THE GREY STUFF; AND OTHER HORS D’OEUVRES INSPIRED BY BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

For The Chicken Liver Mousse (“The Grey Stuff”)

Begin by patting dry the chicken livers and finely chopping the shallot and fresh thyme.

Preheat pan over medium high heat with vegetable oil and then add chicken livers. Let sit for 1-2 minutes undisturbed, until brown. Flip to the other side and brown that side before adding chopped shallot and thyme. Saute for 1 minute.

Deglaze with cognac and then add the lemon zest. Stir for 1 minute before adding the heavy cream. Mix until combined and everyone has a chance to get to know each other.

Add to a blender and blend on a medium low speed. While blending, add the butter one chunk at a time. Once all butter is added blend on high until smooth.

Pass through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed down onto the surface of the mousse and refrigerate.

Place mousse into a piping bag and pipe onto a hearty cracker for serving.

For The Salmon Mousse

Add smoked salmon to a food processor along with the lemon juice and Neufchatel Cheese (or cream cheese if you can’t find that).

Add to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Place a slice of cucumber on top of a buckwheat blini and then top with salmon mousse.

For The Pigs In A Blanket

Start by slicing open your dates and filling them with bleu cheese.

Generously flour your work surface and then slice 3 inch long triangles of puff pastry. Wrap triangles around the cocktail weiners and bleu cheese dates.

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush each one with the beaten eggs and then top with a little salt.

Place in the oven and roast at 375°F for 20 minutes.

For The Buckwheat Blini for Salmon Mousse and Salmon Roe

In a large bowl combine: all purpose flour, buckwheat flour, sugar, and yeast. Whisk to combine.

Add whole milk (heated to 110°F) and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. Cover and let sit for an hour.

Lightly beat together the eggs and then add them to the batter. Whisk to combine before adding melted butter. Make sure the butter is just melted, not hot, and then whisk to combine. Pour half of your batter into a squeeze bottle. Don’t fill it up all the way because it is a yeasted dough and it will rise in the squeeze bottle.

Melt some butter on a pan over medium heat. Then, using the squeeze bottle, make some blinis the size of silver dollar pancakes. Cook about a minute on each side and set aside to cool.

For The Meat and Cheese Rolls

Thinly slice your gruyere cheese lengthwise. Roll your mortadella into a roll, and then wrap it around the cheese.

Trim off the edges of the mortadella.

Add two small slices of roasted red peppers in an “x” shape on top of the cheese and then place a toothpick in the middle to hold the whole thing together.

For The Cucumber Tea Sandwich

Thinly slice your cucumbers and chop up your dill.

Add cucumbers and dill to the bread with a good smear of neufchâtel cheese and a sprinkling of salt. Slice off the crust and then cut into 4 small sandwiches.

For The Goat Cheese and Fig Tea Sandwich

Add goat cheese and fig jam to the bread.

Slice off the crust and then slice into 4 small sandwiches.

For The Salmon Roe

Add salmon roe to the top of a buckwheat blini to serve.