Recipe(tried): Tapas and friends for tonight! Crostinin di Mozzarella, Caviar Spread, Mushroom Cheese, Shrimp and Melon Salad, Pork Chops with Mango Pineapple Sauce

TAPAS AND FRIENDS FOR TONIGHT

I think today I will be very busy because I am expecting my usual group of friends and associates. The flowers in the garden are in fool bloom and the basil and cilantrillo in the orchard provide a wonderful fragrance that tempts the appetite. Nina and Gionelly (Nina's visiting daughter) already arrived from Vega Alta, with their hands full of fresh fruits from the Plaza del Mercado. I will guide my guests to the side entrance and I will have the cocktails and serve at the patio. Hopefully it will not rain, but regardless we will use the covered back porch.

Yesterday, a case of Spanish Alvari o (Lagar de Cervera) arrived as an exciting gift from Manuel. Tonight they will bring a few bottles of Robert Mondavi, Cabernet Savignon, for our traditional drinkers of red wine. For tonight we want to dance. Salsa is the order of the day. It will be a remembrance of better times and younger bones.

Buen Provecho!

Appetizers:

CROSTINI DI MOZZARELLA
(recipe should be tripled or more according to number of guests)
4 servings

4 inch slices French bread, halved diagonally
3 ounces mozzarella, cut in 1/4 inch slices
1 tb all purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tb vegetable oil
fresh lime wedges
Ali-Oli Sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Top bread with the mozzarella, trimming the cheese to fit. Sprinkle flour over the cheese. Whisk milk and yolks in a bowl. Dip both sides of 1 cheese covered bread slice into egg mixture, holding the cheese in place. Allow excess to drip off. Dredge in Parmesan cheese, coating completely. Repeat with remaining cheese covered bread, egg mixture and Parmesan.

Heat oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over Medium High heat. Arrange crostini in batches in the skillet, cheese side up. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Turn bread over and cook until the other side is golden brown. Transfer to heavy large already greased baking sheet, cheese side up. Bake for 2 minutes. Transfer to serving trays. Serve, passing lemon wedges and Ali-Oli Sauce.

CAVIAR SPREAD
3/4 cup

4 oz cream cheese softened
1 tb lime juice (I use Real Lemon)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Worcestershire Sauce to taste
4 tb red caviar
chopped cilantrillo, chopped boiled eggs and fresh lime slices for garnish
Toast points or crackers as an accompaniment

In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire. Fold in the 3 tb of caviar. Transfer to a beautiful crystal bowl. Garnish and serve with the accompaniments.

MUSHROOM CHEESE
1 1/4 cups

1/2 cup chopped onions
3 tb unsalted butter
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup Tawny Port
2 oz sharp cheddar sliced
4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
3 tb sour cream
crackers or potato chips and Nachos as accompaniment.

In a large skillet cook onion in thebutter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add mushrooms; cook stirring until almost all the liquid evaporated. Add the Port and continue reducing the liquid. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Let it cool to room temperature. Process the cheddar fine, add cream cheese and sour cream and blend the mixture until smooth. Add the mushroom mixture and blend until the mushrooms are chopped. Refrigerate until serving time. Serve the mushroom cheese dip with the crackers, Doritos or chips. Can also be used as a filling for mushroom caps.

SHRIMP AND MELON SALAD
6 servings

2 1/4 lbs large shrimps, shelled and deveined
1 small onion minced
1 small green bell pepper minced
1 celery stalk, minced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped in small pieces
2 apples, peeled and cut into inch pieces
small honey dew melon, peeled and cut in pieces
2 tb fresh lemon juice

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tb fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp tarragon vinegar
Worcestershire sauce
White pepper (ground) to taste
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced for garnish

Add the shrimp to a saucepan of boiling salted water, remove pan from heat, let stand covered 3 minutes. Drain and let cool. Cut 3/4 of shrimps in 1/2 inch pieces, reserving reserved shrimps halved lengthwise for garnish. Transfer all shrimp to bowl and chill for 1 hour. In small bowl combine onion, bell pepper, celery and tomato and chill also for 1 hour. In another bowls toss apples and melon with lime juice and chill, covered, for I hour. Make the dressing and chill. In large bowl, combine shrimp pieces, vegetable and fruit, toss with dressing and transfer to serving platter. Garnish with egg slices and reserved shrimp.

PORK CHOPS WITH MANGO PINEAPPLE SAUCE

4 (3/4-inch-thick) loin pork chops
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper
1 (1-lb) firm-ripe mango, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup drained canned pineapple chunks (from a 14-oz can)
1 cup mango nectar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 whole cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper (total), then chill, covered, at least 4 hours (to allow seasoning to permeate meat). Pur e chopped mango in a food processor until smooth, then force through a sieve into a bowl. Bring mango pur e, butter, pineapple, mango nectar, brown sugar, mustard, cloves, and remaining teaspoon each salt and pepper to a boil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until butter is melted, then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Discard cloves. Pat pork chops dry. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chops in 2 batches, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate as browned. Pour off all but about 1 1/2 tablespoons fat from skillet, then cook onion over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add sauce and pork chops (with any juices) and simmer, uncovered, turning chops over once, until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro. Makes 4 servings.
Gourmet -January 2002

This pork chops will be served with white rice and mixed vegetables with butter, paprika and 2 crushed garlic cloves.

Buen Provecho!