30 Rock + Finger Foods = Thursday Night

Like Mrs. Flax (Cher in Mermaids), I have a real affinity for finger foods. Something about entire meals built around appetizers strikes me as vaguely bohemian. Like, who wants a boring entree when you could be eating fig and walnut bruschetta, spiced lamb pitas, and mini latkes? There’s hardly any dish that doesn’t become more exciting when re-imagined as a first course. Pizza becomes mini-flatbreads, a roast becomes seared beef in filo, etc. Appetizers are are the food equivalent of resisting monogamy, domesticity, and probably patriarchy too. (If I were still in school, I’d think more about what I’m saying.) (Which isn’t to say that I don’t totally believe that appetizers are anti-establishment. Because I do.)

I’d originally planned something much more elaborate for dinner, but once I’d made about 8 spring rolls, muhammarah (Mediterranean red pepper and walnut spread), last night’s leftover curry sauce, and wasabi peas for 2 people, I sort of wondered if anything more would be excessive.  Appetizers aren’t anti-establishment if they replicate a pattern of North American excess, or whatever.  Also, this was my first attempt at spring rolls, and rolling them gave me exhausting performance anxiety.  So I just decided to take a deep breath and stop there.  

The curry sauce was even better the next day, and makes a wonderful dip.  It’s a bit time consuming because it involves blending and sieving, so the next time I make it I’ll be sure to double the recipe and save some in the fridge.  I think this sauce would be amazing with white fish or vegetables.  It’s good both warm and at room temperature.  

Curry Sauce (makes 1 cup)

• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp salt
• a bit of pepper
• 1 to 2 tbsp cold butter, chopped into bits

1. Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions, carrots, apples, and celery and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes, until vegetables are soft.  
2. Add curry, garlic, salt, and a few turns of fresh ground pepper, continue cooking for about 1 minutes.
3. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil, turn down the heat and then simmer about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer to a blender and blend til smooth.  Rinse out your saucepan, then force the mixture through a sieve, back into the pan.  I found that this took forever, but I think it really benefits the consistency of the sauce.
5. Over low heat, whisk the bits of butter into the sauce one at a time.  

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