Table Talk

To get ready for this project, I picked  a few days where I made a bunch of Hors d’oeuvres to photograph, then went  to my neighbors with samples of the days’ work. My neighbors are not only my friends, they are my best guinea pigs. I can tell you this one was quite popular, and as I sit here and type a few words about them, I am craving them all over again… and now that we will have Tokyo Terrace’s “Big Red” to go with it, I think you will be very happy.

The warm, smoky flavor of the Spanish chorizo plays nicely with the creamy Boursin cheese, and crisp bite of the frisee. Spanish chorizo may be hard to find where you live. I know, because after relocating to Richmond  from San Francisco  (food mecca of the world), I was hard pressed to find a lot of things. I discovered www.latienda.com, a fantastic online source for Spanish ingredients. They are a family run business, with excellent customer service. I was pleased to learn they are just down the road from me, in Williamsburg, so now I can even take a field trip when I need to  restock.

You will find all kinds of Spanish chorizo Here, at La Tienda.

Spanish Chorizo, Boursin Cheese, and Frisee Crostini

8 ounces Boursin cheese
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 1/2-inch-thick slices of ciabatta bread
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced in half

2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 small head of frisée, tender white and light green leaves only

Preheat a grill pan. Lightly brush both sides of the bread slices with oil and grill, turning once, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer the toasts to a platter and rub them with the whole garlic clove.

In a medium skillet, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic, chorizo, and parsley. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Spread the cream cheese on the toasts and top with the warm chorizo. Garnish with the frisée. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

8 servings