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Oscar Party Appetizers & Wine Pairings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 small shallots, chopped
  • 4 small carrots, peeled & chopped (about ½ cup)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 3-4 fire roasted red peppers (from a jar)
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 2 cups water, more as needed
  • 1 cup blanched & peeled almonds or raw cashews
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • generous amounts of salt & pepper
  • optional - 2 T more olive oil, add at the end
  • 1.5 cups cooked quinoa
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta
  • 3 tablespoons dried currants
  • 2 tablespoons minced chives
  • 3 endives (about 18 individual spears)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ clove garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  • squeeze of orange (about 2 teaspoons)
  • salt & pepper
  • 8 small pre-made flatbreads
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • ½ clove garlic
  • 2 ripe but firm pears, thinly sliced
  • about 2 cups of mild white cheddar cheese
  • about ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • a few pinches of red chile flakes
  • 2 cups arugula
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook for a minute or so, then add carrots and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and red peppers. Stir, then add sherry vinegar. Stir, then add water, almonds, smoked paprika and a few more pinches of salt and pepper.
  2. Let simmer for about 15 minutes. Let it cool slightly, then blend in a high speed blender. Taste and adjust seasonings. For a richer soup, add a few more tablespoons of olive oil. If your soup is too thick, add a little water and adjust seasonings again.
  3. Serve in small glasses as appetizers, or store in the fridge for 1-2 days and reheat when ready to serve.
  4. Whisk dressing together, set aside.
  5. Mix together quinoa, feta, currants and chives. Toss with most of the dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings. Scoop mixture into endive spears and drizzle the rest of the dressing on top.
  6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  7. Brush flatbreads with olive oil and rub with the open side of ½ clove of garlic.
  8. Sprinkle a layer of cheddar cheese, followed by a few slices of pear followed by another layer of cheddar and a bit of feta.
  9. Bake until the cheese is bubbling and the pears are soft (about 15-20 minutes).
  10. Remove from oven, top each pizza with a bit of arugula, a drizzle of olive oil and a few pinches of red pepper flakes. Depending on the saltiness of your cheese, you might want to add a pinch of salt and pepper as well.