Pinwheel Canapes & Savory Truffles

A few of classmates in our Spanish class didn't know any ah, beh, theh (the sound of a, b, c, ...) when it first started. On the other hand, our teachers use Spanish to teach us Spanish. When we didn't understand, we supposedly asked them in, errr, Spanish. Mind was completely disconnected from oral ability. So yes, there were a lot of dead-silent moments in our first week. Until the second week, the classroom's atmosphere was instantly re-alive; we had a topic about food! We talked! With the help of scribbling and facial animation, we actively (!) engaged in conversation and discussed about tipping etiquette (here we can just tip them 50 cents for dinner), numbers of meals people have in a day (5 meals, minimum) , and many more local specialties.

It is interesting to see how food brings people in together. When I first blogged, I felt I was weird, in the way that I wasn't speaking my native tongue, talked to someone I didn't know, and about the food I liked which probably your disliked. Now? As long as there is food on OUR table, then, here I come!

Left: Ham, cheese & leek pinwheel Right: Cheese, ham & pumpkin seed truffles

Most part of the recipe can (and should) be prepared ahead. The choice of ingredients is only a guidance, please go creative, or adjust according to your liking and their availability. The recipe and food styling are inspired by Comer Bien Numero 147

Recipe of Cheese, Ham & Pumpkin seed Truffle (yield about 6)

• 6 heaped tablespoons of Gouda (cheese), finely shredded
• 1 tablespoon butter, soften
• a few pinches of garlic powder
• a small pinch of paprika
• 1 slice of Spanish harm Serrano (you may like to use Parma ham), finely diced
• A handful of salted and toasted pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped
• 1 - 2 slice(s) of bread, cut to 6 small squares
• some butter/ cheese (for spreading on bread)
• some cherry tomato (thinly sliced) and fresh herb for garnish

How to:

Slightly warm up the cheese over low heat in micro-wave for 15 - 30 seconds. Combine it with butter, garlic powder, paprika and harm. The mixing isn't melting, only soft and able to form a ball. By hand or with help of a piece of plastic wrap to make 6 balls (or depending the size), roll them over the pumpkin seeds. Chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes or until it hardens.

Right before you serve, spread butter or cheese over the bread, lay out sliced tomatoes and fresh herb, place the truffle on top.

Recipe of Ham, Cheese & Leek Pinwheel (yield about 9)

• 3 slices of mild favored ham (mine is jamon de York which is quite similar to the US sliced honey roasted ham)
• 3 slices of mild favored sliced cheese
• 1 - 2 stalk(s) of leek, white part only. You can replace with asparagus, but the miniature is preferable
• 9 pre-made mini pastry base
• some home-made tomato sauce... this time mine was in an addition of a spoonful of tomato paste during cooking

How-to:

First to grill the vegetable, seasoned, and cooled. Then on a work table, lay down 1 slice of ham, 1 cheese and a stalk of veg, roll the whole thing up. Repeat to the rest. You should get three logs. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill them for 30 minutes or so (you may skip the chilling part but I find it is more easier to slice them when it's harden a bit).

Right before you serve, toast the pre-made pastry base, spoon in some tomato sauce. Unwrap one log and slice, I get 3 slices from each log. Insert each pinwheel with a decorative toothpick or herb twig to secure the shape. Place them into the pastry.

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