1. Onion Dip
From:Joe Frillman, Daisies
The twist:Ditching the soup mix for aïoli and sautéed green onions
Makes:2 cups
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet and gently sauté 3 chopped green onions until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
• Place onions in a mixing bowl and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. Once chilled, add 2 tablespoons aïoli (Frillman suggests Stonewall Kitchen brand), 1⅓ cups sour cream, 1½ teaspoons onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2½ tablespoons chopped chives.
• Mix well and transfer to a serving bowl. The dip pairs well with crudités, but for a combo Frillman calls “the ultimate comfort food,” serve it alongside potato chips.
2. Pigs in a Blanket
From:Larry Feldmeier, the Bristol
The twist:Using rabbit sausage instead of cocktail wieners
Makes:32 pieces
• Bake four 2-ounce rabbit sausages (Feldmeier recommends D’Artagnan brand) at 350 degrees for 8 minutes; let rest. Meanwhile, make the crêpe “blankets”: Whisk together ⅔ cup flour, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 eggs, ½ cup milk, and a dash of salt and pepper.
• Ladle ¼ cup batter into a hot, greased nonstick skillet, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Cook crêpe about 1 minute per side. (“You can flip the crêpe as soon as you see it’s dry and it slides around the pan,” says Feldmeier.) Transfer to a plate, and repeat with remaining batter.
•To assemble, spread one side of a crêpe with a thin layer of violet mustard (like Denoix), sprinkle with truffle salt to taste, and tightly roll a sausage inside. Repeat with remaining sausages. Slice rolls into ½-inch pieces, secure each with a toothpick, and garnish with a dab of whole grain mustard.
3. Deviled Eggs
From:Lawrence Letrero, Bayan Ko
The twist:Adding crabmeat to the whipped yolks
Makes:10 pieces
• Halve 5 hard-boiled eggs lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks and place in a mixing bowl with 3½ tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 4 teaspoons truffle oil, 5 dashes Tabasco sauce, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Whisk until smooth.
• Fold in 2½ ounces lump crabmeat, then taste and add additional seasonings if desired.
• Spoon yolk mixture into hollowed egg whites and garnish each with additional crabmeat, a small piece of uni (available at H Mart), and a sprinkle of chopped chives. Getting the uni is worth the effort, Letrero says, noting that the interplay of its briny flavor with the crab “really elevates the dish.”