Return of a Classic - Prosciutto & Melon

"This is sooo good. Remember when prosciutto and melon was the first course at every wedding you went to for 10 years straight? " I hadn't really thought about it this way but my sister-in-law was absolutely right. I'd just served the most unimaginative starter ever. 

Was my cuisine dated? Was I a hack? All these thoughts crossed my mind as I set about putting an even bigger dent in the bottle of rose we'd been draining by the minute.  Thankfully it only took another bite of the paper-thin, velvety prosciutto against the sweetest and most fragrant Sugar Kiss Melon to come back to reality. Nah, I'm not a hack. This is beyond delicious.

Prosciutto & Melon, Photo: NK

And so it goes with the classics, those easy dishes that enjoy great popularity, sometimes to their detriment, they're classic for a reason, but that's not an excuse to phone it in. When you're serving a starter thats simplicity has made it exceedingly popular, it's all about the execution. If you miss the mark there, you'll find yourself in lukewarm wedding banquet territory in the blink of an eye.

I'll give you an example: Pigs in a Blanket are everyone's favorite casual party bite. Even when they're bad, they're good, but how much better and more memorable are they when they're great? My philosophy is simple: if you're going to serve something that's been done to death, make sure it's the best they ever had, or close! To that end, here are a few great Pigs in a Blanket Recipes with a twist HERE and HERE.

As for the ubiquitous Prosciutto & Melon itself, it's actually a pretty classic and legit Italian starter, not just popular here in America. While you're feeling good about that, check out my easy tips on how to do this rightfully well-loved dish justice.

Prosciutto & Melon, How To:

Only the best. If you can, spend a little extra on the Imported Prosciutto. Here in America, we only see a few types consistently (San Daniele or di Parma, for example), but there are actually inumerable varieties of Italy's king of the cured meats. Secondly, do not, I repeat, do not attempt this dish if your Melon isn't perfectly ripe and gorgeous. We used Sugar Kiss Melon, which is like a Cantaloupe but smaller, because it's in-season now. If Honeydew is better, use that. And finally, if you can't find ripe Melon or the season is just off, serve something else. This dish only sings when each individual component is at its peak (that principle also happens to be the essence of fresh, simple Italian cuisine). 

Consider your format. Is your dish for a cocktail party, a sit down first course, a passable hors d'oeuvre?? Decide on how your presentation will best fit the needs of your guests. In other words, how will you cut your Melon? When served individually, Prosciutto and Melon will usually be presented as one large wedge of Cantaloupe with a ribbon of Prosciutto draped around it. In today's dish, we opted for a sharable platter of Melon cut quite small as you see above - two or three bites a piece, because our event was a casual Barbecue. For a cocktail party, throw the ingredients right on a stick! 

Don't forget plating.  So, so important and a key commandment here at Neurotic Kitchen! Good plating can make the difference between lazy and luxurious. Take your time with it, sketch it out even, and, please, don't forget to garnish. I always add something green to my Prosciutto and Melon, such as Mint (my favorite, pictured above), Italian Parsley, or baby Arugula. And I never serve this dish without sprinkling the assembled platter or plates with Lemon Juice and then garnishing with Lemon Wedges. Lemon just brings out the flavors even more. 

There you have it. Easy doesn't have to me uninspired. Buon appetito! 

Thoughts on Thanks (and our Thanksgiving Hors D'oeuvre)

This time every year, and throughout the holiday season, we are called to be thankful. The truth is, we can never be reminded enough. 

Hogs in a Blanket with Mustard Chutney, Photo: NK 

Now I know as well as anyone how easy it is, amid life's many obligations, to feel sorry for ourselves. When I'm exhausted after a long day at work and facing several hours of household chores, even the littlest annoyance (most recently it's been never being able to find the matching lids to my tupperware, and if you ask my husband, he'll accurately report that it is "ruining my life!") can send me into a pity spiral. 

Though I have momentary lapses, I like to think I've always been a grateful and generous person, someone very tuned in to the world around me, and more keenly, someone aware of the suffering of others. The world has been on my mind more than ever this past year, the year I became a mom. Not a day goes by that my heart doesn't break for families and children that are suffering in our all too troubled world. And whether it is because food is my passion and cooking is my favorite way to pass time, World Hunger is a scourge that I also lament often. 

As I cook today's appetizers for our family Thanksgiving feast, it doesn't escape me that for far too many, ample food is a luxury they will never be afforded. Whether we look across town, across the country, or to the other side of the world, children and adults suffer the pain of hunger. I can think of no greater psychic pain than not being able to nourish my child. And so my heart breaks,

for those enduring hunger, 
malnutrition, and wars and terror in their homeland. 
And for anyone who has lost a loved one because of these horrors. 

And it is in these moments that, almost daily, I am overcome by gratitude, even shame for my trivial complaints. As I think more on human suffering, I inevitably reaffirm a very basic truth I have always held in my heart, that there, but for the grace of God (or if you prefer, the fates), go I.

If you can lend your time, talents, or money to help others, then you too are very lucky and your soul will be full. Whether it be making a meal for an elderly person on your block, volunteering, or making a donation to a worthy charity, let the Thanksgiving gratitude you feel for the good things in your life inspire you to pay it forward. Not just now, but all year long. In this giving spirit, I've included links to three food-related charities that I continually support as they realize their mission of fighting hunger one belly at a time. 

The Community Food Bank of New Jersey - feeding hungry communities locally 

Heifer International - Provides animals and farming supplies and training to needy families across the globe, allowing them a sustainable and renewable means to feed themselves and their communities 

City Harvest - Rescuing huge amounts of food from all over NYC that would otherwise be wasted, and supplying it to shelters and other outreach centers 

And to the brave people who run towards and not away from danger and war to help those in need (I am thinking especially of two other worthy charities, Doctors Without Borders and The International Rescue Committee), you are gift to humanity doing work that few among us, myself included, would be selfless enough to do.  

In closing, I am thankful for my beautiful family, the food on my table, the safety and warmth of my home, a job that I enjoy by day and one that helps me to provide for my loved ones, and finally, that I am fortunate enough to share my passion for cooking with others. Thank you for reading and please enjoy today's creative take on Pigs in a Blanket.


Cook's note: We followed Food & Wine's recipe exactly except that we used Applegate Farm Turkey and Chicken Andouille Sausage. The key to perfectly cooking these little bites is a mini muffin tin (which is a great investment because she has so many great uses, especially for hors d'oeuvres). Trust me, you will not be able to keep these on the plate!!  

Hogs in a Blanket
From Food & Wine, Grace Parisi
Makes 36 Hors D'oeuvres

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!! 

New Cocktail Party Classic - Everything Pigs In a Blanket

I have long contended that in the wide world of bagel flavors, the Everything is, hands down, the most quintessentially New York. In a related story, it also happens to be THE BEST. How could it not be? It's got it all - something for everyone, just like the city I associate it with. This is why I've had big plans to concoct my own Everything Topping for quite a while now. Since I don't do too much in the way of baking, I had visions of working it into hors d'oeuvres.

"Everything" Pigs In A Blanket, Photo: NK

Everything Topping! Photo, NK

It was in brainstorming this year's annual Mad Men premier recipes (prior viewing party menus here and here) that it dawned on me that adding Everything Topping to everyone's favorite hors d'oeuvre, you guessed it - Pigs in a Blanket, would be the perfect way to make a classic cocktail party favorite new again while also making it a little more "New York." 

These Everything Pigs In A Blanket are incredibly easy to make and have just the right amount of wow factor to make them the perfect party offering that will also please a crowd. I like to serve them with grainy mustard for dipping, but they are delicious on their own as well. 

Use good quality Hot Dogs and if possible, serve them fresh from the oven. You can also microwave the pigs in 20 second intervals if you need to heat them from room temperature.

Now it wouldn't be a Mad Men premier without at stiff cocktail, so we've included a purist version of the Old Fashioned - a favorite of Don's, minus the muddled fruit, and presumably the truest form of the classic drink.  

Everything Pigs In A Blanket 
Makes about 20
Adapted from Food.com 

Cook's Note: The Everything Mix below is formulated specifically for use in these Pigs In A Blanket because the salt content needed to be balanced with the salinity of the Hot Dog. If you would like to make true Everything Topping for use on something more plain, such as rolls or, of course, bagels, simply use 1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt rather than the 1/4 teaspoon required below. 

Ingredients 

1 Package Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

8 Hot Dogs, we prefer Applegate Farms Natural, cut into equal thirds

Grainy Mustard for serving, optional

Everything Topping:
2 teaspoons Poppy Seeds

2 teaspoons Dried Onion Bits (We used Frontier Brand) 

2 teaspoons White Sesame Seed

2 teaspoons Dried Minced Garlic or Garlic Granules (not Garlic Powder)

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 egg lightly beaten 

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375 with the rack in the middle.

2. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the Everything Topping. 

Prepped and ready to bake, Photo: NK

3. Unroll the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls on a work surface. Carefully pull apart each triangle and cut them the long way using a sharp knife in order to create 3 skinnier triangles.

4. Starting with the base of each triangle, roll each Hot Dog third up in one piece of dough. When finished, press the point of the triangle into the dough to seal. Repeat until all the dogs are wrapped.

5. Using a pastry brush, paint the Egg Wash across the top of each Pig. Press 1-2 generous pinches of Everything Topping into the dough.

6. Place the pigs in the oven and bake 18-20 minutes, turning the pan midway through the baking, until pigs are golden brown and puffed.

7. Serve warm with optional grainy mustard! 

Now for your official Mad Men cocktail, we give you 
The Purist's Old Fashioned

A purist Old Fashioned, Photo: NK

CLICK HERE for the recipe.

Cheers!