Holiday Cocktails

Snacks

Tomato Toast

INGREDIENTS

6 oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ cups tomato puree, at room temperature or slightly warm.

2 garlic cloves, halved

6 thick slices crusty white bread (such as country bread), well toasted

Smoked sea salt

PREPARATION 

Whisk anchovies and oil in a small bowl. Rub halved garlicg cloves on one side of hot toasts, then drizzle evenly with anchovy oil. Top with tomato puree and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve warm.

Spiced Pumpkin Seed and Cashew Crunch

INGREDIENTS

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 large egg white

1 teaspoon light agave syrup (nectar)

1/2 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 300°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Whisk egg white, agave, garam masala, salt, and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add nuts and seeds and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mixture to baking sheet, letting excess egg drip back into bowl. Bake, tossing once, until mixture is golden brown, 20–25 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet.

Spinach Puffs

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1/4 cup minced onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped dill

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounces package), thawed, rolled out to a 12" square, kept chilled

Equipment

A standard 6-cup muffin pan

Preparation

Using your hands, squeeze spinach until dry, forcing out as much water as possible (too much water will make for a soggy filling; you should have about 2/3 cup well-drained spinach). Mix spinach and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg to blend; fold into spinach mixture.

Cut puff pastry into 3 equal strips. Reserve 1 strip for another use. Cut each remaining strip into 3 squares for a total of 6. Place a square in each muffin cup, pressing into bottom and up sides and leaving corners pointing up. Divide filling among cups. Fold pastry over filling, pressing corners together to meet in center. DO AHEAD: Spinach puffs can be assembled 3 hours ahead. Cover puffs and chill.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Beat remaining egg to blend in a small bowl. Brush pastry with egg wash (this will give the pastry a nice sheen). Bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let puffs cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a sharp paring knife around pan edges to loosen; turn out puffs onto rack to cool slightly before serving.

Cocktails

Fireside

Ingredients 

4 oz Grey Goose vodka 

1 oz organic maple syrup 

1 sprig rosemary 

5 oz pink grapefruit juice 

1 pinch of salt

Instructions In the bottom of a rocks glass briefly crush the rosemary leaves into the maple syrup and salt. Fill glass with ice and add the vodka. Top with fresh pink grapefruit juice and salt and stir well. Garnish with an extra sprig of rosemary.

Santa’s Turn Up

Ingredients 1.5 oz Makers Mark 46 or other good Whiskey

 .25 oz Oloroso sherry

 .25 oz Benedictine

Instructions Stir all ingredients together over ice. Strain into coupe glass and garnish with orange peel.

Home for the Holidays

Ingredients

 2 oz gin 

.75 oz lemon juice 

.75 oz cranberry juice 

4 dashes Angostura bitters 

1 egg white 

Cloves

Instructions Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin, add ice, shake and strain into a coupe, garnish with a single clove.