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Chapter 1

Starters and Nibbles

Hors d'oeuvres whet the appetite but do not satiate; they are just a "little something" to begin a meal or to nibble on between meals.

In my grandmother's rural South, dainty bites and tea sandwiches would only appear at showers and weddings. This was mostly because there was no need to stimulate the appetite of hardworking farmers and field hands. But also, perhaps, it was that hors d'oeuvres just seemed to marry so naturally with a cocktail, that forbidden elixir of hell to small-town Protestants.

As I'm neither teetotaler nor field hand, I'm glad hors d'oeuvres have become part of the modern Southern table, where they can be as highbrow as a starter of Classic Crab Cakes (page 145) or as down-home as boiled peanuts.

Some Southern hors d'oeuvres, unfortunately, partake of the "trashy" element of Southern cooking that relies on processed foods. I'm here to tell you that a bag of little smokies, a bottle of ketchup, and a jar of grape jelly combined in a slow cooker, served with a box of toothpicks on the side, is not an hors d'oeuvre. I won't be sharing recipes for canned crescent rolls with fake crab or Vienna sausages and cubes of Velveeta speared with a pretzel stick. Nor will I advise you to put out a potato chip–crusted casserole to eat on small plates and call it an hors d'oeuvre.

Because they're not everyday fare, hors d'oeuvres made for a party can require a bit of additional planning and thought. All of the recipes in this chapter have tips on making ahead to help you juggle preparation and serving. And here are a few tips that will help you plan.

Judge how much you'll need. There's a fine balance between generously feeding your guests and wasting food. Remember that the greater the variety, the more likely people are to try at least one of everything. Also, the size of serving utensils and plates is important: the larger the serving utensil, the more your guests will take (and likely not finish).

Consider the time of day. Is it a lady's tea or an afternoon shower or anevening cocktail party? For a daytime event, I suggest five or six food choices, allowing for two pieces of each per guest. At night, their appetites are telling your guests that it is dinnertime, so you need to plan accordingly. As a rule of thumb, I serve a minimum of eight different hors d'oeuvres for an evening event, planning that guests will consume four or five pieces of each. If hors d'oeuvres are served preceding a sit-down dinner, prepare five or six different choices, counting on one or two of each per guest.

Decide the type of service. A stationary buffet is certainly easier for the host, but passing the nibbles allows guests to move about and socialize. A combination of both is an excellent solution. Use six-inch plates for a buffet, even a substantial one. Standing up, it is impossible to balance both a drink and a plate that's any larger.

Create a balanced menu. Choose some simple-to-prepare dishes, such as dips, and some that need only be set out on a platter, such as cheese boards and seasoned olives. Some of my favorite hors d'oeuvres require no recipe: I arrange a country ham on a board and slice it paper thin, heap spiced nuts in a bowl, and serve halved French Breakfast radishes to spread with sexy cultured butter and sprinkle with fleur de sel. A bountiful array of lightly steamed vegetable crudités makes an attractive, tasty, and fairly inexpensive "filler" at an hors d'oeuvres buffet. Steaming or blanching the vegetables, then shocking them (plunging them in ice water to stop the cooking and set color) improves their taste and brightens their appearance.

Crispy Fried Asparagus

Makes 12

Meme loved asparagus, which she called "asparagus salad," although there wasn't anything to preparing it other than opening the familiar shiny silver can. Even though I know the flavor of canned asparagus (really, there isn't any) cannot compare to freshly cooked, I enjoy that taste memory.

The ends of fresh asparagus can be tough and woody. I prefer to slice off the last inch or two of the stem instead of snapping it off where the spear breaks naturally. Not only is it more visually appealing when all the spears are exactly the same size, but they will also cook at the same rate.

As these are best fried at the last minute, I suggest you serve them as a first course at a small dinner, not as an hors d'oeuvre at a large party.

12 thick asparagus, ends trimmed

12 very thin slices prosciutto or country ham (about 8 ounces), halved

1/4 cup canola oil, for frying, plus more if needed

1 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

1. Prepare an ice-water bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Line 2 large plates with paper towels.

2. To cook the asparagus, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and boil just until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain well in a colander and transfer to the ice bath to cool. Once cooled, place them on one of the towel-lined plates to drain and pat dry with additional paper towels.

3. To prepare the asparagus, wrap 1 piece of ham around each spear. Set aside on a plate. Heat the oil in a shallow skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

4. To dredge the spears, place the flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. Roll the ham-wrapped asparagus in the flour, dip in the eggs, and transfer to the hot oil.

5. To cook the spears, fry them, in batches, turning to cook on all sides, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the second towel-lined plate to drain. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Making Ahead: The asparagus spears can be wrapped with ham and stored in an airtight container at least 24 hours ahead. You can also prepare them completely ahead and hold them at room temperature for up to 1 hour. When ready to serve, re-crisp them in a 450°F oven for about 5 minutes.