbs fresh herbs, minced (rosemary, thyme and oregano are always nice)
• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil for frying
• 2 Tbs parmigiano, grated for garnish

Preparation:

• Place olives in a colander in sink to drain of excess oil.
• For the goat cheese mixture: in a small bowl, combine the cheese with mustard, red pepper, and herbs.  Mix gently with a fork.
• Using your fingers, pack cheese mixture into the olive cavern.  Wipe olive edges with fingers to keep the surface tidy.
• Prepare batter station: place flour, whisked eggs and panko in three separate, low rimmed bowls.
• Heat oil in a shallow fry pan over medium heat. I use our All-Clad Stainless Steel 3qt Sauteuse. For frying, you want the oil to be between 350-400F.  375F is ideal.
• In batches of  8-10, roll goat cheese stuffed olives in flour, dredge through eggs, and roll in panko.
• Gently place battered olives in oil.  Fry 1-2 minutes and then roll over with a slotted spoon.
• Fry another 1-2 minutes until a beautiful medium  golden brown.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain of excess oil. Repeat.
• Serve immediately or allow to cool and store in an airtight container and reheat in an oven at 250F for 20 minutes just before serving.  Garnish with fresh grated parmigiano!

Thanksgiving at the in-laws? Your mother-in-law will swoon if you walk through the door with these! Let’s face it, macarons are chic little buggers. Calories couldn’t possibly count when something is this adorable, right?!  With a few basic tools and a little finesse, macaroons are simple to execute.  Below is the my Basic Macaron Recipe.  The recipe provides a solid base structure to customize anyway you wish.  As foliage is near peak in Boston, I played up the Autumn notes.  Scroll down to see three unique flavor combinations using the same basic batter recipe.  These make great hostess gifts!  Pick up some professional white pastry boxes at your local craft store and let these sweet cakes speak for themselves the next time you walk through the door.  They’re already dressed for the party! - Anna Rossi

 

My basic Macaron Recipe

Equipment: Food Processor, Hand Mixer, Pastry Bag with 1/2″ plain round tip, Sil-Mat or Parchment Paper, Cookie Sheet

Ingredients: Makes 16 Macarons

- 3/4 cup ground almonds (flour/meal)

- 1 cup confectioners sugar

- 2 extra large egg whites

- 1/4 cup granulated sugar

- Seasoning/Flavoring of choice

- Food Coloring (optional)

- Favorite Filling

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325F.  Prepare baking sheet with a sil-mat or parchment paper, trimmed to fit. Prepare Pastry Bag with 1/2″ plain round tip.

In a food processor, combine ground almonds and confectioners sugar. Pulse 10 times to integrate and create a light, fluffy powder.

Using a hand mixer in a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites to form soft peaks.  Add desired seasoning/ flavoring and food coloring (optional).  Continue mixing and slowly add granulated sugar.  Continue mixing on medium speed until egg mixture forms stiff peaks and has a beautiful, meringue-like, sheen to the batter.

Gently fold in flour mixture to egg mixture, one third at a time, using a rubber spatula. Continue folding until the dry ingredients have completely integrated and batter resumes a beautiful, shiny quality and a ribbon like texture.

Fill pastry bag with batter and carefully pipe approx 32 small circles onto prepared cookie sheet. Before placing in the oven, lift cookie sheet and tap bottom with hand a few times to release any air in batter and help mixture settle.  Let rest  for 10 minutes before placing cookie sheet into oven.

Bake 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely.  Sandwich pairs together with desired filling. I use a ziplock bag as a pastry bag with the bottom corner snipped to make an even circle of filling on flat cookie surface. Chill macaroons until ready to serve. Enjoy within 24 hours of assembling.

**Cater your macaroons to the season with these fall inspired flavors**

 

Maple Sugar Macarons with Pumpkin Ganache and English Toffee

Maple Sugar Macarons

1 basic Macaron Recipe (see above). *Substitute 1/4 cup granulated sugar for 1/4 cup maple sugar, if available 1/2 tsp maple extract

Pumpkin Ganache: (Warning: You may want to find a private corner and consume in huge spoonfuls.  AMAZING!)

8 oz white chocolate (I like to use the Lindt Classic Recipe White Chocolate Bars found at most grocery stores), chopped

3 Tbs heavy cream

2 Tbs brown sugar

1/2 cup pureed pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I love Trader Joe’s mix)

English Toffee/Heath Bar/Almond Rocca crushed for decoration

Ganache Preparation:

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler.

In a small pot, heat heavy cream, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and spice until warm.

Remove White Chocolate from heat.  Fold in pumpkin mixture. Place mixture in pastry bag (I use a ziplock and snip a small hole in the bottom corner when I’m ready to use) and chill for 30 minutes until thickened slightly.

Pipe evenly and generously onto flat surface of cookie.

I like to use crushed English Toffee as a decoration for this tasty treat.

 

Pumpkin Pie Macarons

1 Basic Macaron Recipe (see above)

Plus 2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Seasoning

Maple Creme Filling

6 oz cream cheese, softened

3 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

1/4+ tsp maple extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners sugar

Creme Preparation: Combine all ingredients and cream with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.  Transfer to pasty bag and pipe.

 

Cumin Macarons with Citrus and Anise Mascarpone (Note: This is an unexpected flavor combination, best served to a sophisticated palate)

Cumin Macaroons:

1 basic Macaron Recipe (see above)

Plus 1/8 tsp cumin, finely ground

Citrus and Anise Mascarpone:

1/2 cup mascarpone, softened

1/3 cup citrus marmalade (orange, grapefruit and/or lemon are fantastic)

pinch ground anise

pinch ground clove

Preparation: Whip with rubber spatula until smooth. Transfer to pastry bag and pipe.

It’s the time of year again for some of New England’s favorite pasttimes! Leaf peeping, apple picking, hay rides and harvest fairs are back…oh October, how I do love you!  Nothing whets my appetite more for a Fall Elixir than crisp chilly days spent tromping around the New England outdoors in Autumn.  This year our Apres-Leaf-Peeping Cocktail is a positively delicious Maple Flirtini.  It’s rich (with spiced rum and fresh maple syrup), spicy (with fresh pressed ginger and cinnamon), bright (with lemon and bitters) and smooth (with sweet vanilla schnapps). So, fellow New Englanders, grab the fur and flannel, peep some leaves, score yourself a pumpkin, and invite the entire crew over for this wonderful libation that packs a serious autumn punch! From our table to yours, Cheers! – Anna Rossi

 

The MAPLE FLIRTINI: Serves 6 (Recipe can be doubled and makes a great punch!)

The Bar:

1 1/2 c. light spiced rum – I use Mount Gay, Capt. Morgan’s is also nice

3 c. cider - Trader Joe’s Pear Cinnamon Cider is fantastic, if you can find it, otherwise apple juice, cider or even Martinelli’s Sparkling is a great alternative

2 oz vanilla schnapps/liqueur

2 oz maple syrup

Dash of Angostura Aromatic Bitters

2 + Tbsp pressed ginger - I love extra ginger-the more the better! I also like the pulp-the drink feels a little more hearty and healthy. If you prefer a thinner drink, simply strain the juice!

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Fresh pomegranate, ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick for garnish!

*You can control how sweet the party is based on how much schnapps and syrup you add.  If you would like something a little less sweet, add just half of the vanilla schnapps and maple syrup quantity then add an extra squeeze of ginger. Spicy!

Serve shaken straight up, stirred on the rocks, or double the recipe for a crowd-pleasing punch.

Meet Anna Rossi!

Anna hails from a small island in the Pacific Northwest, a short ferry ride from Seattle,WA. She was raised as an only child by her two remarkable parents, Molly and Steve.

On a whim, she headed East for college and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in Sociology and Theater from the University of Vermont. She spent over two years abroad studying in Denmark, France, Italy and Spain. One of her most unique experiences and greatest accomplishments was walking over 750 miles on a solo trek across France and Spain on el Camino de Santiago.  It was along this dusty path that she had her first whole roasted trout, sipped from a fountain of wine and discovered her love of flan.

Anna’s favorite souvenir is a new recipe and considers FOOD to be her “hub.”  Not only does she see food as a vehicle for health and nourishment but also as a form of self expression and motivation to build community, entertain, imagine and (most importantly) dress up!  Brave Apron celebrates all things bold, tasty and whole!

Anna lives in Boston with her fantastic husband, AJ, who she met in 2006 at a dive bar around the corner.  What could be sweeter!?

Meet AJ Rossi!!

AJ was born and raised in Connecticut. Growing up in a big Italian family while spending summers along the shore, AJ developed a deeply rooted passion for seafood and cooking.  A jack of all trades, AJ has a background in genetics, cancer research, technology and publishing. He has a gift for business development and the Midas touch when it comes to start-ups.  However, like Anna, AJ’s most thought provoking part of his day is “hey, what’s for dinner”!  AJ and Anna share a true passion for cooking and love sourcing ingredients and celebrating New England’s unique culinary identity.  AJ’s “School of Shucking” taught Anna how to perfectly open both clams and oysters, how to steam the perfect lobster and has wowed her with his spear fishing abilities – she had her doubts but now will expect a fresh fish for dinner whenever he puts on his wet suit. Like the French say- appetite comes from eating… in every case, appetite always seems to come when striking up a good conversation with AJ!

Sign up to our November newsletter and see their first post, filled with seasonal recipes and personal tips.