Celebrating the holidays at home? Make it a season to remember with these festive appetizers from our talented Cabin Juice and Slope Room chefs. Tip: Call ahead and order a bottle of bubbly or wine for pick-up to pair with your tasty homemade nibbles.
1. Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Source: Cabin Juice Chef de Cuisine Josiah Gordon
Difficulty Meter: Green Circle
Ingredients:
- 10 strips of Colorado-sourced bacon
- Fresh pitted organic Medjool dates
Instructions:
Pre cook bacon for 6 minutes on a baking pan at 350 degrees, set aside. Wrap pitted dates with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Finish dates in the oven for 4-6 minutes until bacon is crispy. Serve hot as an appetizer with your choice of cheese, grilled bread and red wine.
2. Goat Cheese Crostini
Source: Cabin Juice Chef de Cuisine Josiah Gordon
Difficulty Meter: Blue Square
Ingredients:
- 1 large baguette
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Local goat cheese
- 1 pomegranate or seasonal fruit
- Balsamic glaze
Instructions:
Cut baguette into 1-inch thick slices, place on a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil, lightly season with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes until golden brown, let cool.
Place goat cheese in a mixing bowl and whisk with heavy cream until smooth and spreadable. Spread goat cheese on crostini and finish with fresh pomegranate or a seasonal fruit of your choice. Finish with balsamic glaze or honey drizzle.
3. Chorizo Mussels in Stem Cider Stock
Source: Slope Room Executive Chef Alberto Rogelio Soto
Difficulty Meter: Black Diamond
Stem Cider Stock
- ½ onion
- 1 rib celery
- ½ carrot
- 3 cloves garlic
- Handful of parsley
- 2 sprigs tarragon
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 apple
- ¼ cup apple juice
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Pinch of peppercorns
- 1 quart clam juice
- ½ can Dry Stem Cider
Instructions:
Chop onions, celery, carrots and apples and add to stock pot with all ingredients except Dry Stem Cider. Cook for 20 minutes or until reduced by half. Add cider.
Mussels
- 1 lb PEI Mussels
- 1 poblano pepper, roasted and diced
- 3 oz chorizo
- ¼ lb butter, cubed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grilled lime half
- Basil for garnish
- Grilled or toasted bread
Instructions:
In a sauté pan, melt pat of butter, cook chorizo and poblanos until sausage is browned and peppers are softened. Add cleaned mussels to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes. Add 10 oz of strained Stem cider broth and cover on low heat until mussels open. Discard any mussels that do not open. Add remaining butter, salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh basil and grilled lime. Serve with warm grilled bread.
