New Year's Eve Cocktails & Small Bites

By: The Food Hunter

The key to a successful New Year's Eve party is serving fun finger foods & creative cocktails. Guests won’t be able to resist popping a marinated mozzarella ball in their mouth, or slurping down soup shooters.

These easy to make menu suggestions are totally stress-free, absolutely delicious, and will keep everyone happily eating and drinking all night long.

Raise your glass to 2020—there’s so much tasty food to come!

Get all 7 recipes here:  http://bit.ly/2SAMMNf

Braised Fennel with Capers and Olives

By: The Food Hunter

This delicious vegetarian dish has been adapted from Chef Yotam Ottolenghi, the popular Israeli-English chef based in London. It makes a fantastic side dish and a tasty light lunch. If you eat dairy it goes well over top of ricotta cheese. 

Braised Fennel with Capers and Olives

• 4 medium fennel bulbs
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Salt and black pepper
• 15 large whole garlic cloves, skin on
• 4 tbsp verjuice (or 4 tbsp lemon juice mixed with 2 tbsp red-wine vinegar)
• 1 medium tomato, cut into 1cm dice
• 250ml fresh stock
• 20g capers, drained
• 25g black wrinkly olives, pitted and chopped in half
• 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves

1. Prepare the fennel by trimming off and discarding the tops (reserve any leafy fronds for garnish) and cut each bulb in half from top to bottom; you want thick pieces.
2.  In a large frying heat two and a half tablespoons of oil on a medium to high heat. Add half the fennel with some salt and black pepper. Cook for five or six minutes, turning once, so it's nicely brown on both sides, remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining fennel.   
3. Remove fennel from pan and pour in the remaining oil, add the garlic and fry for three minutes, tossing occasionally, so the skin gets scorched all over. Lower the heat to medium, carefully add the verjuice (see above) and reduce for a couple of minutes until there are about two tablespoons of liquid left in the pan. Add the tomato, the capers, olives, thyme, salt and some black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cook for two minutes, then return the fennel to the pan. Add the stock, cover and let simmer for 12-14 minutes, turning once during the cooking, until the fennel is soft and the sauce has thickened. (You may need to remove the lid and increase the heat for the last two or three minutes.)
4.  Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve warm or at room temperature.

Sparkling Ginger Cocktail

By: The Food Hunter

This Sparkling Ginger Cocktail, was inspired by blogger Beth Kirby of the Local Milk and shared with me by Coangelo Partners. 

Sparkling Ginger Cocktail
2 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
2 bunches of chopped sage
2 tbsp of grated fresh ginger
Fresh Sage leaves
2 oz VOGA Prosecco DOC
Directions:

In a saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil
Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat
Stir in sage and ginger
Cover and let syrup steep until its cooled off to room temperature
Refrigerate

Pour one or two ounces of syrup into glass and top with VOGA Prosecco DOC, garnish with sage

The Bootlegger Cocktail

By: The Food Hunter

"I have an ongoing relationship as an influencer & receive product or compensation for posts featuring products. As always, all opinions are 100% my own."

This cocktail was created in honor of the Prohibition Era. During an era of gangsters and speakeasies, Americans would not be denied their favorite beverages. Daring drinkers sipped wine on the sly and found a loophole allowing doctors to prescribe Bourbon.  

The Bootlegger

2 oz Bourbon

1 oz 1924 Bourbon Barrel Cabernet

1/2 oz Benedictine 

1/4 Maple Syrup

2 dash angostura bitters 

2 dash orange bitters 

Stirred and served in a rocks glass over ice.

Garnish: Orange oils and orange twist

2019 Holiday Gift Guide

By: The Food Hunter

Need a gift for the home-cook  that has everything? I put together some of my favorite kitchen-related items to offer you unique ideas for every culinary artist on your list. 

From a beautiful black walnut Boos Board chopping block to authentic Italian Olive Oil, everything has been tried by me so you can feel confident getting items I use and love. 

Anolon Teak & Marble Serving Board with Handle   

Crafted from beautiful teak hardwood with brass accents, this cut and serve board adds a functional modern look to the kitchen and looks great on the table as well.

 

Poggio Cappiano Olive Oil
Three distinct olive oils are produced on this family run farm in Cappiano, Italy. The main product is an extra virgin olive oil that easily makes any dish taste better. I prefer the oil drizzled over fresh bread that has been lightly rubbed with garlic.

Soma Water Pitcher 
This large capacity water pitcher will look great on your dining table while offering perfectly filtered water to your guests.

Anolon Teak & Marble 5.5" Tool Crock
Crafted from high-quality Grecian marble and beautifully grained teak wood with brass accents, this chic tool crock not only looks stylish in your kitchen but keeps utensils and tools within handy reach.

Nielsen-Massey International Vanilla Starter Kit
The world’s finest, sustainably sourced vanillas. With this bundle you’ll always have the right product on hand to infuse rich vanilla flavor in any recipe you’re creating.

Ayesha Bakeware 11" x 15" Roaster

Perfect for all your special occasion recipes. This warp-resistant roaster is constructed from heavy-duty, high-performance steel. It features an adjustable nonstick rack to handle roasts and cuts of all sizes and a center spire for standing poultry upright to cook on end. Oven-safe to 450°F.

Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

A subtle bitter liquor that can be enjoyed in many classic cocktails or as an after dinner drink.

Rachel Ray Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven
6.5-Quart, Light Blue Shimmer

A beautiful oven to table cast iron enamel pot. Suitable for all stoves including induction and oven safe to 500 degrees.

John Boos Walnut Fusion Board
A stylish solid American Black Walnut Boos Board with edge grain construction, feet and a bee wax cream finish. You won't find anything like it.

Thank you gifts for men

Gifts specifically crafted for men.

Felidia: Recipes from My Flagship Restaurant Book by Lidia Bastianich

My favorite Italian Chef has put together 115 of the most delicious recipes from her New York City Italian dining destination Felidia. 

"I have an ongoing relationship as an influencer with all the companies listed & receive product or compensation for posts featuring their products. As always, all opinions are 100% my own."

The Gin Martini Featuring The Unique Nolet’s Silver Gin

By: The Food Hunter

A Classic Gin Martini featuring Nolet’s Silver Gin. Nolet's Gin is a fantastic spirit with strong aromas of rose, peach and raspberry. It is very different than the juniper forward gins I am use to, but loved equally if not more.

Nolet's Silver Gin Martini
3 oz Nolet’s Silver Gin.
1/2 tsp of Dry Vermouth

Pour gin and vermouth into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes and stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.