Preheat the oven to 350°F. Very carefully place one sheet of phyllo pastry on a work surface and cover the remaining sheets with a damp kitchen towel to keep them moist. Brush the oil or melted butter over the surface of the sheet and cover with another sheet of phyllo. Brush with more oil or butter and repeat with another 2 phyllo sheets so you have 4 layers. With the tip of a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, carefully cut the layered sheets into 3 segments from top to bottom and then slice from left to right at the midway point to make 6 total squares. Slice each square in half to make a total of 12 phyllo rectangles. Tuck the phyllo into 12 medium muffin cups, making sure the bottoms are flat. Bake until crispy and golden, 10 to 12 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn.
Spoon the mackerel mousse into the phyllo cups and garnish with additional chives.
CRUSTLESS SMOKED SALMON QUICHES
These fuss-free, delicious quiches will go missing from a party tray in no time. They can be cooked in advance and kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days to be reheated when required. Resist the urge to add much, if any, salt as the smoked salmon and capers already do the job for you. Serves 6 to 12 G
4 large eggs
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons fresh dill, plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons grainy or Dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces smoked salmon, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 24 mini muffin cups with butter. In a large bowl, gently beat the eggs. Stir in the sour cream, capers, dill, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, green onions, and pepper. Mix in the smoked salmon. Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups and bake until the quiches are set, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before unmolding. Serve garnished with additional dill, if desired.
FALAFELS WITH ASPARAGUS HUMMUS
Very popular in the Middle East, falafels are often fried in copious amounts of oil. This baked version saves a bunch of calories but retains all the flavor. You could also use a store-bought hummus. Serves 6 to 12 V, F
Falafel:
1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup tightly packed chopped flat- leaf parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper juice of 1/2 lemon
Hummus:
1/2 bunch green asparagus (about 1/2 pound), woody ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
juice of 1/2 lemon
a dash or two of cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and black pepper
For the Falafel: Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight or at least several hours.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and transfer to a food processor along with the remaining falafel ingredients. Process until the mixture is grainy but not a paste. You want a texture similar to bottled minced garlic. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours. This helps the falafels hold together during baking.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the chickpea mixture among 24 mini muffin cups, making sure to firmly pack each muffin mold to ensure they hold together during cooking. Bake until set and golden on top, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before unmolding.
For the Hummus: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the asparagus to the pot, return the water to boil, and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to the ice water and let sit for 5 minutes. This helps keep the asparagus bright green and prevents it from going mushy. Add the edamame to the pot of boiling water, return to a boil, and cook until the beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer the edamame to a food processor. Drain the asparagus well, pat dry with a paper towel, and add to the food processor along with the garlic, tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, if using, and salt and black pepper to taste. Blend until the asparagus is broken down. With the processor running, pour in the olive oil through the feed tube and process until smooth and the asparagus is no longer fibrous, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more oil if needed to reach the desired consistency. Serve with the falafels.
PANCETTA CUPS WITH FIG JAM
Pancetta is Italian bacon that’s cured with salt, but not smoked. Most well-stocked deli counters now carry it. Look for pancetta that comes in a cylinder (sausage) shape, which will make perfect-size rounds when sliced. But request that your pancetta is not sliced paper thin so it can be stuffed into the muffin molds without falling apart. Serves 6 to 12 G
4 ounces chopped dried Mission figs (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
24 slices pancetta (not paper-thin)
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the figs and apple cider to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Transfer the figs and cider to a blender or food processor along with the honey, cinnamon, and lemon juice, and puree until smooth.
Snugly fit the slices of pancetta into 24 mini muffin
