Serves 4 as an appetizer

People who are passionate about tofu seek out the freshest and treat it simply. A drizzle of high-quality soy sauce, such as the kind you use for topnotch sushi or sashimi, may be all that’s needed to make the tofu sing. However, you can embellish the tofu with fresh ginger, green onion, and other garnishes. This is a classic Japanese approach.

While you can make this preparation with purchased tofu, you will truly savor tofu’s brilliance if it’s homemade. Hiya yakko is often presented with silken tofu but it can also be prepared with tofu pudding or block tofu pressed to a medium texture. Unpressed oboro and zaru tofu are marvelous, too.

Chilled tofu is typically a summertime dish, but I enjoy it year-round. I usually present it with two basic garnishes (not including soy sauce), and if I feel extravagant I add a third one. Green shiso (Perilla frutescens) is sold at Japanese markets. More robustly flavored tia to, a shiso relative with green and garnet leaves, is a less pricey stand-in sold at Viet markets.

1 green onion, white and green parts, cut into thin rings
1 pound silken tofu or medium tofu, or 2 cups tofu pudding, chilled
1 tablespoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
High-quality Japanese soy sauce or Japanese Seasoned Soy Concentrate

Optional Garnishes (Choose One or None)
2 tablespoons dried bonito flakes (katsuo-bushi)
2 tablespoons finely shredded green shiso leaves
1 full-size sheet toasted nori, briefly held over an open flame to recrisp, and cut into thin, 2- to 3-inch-long strips (use scissors)

1. Put the green onion in a small bowl and add water to cover. Set aside for 10 minutes to soak and reduce some of its harshness.

2. Meanwhile, ready the tofu. If using silken tofu, run a knife around the edge of the mold or package and invert onto a plate to unmold. Pour off the excess liquid or use a paper towel to blot it away. If using regular block tofu, drain it on a non-terry dishtowel or double thickness of paper towels placed atop a plate. Cut the silken or block tofu into 1-inch cubes or husky 1-inch-thick dominoes and arrange them in a shallow bowl or individual dishes. If using tofu pudding, scoop up large shards with a metal spoon, putting them into a shallow bowl or individual dishes. Before serving, pour off any whey that gathers.

3. Drain the green onion well, patting it with a paper towel to remove excess water. The most expeditious way to serve the tofu is to simply top it with the green onion, ginger, and any optional garnish and drizzle the soy sauce around the edge. Alternatively, present the tofu naked with all the garnishes in separate little dishes and the soy sauce on the side. Let guests choose their own garnishes. Chopsticks are traditionally used to eat this tofu but you may find that a spoon or fork is better for grabbing the tofu and all the other goodies.

Excerpted from Asian Tofu: Discover the Best, Make Your Own, and Cook It at Home by Andrea Nguyen. Copyright © 2012 by Andrea Nguyen. Excerpted by permission of Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Coconut-flavored shrimp with mango salsa is a lucky little recipe: It’s fruity and fun, but feels like elegant and luxurious at the same time. During the summer months, I always have fresh mango salsa on hand-it’s wonderful with pork, chicken, and all types of seafood. You can even enjoy it on a chip. Its versatility can’t be beat.

Serves 4

4 ounces citron vodka
4 bamboo skewers
12 tiger shrimp, cleaned and peeled with tails intact
Salt and pepper
3?4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 egg
3?4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1?4 cup almond meal
2 tbsp panko bread crumbs
1 qt vegetable oil

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Toss salsa ingredients in a bowl, seasoning with salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Combine flour, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish; beat egg in a separate dish; in a third dish, combine coconut, almond meal, and panko.

4. Dredge shrimp first in flour mixture, shaking off excess, and then dip in egg. Dredge in coconut
mixture, gently shaking off excess.

5. Thread 3 shrimp per skewer. Place skewers on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate 1 hour.

6. After shrimp have chilled, preheat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Once oil reaches 350°F, gently drop skewers into pot and fry about 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden. Drain on a paper towel and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, with mango salsa on the side.

Mango Salsa
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
2 tbsp diced red onion
1 tbsp seeded and diced jalapeno
1 tsp minced garlic
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

Excerpted from On a Stick! 80 Party-Perfect Recipes by Matt Armendariz Copyright © 2011 by Matt Armendariz. Excerpted by permission of Quirk Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission from the publisher.

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These potato nests are among the cutest finger foods I enjoy preparing. Don’t be fooled by their appearance— they might look complicated, but in reality they are very simple to make. And the result is a delectable adventure with every bite.

Makes 18 to 20 nests

1 large (225 g; 8 oz) baking potato or sweet potato, peeled and finely grated
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt
Crushed red or black peppercorns
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 organic green apple, cored and diced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup (100 g; 3 ½ oz) cooked fresh crabmeat
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 scallion, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon chopped chives, plus a few sprigs to serve
Crème fraîche, to serve
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, to serve
Fleur de sel, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 420F (215C). Oil a mini muffin pan or two with cooking spray; set aside.

2. In a bowl, beat the grated potato with the egg and nutmeg. Add the parsley and season with sea salt and crushed red peppercorns. Take a small amount of the grated potatoes in your hands and squeeze out the excess liquid. Press this into the bottom of each muffin hole in the shape of a nest; repeat with the remaining grated potatoes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of melted butter to each nest.

3. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are crisp and golden in color. Unmold the nests and let cool on a rack.

4. In a bowl, gently toss the apple with the lime juice, crab, oil, cilantro, scallion, and chives. Season with sea salt and pepper. Using a teaspoon, spoon a small amount of filling inside each potato nest. Add a dollop of crème fraîche and a few pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and decorate with a few chive sprigs.

Excerpted from La Tartine Gourmande by Beatrice Peltre. Copyright © 2012 by Beatrice Peltre. Excerpted by permission of Roost Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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These egg rolls will have your teenager bragging on your behalf. Shrimp is Shelbi’s favorite, and she always loved egg rolls, so she thought this stuffing combo was a perfect match. You can prep the rolls early, or even the night before, so all you need to do before the guests arrive is drop them in the fryer.

MAKES 12 EGG ROLLS
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons roasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon crushed red- pepper flakes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1- inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1?2 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
3?4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed, chopped
12 egg- roll wrappers (found in refrigerated section of grocery store)
1 egg, beaten
Peanut oil, for frying
Sweet and sour sauce, for dipping (store-bought)

Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and red- pepper flakes in a small bowl, and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the ginger, garlic, and green onions, and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the carrot and cabbage, and continue to stir until the vegetables have softened, another 4 minutes. Push the vegetables to the outer edges of the skillet, and add the shrimp to the center of the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes, then stir the vegetables and shrimp together and add the soy- sauce mixture. Let cool completely.

Set a wrapper on your work surface with a corner directed toward you, and brush the edges of the egg-roll wrapper with the beaten egg. Place 1?4 cup of the shrimp mixture on the lower third of each wrapper. Fold the bottom corner portion of the wrapper up over the filling. Fold both the side corners inward, and roll the wrapper up like a burrito. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.

Heat 4 inches of peanut oil in a large, heavy- bottomed saucepan until it reaches 350 degrees F. Add the egg rolls, in batches of four or five, to the hot oil, and cook until they are crisp and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the oil, and let drain on a paper- towel- lined sheet tray. Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

Excerpted from The Neelys’ Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Neely, with Ann Volkwein © 2011 by Pat and Gina Neely, with Ann Volkwein; Excerpted by permission of Knopf, , a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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There it is, the number one most-requested hors d’oeuvre at parties: pigs in puff pastry blankets. As a caterer who takes pride in imprinting dishes with my distinct spin, I was thrilled to remake this party workhorse. My rendition is smoked salmon “pigs” with wasabi caviar “blankets” perched above a field of living wheatgrass. I love how the New York Times described it in a feature: “This little pig went, well, a little crazy.” I like to serve it with the classic version to satisfy the traditionalists. We have also cut the salmon and bread with an Oscar-shaped cutter for Academy Awards parties. If you can’t find wasabi caviar, substitute very finely chopped fresh dill.

makes 2 dozen of each

14 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon brine-packed capers, drained and finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
12 slices pumpernickel bread
12 ounces sliced smoked salmon, such as lox
24 black sesame seeds
2 ounces wasabi caviar (or 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill)

Pigs in Blankets

Remove the cocktail franks from the package and place them on a paper-towellined plate to absorb any extra moisture. Place the puff pastry on a cutting board and slice it into twenty-four 2-inch-long, 3/4-inch-wide strips. Place a frank horizontally in the center of a strip. Bring the edges of the pastry over the frank, pinch together, and set the pastry, seam side down, on a parchment-paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining franks and puff strips, placing the pigs in blankets about 1 inch apart. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon water with the egg to make an egg wash. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and brush the egg wash over the pastry. Bake, rotating the pan midway through, until the pastry is golden brown, about 24 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pigs in a Field

In a small bowl, stir the butter, capers, and lemon zest together. Set aside. Using a 2-inch pig-shaped cookie cutter, cut the bread and the salmon into 24 bread pig shapes and 24 salmon pig shapes. Spread one side of each piece of bread with 1/4 teaspoon of the lemon-caper butter. Carefully lay a piece of pig-shaped smoked salmon over the buttered bread. Place a sesame seed where the eye should be. Make a stripe of caviar down the middle of each pig’s belly (see photo) with 1/4 teaspoon of the wasabi caviar.

Serve: Serve the traditional pigs in blankets with a dot of mustard on each. Serve the pigs in a field standing in a tray of wheatgrass (or print a picture of grass and place it beneath a piece of glass or clear acrylic and serve the salmon-wasabi pigs on top).

Make Ahead Traditional pigs in blankets can be kept frozen for 1 month. The lemon-caper butter can be made 1 week ahead; cover and refrigerate. The smoked salmon–wasabi pigs can be assembled and refrigerated for several hours before serving.

Excerpted from Bite By Bite by Peter Callahan and Raquel Pelzel Copyright © 2011 by Peter Callahan and Raquel Pelzel. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup flax seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup crispy rice cereal (try to find a whole grain one, but Rice Krispies will do in a pinch)
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup diced dates or raisins
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup honey
1 cup almond butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9- x 13-inch pan and line with parchment paper, leaving ends lying over edges of pan. (This will allow you to lift granola bars out of pan with ease.)

Spread oats, flax seeds and sunflower seeds on baking sheet and toast in oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Return to oven and toast for another 8 minutes. Place in large bowl.

Add rice cereal, cranberries, dates and coconut to toasted oat mixture and stir to combine.

In saucepan, combine honey, almond butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Place over medium heat and stir for approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add to oat mixture and stir to combine. Let cool.

Add eggs and stir to combine. Spread granola mixture in pan, pressing with back of spoon to smooth it out. Sprinkle with chocolate chips (if using) and press into granola.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until granola is golden brown. Let cool in pan for 25 minutes. Cut into bars and place pan in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Break apart bars and store in refrigerator until ready to be eaten.

Yield: 24 bars

Excerpted from Good Food to Go by Brenda Bradshaw and Cheryl Mutch, M.D. Copyright © 2011 by Brenda Bradshaw and Cheryl Mutch, M.D.. Excerpted by permission of Random House Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Pinwheels can also be made with whole wheat bread. To do so, cut the crusts off a slice of bread and flatten it with a rolling pin. Spread the sandwich filling over the bread, roll it up and slice it into pinwheels. Young children may only eat 4 pinwheels and a few apple slices or a couple of grapes for lunch. It’s always preferable for them to experience success with smaller portions than be overwhelmed by a big sandwich.

Yield: Serves 1 or 2 young children

Substitute canned tuna for the salmon in this recipe, if you like.

1/2 can (7 1/2 oz/213 g) salmon, drained and skin removed
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 8–inch stalk celery, quartered lengthwise
1 8–inch whole wheat soft flour tortilla
1/2 tsp light cream cheese

The night before, in small bowl, combine salmon and mayonnaise. Prepare celery, reserving 1 celery stick for pinwheel. The remaining celery can be cut into sticks and packed with other vegetables for tomorrow’s lunch. Refrigerate salmon mixture and celery overnight.

In the morning, evenly spread salmon mixture over tortilla, leaving a 1–inch border around tortilla. Place celery at one end of tortilla. Spread cream cheese on opposite end in 1/2–inch strip. Starting with end of tortilla with celery, roll up tightly, working toward cream cheese end, and press tightly so that cream cheese “glues” pinwheel together. With sharp knife, slice into 1–inch rounds, discarding ends. Pack in reusable container.

Excerpted from Good Food to Go by Brenda Bradshaw and Cheryl Mutch, M.D. Copyright © 2011 by Brenda Bradshaw and Cheryl Mutch, M.D.. Excerpted by permission of Random House Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Serves 6

4 firm but ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh crabmeat
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1 red jalapeño, finely chopped
Canola oil, for deep-frying
12 fresh corn tortillas, cut into 8 wedges each
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Mash the avocados, sour cream, 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, and the chives in a large bowl. Season the avocado mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture into a clear glass serving bowl, forming an even layer and smoothing the top.

Squeeze the crabmeat gently to remove any excess liquid, and pick through it to remove any bits of shell or cartilage. Gently mix the crabmeat, mayonnaise, sliced basil, jalapeño, and the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice in another bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the crab mixture over the avocado mixture, forming a second even layer and smoothing the top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat 3 inches of oil in a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the tortilla wedges and fry, stirring often so that they cook evenly on both sides, for about 3 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon or a mesh strainer, transfer the corn chips to paper towels to drain any excess oil. While the chips are still hot, sprinkle them lightly with salt.

Garnish the dip with basil leaves, and serve with the tortilla chips.

Excerpted from Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone by Curtis Stone Copyright © 2009 by Curtis Stone Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission from the publisher.