Endive Spears with Lobster, Avocado, and Grapefruit

Makes 30-32 servings

Ingredients

• · 3 pink grapefruit, peel and pith removed
• · 3 avocado, peeled and pitted
• · 3 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• · 9 ounces cooked lobster meat
• · 12 heads Belgian endive (about 8 ounces)
• · Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• · 9 fresh tarragon

Directions

1. Using a small paring knife, remove sections from grapefruit. If sections are too large, cut in half crosswise. Set aside.

2. Slice avocado into 1/8-inch-thick slices; cut slices into 1-inch lengths. Toss in bowl with lemon juice, and set aside.

3. Cut lobster into bite-size pieces; set aside.

4. Trim bottoms from endives; separate spears. Place a grapefruit section on top of each endive spear. Top with piece of avocado, then a piece of lobster. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with tarragon. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

Shrimp, Pork, and Sugar Snap Pea Spring Rolls

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients

• · 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more as needed and for frying
• · 1/2 pound ground pork
• · 1/2 cup minced onion
• · 1/4 cup minced celery
• · 1/4 cup finely grated carrot
• · 3 garlic cloves, minced
• · 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• · 1/2 cup grated cabbage (3 ounces)
• · 1/2 cup sugar snap peas (2 ounces), thinly sliced
• · 1/2 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined, thinly sliced crosswise
• · Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• · 10 pring-roll wrappers (8-inch square)
• · 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
• · 1 tablespoon water
• 
  
• · Rice-Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Directions

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add pork, and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove pork with a slotted spoon.

2. Add onion to pan, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add celery, carrot, garlic, and fish sauce, and cook until vegetables are softened, about 2 minutes. Add cabbage, sugar snap peas, and shrimp, and cook until shrimp is pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in reserved pork. Season with salt and pepper, and let cool slightly.

3. Stack spring-roll wrappers, and cut into quarters. (You should have forty 4-inch squares.)

4. Whisk yolk and water in a small bowl. Place 1 wrapper on a work surface, with 1 corner facing you. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp kitchen towel.) Arrange 1 tablespoon filling in a mound in center of wrapper. Fold bottom corner over filling, then fold in sides halfway. Roll wrapper to form a tight cylinder, leaving top corner exposed. Brush top corner with egg wash, and press to seal. Cover with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining ingredients. (Spring rolls can be frozen for up to 1 month; do not thaw before cooking.)

5. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in large, heavy skillet until it reaches 350 degrees. Working in batches, add spring rolls, seam side down, and fry, turning frequently, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep oil at a steady temperature; add more oil if needed.) Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Rice Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

Makes 1/2 cup

· 1/2 cup unseasoned rice-wine vinegar

· 1 small green chile, such as serrano, seeded and thinly sliced

Directions

1. Combine vinegar and chile in a small bowl. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour before serving (or for up to 2 hours.

Herbed Cheese with Pears, Pine Nuts, and Honey

Makes 32 servings

Ingredients

• · 16 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
• · 24 tablespoons pine nuts
• · 48 ounces fresh goat cheese, room temperature
• · 8 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
• · 16 teaspoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• · 4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• · 16 ripe but firm Bartlett pears
• · 16 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons flavorful honey, such as buckwheat, chestnut, or leatherwood

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ricotta in a fine sieve set over a bowl; let excess liquid drain, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until lightly browned, tossing occasionally, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool.

2. In a food processor or medium bowl, mix together goat cheese and drained ricotta until creamy and thoroughly combined. Stir in thyme, parsley, and lemon zest; set aside.

3. Slice each pear into six wedges. Divide herbed cheese among four serving plates, spooning it into mounds. Arrange three pear wedges next to cheese on each plate. Sprinkle with nuts; drizzle about 2 teaspoons honey over each portion of cheese and pears. Serve immediately.

Cranberry Soup

Healthy Christmas Recipe

Whether you serve it hot or cold, the complex sweet-tart-spicy flavor of this cranberry soup will begin any meal on a good note. Despite its rich taste, the use of evaporated skim milk keeps fat content to a minimum.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh cranberries (4 cups)
• 1 large cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup sugar or less, depending on tartness of cranberries
• 2 cups evaporated skim milk
• 1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt
• Nutmeg

Directions:

Place cranberries and cinnamon stick in large saucepan.

Add water to level about 1/2 inch above the berries. Heat to a boil at medium heat; reduce heat and simmer until cranberries are very tender and begin to fall apart. Remove cinnamon stick.

Pour cranberry mixture into blender. Puree, slowly adding sugar to taste. Strain.

Place cranberry mixture and evaporated milk in saucepan; reheat to just under a boil. Serve hot or cold. To serve, top with a tablespoon of yogurt and a dash of nutmeg.

Recipe makes 4 servings Cranberry Soup.

White Bean-and-Black Olive Crostini

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 (8.5-oz.) French bread baguette, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 (15.5-oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup diced jarred roasted red bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Garnish: torn basil leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet, and coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper. Bake 8 minutes or until toasted.

2. Process beans and next 3 ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Toss together olives and next 2 ingredients. Spread bean mixture on toasted bread slices, and dollop with olive mixture. Garnish, if desired.

Holiday Ambrosia

Makes 30-34 servings

Ingredients

· 3 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
· 3 cup (8 ounces) plain yogurt
· 1-1/2 cup lime juice
· 6 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained
· 3 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
· 4-1/2 cups halved green grapes
· 4 cups flaked coconut
· 3 cup miniature marshmallows
· 3 cup chopped pecans
· 1-1/2 cup halved maraschino cherries, drained

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the milk, yogurt and lime juice. Stir in the remaining ingredients. 

Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

Garde Manger Project

Winter Wonderland Menu

Soup

Chilled Cranberry Soup

Salad

Holiday Ambrosia

Hors d'œuvres

Endive Spears with Lobster, Avocado, and Grapefruit

Shrimp, Pork and Sugar Snap Spring Rolls

White Bean and Black Olive Crostini

Herbed Cheese with Pears, Pine Nuts and Honey

Dessert

Bourbon Pecan Truffles

Drinks

Iced Water with Cucumber