‘Tis the season to find quick, delicious and special little snacks for Holiday entertaining. Here’s one.
One of the best things about living just off 10th Avenue in New York City is our proximity to Tia Pol, a tiny, cozy, crowded and wonderful restaurant specializing in tapas and wines of Spain. If I’m in the neighborhood at lunchtime I often stop in and blindly order the seasonal “menu del dia” as soon as I sit down at the bar. Last time, I was served this delicious appetizer, which also makes a great little bite to serve with cocktails, wine or Champagne during the Holidays.
It’s a simple layering of three delicious things: crisp toasted baguette, sweet-tart Spanish “membrillo”, a paste made from quince (a relative of the apple and pear), and a soft tangy ripened goats cheese such as a Spanish Cana de Cabra or Capricho de Cabra, or a French Boucheron. Together, though, these flavors sing in a subtle harmony that stands out from the salty crowd on the buffet table.
Membrillo (Quince Paste)
Membrillo is increasingly easy to find at good cheese shops and good supermarkets such as Whole Foods. You can also purchase excellent Spanish membrillo online at www.tienda.com.
Earlier this week I served these toasts at a little gathering in honor of Julia at my parents house in Tacoma, Washington. To the extent anyone noticed the food (it’s hard to compete with a two year-old girl), they were a big hit.
Recipe
Ingredients
1 baguette
About 6 oz (170g) of membrillo (Spanish quince paste)
About 6 oz (170g) of soft ripened goats cheese such as Cana de Cabra, Capricho de Cabra or Boucheron, crumbled
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350F (175 C).
2. Slice the baguette about 1/4 inch (7 mm) thick, lay the slices out on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven until they just begin to brown. Remove from the oven and cool.
3. Slice the membrillo about 1/8 inch (4mm) thick and lay a slice on each slice of toast, and then top with a few nuggets of the crumbled cheese.
4. Place the toasts under the broiler (about six inches from the heat) for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese just starts to melt.
Serve immediately or at room temperature.
N.B. Particularly good with Champagne.
