ST. ANNE COLLEGE LUCENA, INC.

Module 3
PREPARE APPETIZERS

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this module the students/trainees will be able to:

1. Perform Mise-en-place

2. Prepare a range of appetizers

3. Present a range of appetizers

4. Store appetizers

APPETIZERS
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Appetizers are finger foods usually served prior to a meal, or in between mealtimes, and
are also called hors d’oeuvres, antipasti, or starters. They may range from the very simple to the
very complex, depending on the occasion and the time devoted to making them. Appetizers are a
common accompaniment to aperitifs, cocktails served prior to a meal.

Characteristics of Appetizers

Appetizers should be big on flavour, small on size and price. The appetizer must have
distinct, piquant flavour and appetite-whetting qualities. Pickled and salted foods, acids, pepper
and paprika play a conspicuous part in their manufacture. Raw oysters and clams, grapefruit,
melons and fruit cocktails, canapes and small sandwiches spread with pastes of sardines,
anchovies and caviar, lobster and crabmeat, pate de foie gras, cheese, olives and other mixtures
of high flavour, deviled eggs, small succulent salads, may all be included without prejudice in
the list of appetizers. In parts of the United States, the dinner is always begun with the salad as
the appetizer.

Classification of Appetizers

1. Hot Appetizers

1.1.Tapas

A tapa (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtapa]) is an appetizer or

snack in Spanish cuisine.

Tapas may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as chopitos, which are
battered, fried baby squid).

In some bars and restaurants in Spain and across the globe, tapas have evolved into a
more sophisticated cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal. In some Central
American countries, such snacks are known as bocas. In parts of Mexico, similar dishes are
called botanas.

Another type of hors d’oeuvre that has become increasingly popular is the Spanish tapa.
The variety of tapas is so great that it is difficult to give a definition, except to say that a tapa is a
small food item intended to be eaten with wine or other drinks, usually in taverns and bars. The
Spanish term literally means “lid,” and the original tapa is thought to be a small bit of food,
perhaps a slice of cured ham, placed on top of a glass of sherry. As varied as they are, tapas have
a few points in common. They are served in small portions and are intended to be eaten
immediately and quickly. In most cases, they are served on small plates. Many can be eaten by
hand, but many others, especially those served in a sauce, are eaten with a fork. Often they are
the same kinds of foods that can be served as first courses of a dinner, but presented in smaller
portions.

1.2. Hors d’ oeuvres’ (Hot)

A great variety of other foods, both hot and cold, can

be served as hors d’oeuvres. If they are to be served
away from the dinner table, it is best if they can be
eaten with the fingers or speared with a pick. At a
reception at which many hors d’oeuvres are served,
it is all right if a few of them must be eaten with forks
from small plates, but finger food is much easier

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for the guests, who are likely to be standing and holding a wineglass or cocktail glass
while
eating.

2. Cold Appetizers

 Canape
 Antipasto
 Relish
 Pate
 Terrines
 Cocktails
 Hot Hors d’ oeuvres
 Cheeses

CANAPES

Canapés may be defined as bite-size open-faced sandwiches. The variety of possible

combinations is nearly unlimited. Most canapés consist of three parts: base, spread, and
garnish.

I. BASE

Canape bases may be made from several items:

Bread cutouts
Toast cutouts
Crackers
Melba toast
Tiny unsweetened pastry shells
Profiteroles (miniature unsweetened cream puff shells)

Many of these items, such as crackers and melba toasts, can be ready made, but bread and
melba cutouts are the most widely used and offer the lowest food cost, though they require more
labor.

Untoasted bread for canapés should be firm enough to allow the finished product to be
handled easily. It may be cut thick and flattened slightly with a rolling pin to make it firmer.
Toast is, of course, firmer, and it gives a pleasing texture and crispness to the canapés.

II. SPREAD

Canape spread may be as simple as butter or softened cream cheese, but it is better to use
a more highly flavored spread because sharp or spicy flavors are better for stimulating the
appetite.

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The spread should be thick enough so that it clings well to the base and so that the
garnish sticks to it without falling off.

Spreads may be divided into three basic categories, as follows:

Flavored butters

Most flavored butters are made simply by blending the flavoring ingredients with the
softened butter until completely mixed.

Popular and versatile flavors for butter spreads include:

Lemon Caviar shrimp

Parsley Mustard Olive
Tarragon Horseradish Shallots
Chive Pimiento Curry
Anchovy Blue cheese Caper

Flavored Cream Cheese

Flavored cream cheese spreads are made like flavored butters, except that you substitute
cream cheese for the butter.

Meat or Fish Salad Spreads

You can use many cold meat or fish mixtures, such as cooked salads, to make canapé
spreads. Popular examples include tuna salad, salmon salad, shrimp salad, chicken salad, deviled
ham, and liver pate.

III. GARNISH

The garnish of a canapé is any food item or combination of items place on top of the
spread. It may be a major part of the canapé, such a slice of ham or cheese, or it may be a small
tidbit that is selected for color, design, texture, or flavor accent, such as pimiento cutout, a slice
of radish, a caper, or a dab of caviar. Even the spread can be used as a garnish.

ANTIPASTO

Italian cuisine is particularly rich in hors d’oeuvres, or antipasti, as they are called
(singular form: antipasto). Many books give a recipe for a mixed salad called antipasto. This is
misleading, however, because the Italian term does not refer to a specific recipe but to any
typically Italian hors d’oeuvre, hot or cold. Many Italian-style restaurants offer a cold antipasto
plate or platter comprising an assortment of flavorful tidbits. Typical components include the
following:

Cured meats, such as salami, prosciutto, bologna, and boiled ham. Seafood items,
especially canned or preserved items such as sardines, anchovies, and tuna. Cheeses, such as
provolone and mozzarella. Hard-cooked eggs and stuffed eggs. Relishes, such as raw carrots,
celery, fennel, radishes, cauliflower, and tomatoes, and cooked or pickled items, such as olives,
artichoke hearts, small hot peppers, and onions. Mushrooms and other vegetables prepared à la
grecque. Cooked dried beans and other firm vegetables in a piquant vinaigrette.

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RELISHES

The term relish covers two categories of foods: raw vegetables, and pickled items.

1. Raw vegetables

These are also known as crudités (croo-dee-tays; cru in French means “raw”)

Any vegetable that can be eaten raw may be cut into sticks or other attractive, bite size
shapes and served as relishes. Most popular are celery, carrots, and radishes. Other good choices
are green and red peppers, zucchini, cucumber, cauliflower and broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes,
Belgian endive, etc.

Raw vegetables must be served crisp and well chilled, just as in salads.

2. Pickled Items

A wide variety of items such as dilled cucumber pickles, gherkins, olives, watermelon
pickles, pickled peppers, spiced bets, and other preserved vegetables and fruits are served as
relishes. These items are rarely made in-house but are purchased already prepared. Like raw
vegetable, they should be served chilled.

DIPS

Savory dips are popular accompaniments to potato

chips, crackers, and raw vegetables.

Proper consistency is important for any dip you

prepare. It must not be so thick that it cannot be scooped up
without breaking the chip or cracker, but it must be thick enough to stick to the items used as
dippers. Proper consistency means thickness at serving temperature. Most dips become thicker
when held in the refrigerator.

Many mixtures used as spreads can also be used as dips.

PATE

Pâté (pa(h)-TAY), is a paste, pie or loaf filled with a

forcemeat. Common forcemeats include ground meat from pork,
poultry, fish or beef; fat, vegetables, herbs, spices and either wine

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or brandy (often cognac or armagnac).

Pâté can be served either hot or cold, but it is considered
to develop its best flavors after a few days of chilling.

TERRINE

A terrine (French pronunciation: [tɛ.ʁin]), in

traditional French cuisine, is a loaf of forcemeat
or aspic, similar to a pâté, that is cooked in a
covered pottery mold (also called a terrine) in
a bain-marie. Modern terrines do not necessarily
contain meat or animal fat, but still contain
meat-like textures and fat substitutes, such as
mushrooms and pureed fruits or vegetables high
in pectin.They may also be cooked in a wide
variety of non-pottery terrine moulds, such as stainless steel, aluminium, enameled cast iron, and
ovenproof plastic.

Terrines are usually served cold or at room temperature. Most terrines contain a large
amount of fat, although it is often not the main ingredient, and pork; many terrines are made with
typical game meat, such as pheasant and hare. In the past, terrines were under the province of
professional charcutiers, along with sausages, pâtés, galantines, and confit.

COCKTAILS

The term cocktail is used not only for alcoholic

beverages and vegetable and fruit juices but also for a group
of appetizer made of seafood or fruit, usually with a tart or
tangy sauce. Such cocktails are always served well chilled,
often on a bed of crushed ice.

Oysters and clams on the half-shell are popular

seafood cocktails, as are shrimps, crab meats, lobster,
and firm, flaked white fish with an appropriate sauce.

Cocktails of shrimp and other cooked seafoods are generally served in a stemmed glass or
in a small, cup shaped bowl, which may be nestled in a bed of ice. The cocktail sauce may be
put in the glass first and the seafood then arranged on top, partially immersed. Or the cocktail
sauce may be added to the seafood as topping.

HORS D’ OEUVRES

A great variety of other foods, both hot and cold can be serve as hors d’ oeuvres. If they
are to be served away from the dinner table, it is best if they can be eaten with the fingers or
speared with a pick. At a cocktail reception at which may hors d’ oeuvres are served, it is all
right it a few of them must be eaten with forks from small plates, but finger food is much easier
for the guests, who are likely to be standing and holding a wineglass or cocktail glass while
eating.

Italian cuisine is particularly rich in hors d’ oeuvres, or antipasti, as they are called
(singular form: antipasto) Many books give a recipe for a mixed salad called antipasto. This is
misleading, however, because the Italian term does not refer to a specific recipe but to any
typically Italian hors d’oeuvres, hot or cold.
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Many menus of Italian-Style restaurants offer a cold antipasto plate of platter comprising
an assortment of flavorful tidbits. Typical components include the following:

Cured meats, such as salami, prosciutto, bologna, and boiled ham

Seafood items, especially canned or preserved items such as sardines, anchovies, and
tuna
Cheese, such as provolone and mozzarella
Hard-cooked eggs and stuffed eggs
Relishes, such as raw carrots, celery, etc.

CHEESES

Cheese is a product made from the curd obtained from the whole, partly skimmed or
skimmed milk. Cheese-making is a process of separating the milk solids, curd from the liquid
portion or whey by the action of the enzymes rennin and/or lactic acid bacteria.

Cheeses may be grouped according to:

a. the amount of moisture in the finished cheese

1. Soft cheese with 40-75% moisture

2. Hard cheese with 30-40% moisture

b. the kind or extent of ripening

1. Soft, unripened varieties like cottage and cream cheese. Kesong puti is a
cottage cheese made from carabao or goat’s or cow’s milk. It is wrapped in
banana leaves or polyethylene.
2. Firm unripe varieties like the Norwegian mysost and the Italian Mozzarella.
3. Soft ripened varieties like the French Camembert and Belgian Limburger
4. Semisoft, ripened varieites like the American Brick cheese and the German
Muenster.
5. Firm ripened varieties. Under this category are the two cheeses that most
Filipinos are familiar with. Cheddar which is of English origin and Edam,
which is of Dutch origin.

Others in this category are Gouda also Dutch and Provalone, Italian.

6. Very hard ripened varieties like Parmesan and Romano both Italian Cheeses
that are usually available in this country as grated and packed in small tins.
7. Blue vein mold ripened varieites. These are characterized by blue steaks as
in the French Blue cheese and the English Stilton.
8. Process Cheese. A selected blend of cheese or one kind of cheese at different
stages are ground and mixed together with emulsifiers and stabilizers. Process
cheddar cheese food and cheese spread are manufactured in this country and
are the only kinds of cheese that are easily available.

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Learning Task:

1. Canape Making

Create 3 different types of canapes by referring to the list of ingredients below.

Base for canape:

 White sliced bread

 Fita biscuits (plain)
 Sky flakes/Rebisco (plain)

Spreads and other ingredients:

 Mayonnaise
 Butter
 Mustard
 Catsup
 Honey
 Sugar
 Salt
 Pepper
 Cream
 Ham
 Bacon
 Bell peppers
 Ground pork
 Egg
 Lettuce
 Chicken (any part)
 Tuna in can
 Carrot
 Spring onions
 Egg
 Shrimp
 Cheese
 Cucumber
 Tomato
 Tomato sauce
 Milk
 Flour
 Parsley
 Vinegar
 Soy sauce
 Oil
 Garlic
 Onion
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 Finger chilies

Canape #1:

Base: _________________ Spread: _________________

Garnish (body):
_______________________ Garnish (top):
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

Procedure: ________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Canape #2:

Base: _________________ Spread: _________________

Garnish (body):
_______________________ Garnish (top):
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

Procedure: ________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Canape #3:

Base: _________________ Spread: _________________

Garnish (body):
_______________________ Garnish (top):
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

Procedure: ________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Canape #4:

Base: _________________ Spread: _________________

Garnish (body):
_______________________ Garnish (top):
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________ ______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

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Procedure: ________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

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