Appetizer's

CORNMEAL AND SHALLOT MADELEINES WITH
CREME FRAICHE AND CAVIAR

• 1/3 cup minced shallot
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 large egg, beaten lightly
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream plus
  additional as a topping
  
• 3 tablespoons water
• about 2 ounces of caviar

In a skillet cook the shallot in 1 tablespoon of
the butter over moderately low heat, stirring,
until it is softened and let the mixture cool
completely. In a bowl stir together the cornmeal,
the flour, the baking powder, and the shallot
mixture, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter,
cut into bits, and blend the mixture until it
resembles fine meal. Stir in the egg, 1/4 cup
of the crème fraîche, the water, and salt and
pepper to taste and stir the batter until it is
combined well. On a baking sheet heat 16 well-buttered 2 2/3-
by 1 3/4-inch madeleine tins (about 2 tablespoons
capacity) in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven
for 2 minutes, remove the tins from the oven, and
into each tin spoon a heaping 1 1/2 teaspoons of
the batter. Bake the madeleines on the baking
sheet in the middle of the 400°F. oven for 6 to
8 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the
centers comes out clean, turn them out onto
racks, and let them cool completely. The
madeleines may be made 3 days in advance and
kept chilled in an airtight container. Top
the madeleines with the additional crème fraîche
and the caviar.

Makes 16 hors d'oeuvres.

Gourmet July 1992

CRAB-MEAT PARMESAN CANAPES

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

• 12 slices homemade-type white bread, crusts
  discarded and bread cut into 4 triangles
  
• 1 cup fresh lump crab meat, picked over
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 scallions, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to
  taste
  

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Toast bread on a baking sheet in oven until
golden, about 5 minutes. In a bowl stir
together remaining ingredients with salt and
pepper to taste. Toasts and crab-meat mixture
may be made 1 day in advance.
Reduce oven to 375°F. Spread crab-meat mixture
on toasts and arrange on baking sheet. Canapés
may be assembled 30 minutes in advance. Bake
canapés in middle of oven until puffed, about
10 minutes.

Makes 48 canapés.