Filippo Berio - Appetizers & Snacks Archives

Strawberry-Orange-Vanilla Breakfast Smoothie

Supercharge your morning smoothie with protein-packed tofu and heart-healthy olive oil. You’ll amp up the nutritional profile as well as the flavor.

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve in a chilled glass.

Sweet Potato Hummus

Here, a microwave “roasts” the sweet potato quickly and easily. Then, the soft flesh is puréed with hummus mainstays–chickpeas, tahini, and garlic–for a spread that is at once sweet and savory.

Pierce the skin side of the sweet potato a handful of times with a fork and then place on a large plate. Microwave on high until the sweet potato is completely tender and soft, about 5 minutes.
Flip the sweet potato over and let cool to room temperature.
Scoop the sweet potato flesh into a food processor along with the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, and spices. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream and then add water, 1 Tbs. at a time, until the mixture is smooth.
Season the hummus with more salt and Aleppo pepper to taste, drizzle with olive oil, and serve; or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Smoky Spanish Almonds

Position a rack in the center of the oven and and heat to 400°F.
In a medium bowl, toss the almonds with the olive oil and ½ tsp. of the salt. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until the almonds become fragrant and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
While the almonds are cooking, in a large bowl, mix the remaining salt, sugar, thyme, pimentón, and cumin. Add the roasted almonds and toss well.
Transfer to a bowl and serve.

Pimentón and cumin give these roasted nuts a pleasant Iberian flair. You can make larger batches of this recipe, roast, cool, and then hold in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Kale Chips with Toasted Lemon Zest

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375°F.
Pile the kale on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the kale and then season very lightly with salt.
Spread the kale evenly on the baking sheet and roast until it has begun to steam and dry around the edges of the leaves, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, toss the kale, keeping it evenly distributed, and rotate the baking sheet to ensure even cooking. Continue to roast until the kale is dark green and shatteringly crisp, 7 to 10 minutes more. Some of the
edges may begin to brown. Serve hot or at room temperature soon after roasting.

Tips:

Wash and dry the kale leaves well in advance of roasting to ensure that they are completely dry.
Serve these highly snackable chips in a wide, shallow dish, or cool to room temperature in a single layer so they don’t steam and become soggy. Either way, serve soon after roasting.

Olive Oil Popcorn with Rosemary and Parmigiano-Reggiano

Heat a large (8-qt.) heavy-duty Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add 3 Tbs. oil and a couple of popcorn kernels, cover, and cook until the popcorn pops, about 3 minutes.
Add the remaining popcorn kernels and cook, occasionally shaking the pot, until most of the kernels pop and the rate of popping almost completely slows, about 3 minutes. Add the rosemary sprigs and toss for 15 seconds off the heat.
Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl and toss with the remaining 2 Tbs. oil, the Parmigano-Reggiano, and salt. Serve immediately.

Tip: If you have a popcorn popper, have at it, but this stovetop method is quick and easy. For the best flavor, use imported Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add the zest of one lemon if you want to give this snack a twist.

Madeira Cider Gravy

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet on medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Sear the reserved turkey neck, kidneys, and heart until golden brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove the turkey parts from the pan and discard.
Lower the heat to medium low, add the shallots, and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until softened, about 1 minute.
Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. With the heat on low, add the Madeira and cook, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the flour and stir until well combined, about 1 minute.
Add ½ cup of the reduced cider, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper, and whisk continuously until combined and beginning to thicken, about 1 minute.
Raise the heat to medium, add ½ cup of the chicken stock, and whisk continuously until the mixture comes to a low simmer and begins to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.
Continue this process until all the chicken stock is used and the gravy thickens to your desired consistency.
Serve with the turkey.

TIP: MAKE AHEAD
The gravy can be made one day ahead, stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, and gently reheated over a low flame, stirring continuously, adding more stock to loosen, if necessary.

Cranberry and Toasted Sesame Cookies

Hulled or unhulled sesame seeds can be used for these cookies. The hulled seeds have a milder flavor and more delicate bite, while the unhulled seeds will add more sesame flavor and a heartier texture.

Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, and both sugars. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sesame seeds, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Gradually add the oil mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until the batter is smooth. Blend in the cranberries.
Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the dough with sanding sugar.
Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Rotate and switch the baking sheets and bake for another 7 to 8 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the cookies are light golden on top. Place the cookie sheets on a wire tack to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to the rack and let cool completely.

Honey Macadamia Brownies

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Lightly oil an 8×8-inch baking dish on all sides, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and lightly oil the parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, eggs, honey, sugar, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the oil mixture, stirring until the batter is smooth. Stir in the chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts, scrape the batter into the baking pan, and smooth to level the top.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean.
Remove the pan to a wire rack and let cool for an hour until cool to the touch.
Run a knife around the edge of the brownies to loosen from the pan. Invert the brownies onto a cutting board.
Remove the pan and peel off the parchment paper.
Place a large flat plate on top of the brownies, and invert again so the brownies are right side up on the plate.
Cut the brownies into 12 equal pieces.

Tip: While all sugars add sweetness and moisture to baked goods, the honey here sweetens in liquid form, resulting in an even moister, chewier brownie.

Jerk Chicken with Gnocchi

The fusion of Jamaican jerk and Italian gnocchi creates a new-world comfort food with warm aromatic spices and rich flavors.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Combine 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, 2 Tbs. of the lime juice, the jerk rub, and ½ tsp. salt in a shallow bowl. Toss the chicken with the oil mixture to coat completely. Place the chicken and chopped peppers on a rimmed baking sheet, keeping them separate, each using half of the baking pan. Drizzle the peppers with 1 tsp. of the olive oil, and toss well. Roast 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken thighs are cooked through and the peppers are crisp in spots.
To make the lime juice vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together 4 Tbs. of the olive oil, 3 Tbs. of lime juice, the red onion, garlic, ½ tsp. salt, and 1¼ tsp. pepper. Reserve.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Toss the gnocchi with the lime juice vinaigrette. Add the chicken, peppers, and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt, sprinkle the cilantro over the top, and serve.

Harissa Aïoli

Put the cloves of garlic into a food processor or blender and process until finely chopped.
Add egg yolks and water and process until blended.
With the machine running, drizzle in the Robusto Extra Virgin Olive Oil very slowly until the mixture is emulsified.
Once the oil has been added, stop the machine, add the spicy harissa paste and finely chopped preserved lemon, then pulse to blend.
Transfer to a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.