I'll Drink to That.

A new leaf: Puff pastry pizza squares with balsamic duxelles
Monday, December 3, 2007

Vegetarian recipes from recently released cookbooks:

"Great Bar Food at Home," by Kate Heyhoe (Wiley, 2007)

Book cover.

Ever dress up and go hungry to a fancy event, only to find that all the hors d'oeuvres are speckled with (or entirely made of) meat? Most of the recipes in this new bar food collection -- like the skewer pictured on the cover -- do involve meat and seafood, but there are plenty of veggie options. The book also has an impressive diversity of food influences, with offerings such as "cocoa nib wine points with pasilla spice," "ghee toasted almonds" and "lighter-than-air nori squares." For those entertaining vegetarians at home: No meat? No sweat.

-- Evelyn Shih
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Puff pastry pizza squares with balsamic duxelles

* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons minced shallot or onion
* 2 large cloves garlic, minced
* 6 ounces finely chopped portobello mushrooms
* 1 teaspoon soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
* Salt to taste
* 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
* 3 tablespoons prepared sun-dried tomato pesto
* 3 to 4 ounces brie, rind removed
* 1 scallion, chopped (both white and green parts)

To make duxelles, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms release their juices and most of the liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and vinegar and continue cooking until the liquid is absorbed, another 2 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Thaw the puff pastry according to manufacturer's directions (usually about 30 minutes). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Unfold the pastry sheet. Slice through the folds and across the sheet, cutting the pastry into 9 squares. Arrange the pastry pieces on an ungreased baking sheet. On each piece, smear some tomato pesto, then top with duxelles, followed by a lump of brie, and sprinkle with scallions.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the pastry puffs and browns and the cheese melts. Let the pastries rest a few minutes, then serve hot or at room temperature.

Servings: 3.

Copyright © 2007 North Jersey Media Group Inc.