Holiday Snacks to Wow Your Guests

Site Staff,
Holiday Snack Ideas
Photo by Eugenia Uhl

The holiday season is ramping up. This is a time for joy, celebration, giving, friends, family – but, mostly, it’s time for snacking.

Whether it’s bonding with Grandpa over which pre-dinner dish on the table is the best, or using the snack table to get away from another one of Uncle Joe’s rants, holiday snacks are an integral part of the holidays.

Sometimes, the snacks even outshine the main course. And if you follow the recipes below, this may just be the case for your holiday party.

Holiday Snacks to Wow Your Guests

1. Crabmeat Ravigote

Recipe by Stanley Dry. Makes six to eight servings.

DRESSING

  • 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon chopped capers
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh lemon balm
  • Salt and pepper

SALAD

  • 1 pound cooked lump crabmeat
  • 1 shallot, finely minced
  • 1 tender stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika for garnish
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped parsley for garnish

DRESSING: Place all of the ingredients, except salt and pepper, together in one bowl. Mix thoroughly. Check for salt and pepper. Chill while making the salad.

SALAD: Place the crabmeat in a bowl and break apart the crabmeat, looking for shells. Remove any shells that you find. Add the minced shallot and the chopped celery. Toss together.

ADD the chilled dressing and toss to ensure that all of the salad is coated. Sprinkle the salad with the paprika through a small sieve. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Crabmeat Ravigote Recipe

Photo by Eugenia Uhl

2. Cinclare Bar & Table’s Shrimp Boil Butter

Prep time: 15-20 minutes. Yields: eight 2-oz. servings.

  • 1 pound butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
  • 1½ tablespoons dried shrimp powder
  • 2-3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, picked
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, minced

Remove butter from refrigerator and set aside to bring to room temperature.

Place dried shrimp in spice grinder or blender and blend into powder. Combine shrimp powder with butter and remaining ingredients and mix to combine. If using a Cajun seasoning heavy in salt, season the butter with kosher salt until preferable to your taste.

Store in an airtight container and place in refrigerator for up to two weeks. Use the butter on anything that sounds appealing: broiled fish, chargrilled oysters, sliced bread, etc.

Cinclare Bar & Table’s Shrimp Boil Butter

Photo by Eugenia Uhl

3. Quick Fig Jam 

Recipe by Liz Williams

  • 2 pounds figs, stemmed and chopped
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • Generous ¼ cup of lemon juice

Place the figs in a stainless steel or enameled pot. Stir the sugar into the figs and make sure that the figs are well coated. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to allow the sugar to force the figs to release liquid.

Add the lemon juice and ½ cup of water. Place over a low burner and stir. Cook about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into three 8-ounce jars. Cover and keep in the refrigerator.

Quick Fig Jam

Photo by Eugenia Uhl

Categories: Acadiana, Lagniappe, Homepage, Recipes

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