This is great finger food for party time or ball game treats – warm soft extra large tortillas; sun-dried tomato basil; spinach or plain. For this recipe the tortillas will be used flat. Use two – one on top of the other like a big round sandwich.
Prepare chicken filling: Using leftover roast chicken pieces (you could use tinned tuna or any other filling that is your favourite), place meat into a strong blender or food processor. Whir until tiny chunks appear. Add small chunks of medium cheddar cheese, a small spoon of sour cream, a little mayonnaise, a small piece of garlic and a tiny piece of green onion and a pinch of thyme and a little sprinkle of fresh ground pepper. Add a little grated sharp Parmesan cheese. If the mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of chicken broth or leftover gravy. Process until nearly smooth. Place in covered container. It’s better the next day, but perfectly fine to use immediately.
Prepare roast beef or leftover steak filling: Using leftover beef pieces (you could use pork or lamb or any other filling that is your favourite), place meat into strong blender or food processor. Whir until tiny chunks appear. Add small chunks of medium cheddar cheese, two or three pimento filled olives, a small spoon of sour cream, a little mayonnaise, a small piece of garlic and a tiny piece of regular onion and a pinch of thyme and a little sprinkle of fresh ground pepper. Add a little grated sharp Parmesan cheese. If mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of chicken broth or leftover gravy or beef drippings. Process until nearly smooth. Place in covered container. It’s better the next day, but perfectly fine to use immediately.
Spread filling on one of the warmed soft tortillas; sprinkle with a couple of finger-minced fresh basil leaves (more if you love it so much). Top with second warm tortilla. Cut in half width-wise. Cut in half again. Keep cutting in half by rotating until you have eight pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and use for tasty snacks after school or while you are on the run. Will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. A great grab and run food for Realtors and/or for lunch box treats for the kids. Don’t tell them it’s good for them. Once you make these you will expect they should always be on hand. Made in minutes. So easy. Such a tasty use for leftovers.
Creative additions: Slice a tart-sweet apple; cover chicken filling with the apple slices, or just dot the service with a few slices. Add a few walnut pieces and cover the filling with soft Boston lettuce leaves. Spread cover tortilla with mayonnaise or your favourite sauce. Place on top. Cut same as before into pie-shaped pieces… now you have a Waldorf salad lunch or light dinner. So GOOD! Great warm or cold.
Meatless filling: At 425 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, roast chunks of eggplant, zucchini, onions, peppers, firm tomatoes (maybe even green tomatoes), whole cloves of garlic that have been tossed in your favourite olive oil, salt and cracked black pepper. I like to use half and half melted butter and corn oil. Sprinkle with dried thyme and/or dried basil (just a pinch), or a little Italian seasonings. If you like a TexMex flavour, add some chillies to the mix. Let cool, then pulse till rough consistency, add your favorite Feta cheese for a nice cheesey-veg spread. Spread on warm tortillas. Slice and serve warm or cold. Will keep for several days in refrigerator.
Seafood filling: Using tinned or cooked lobster, shrimp and scallops, add a pinch of garlic, a pinch of green onion, your favourite cheese (I know – people don’t always want to use cheese with seafood), along with a little Parmesan grated, a little sour cream and a little mayonnaise; whir in the food processor. If filling is too stiff, add a couple of tablespoons of cream. Use same day, ideally.
If using as an hors d’ouvres, perhaps using a small decorative toothpick, top seafood slice with a full-size shrimp or a slice of scallop.
Topping for beef or other meat filling: Try a wedge or slice of hard-cooked egg, sprinkled with paprika.
Topping for chicken: Perhaps an olive, a cheddar curl or a tomato rose.
Topping for veggie filling: Try a whole black olive positioned strategically on a fancy toothpick; or use a cherry tomato or a roasted whole garlic bud. Garlic develops a sweet flavour when roasted whole. It’s soft, spreadable and wonderful. Not nearly as potent as raw garlic.
Mix and match or serve on easily identifiable plates of all one kind. Have guests serve themselves. Better make plenty. They’ll be back for more. There won’t be leftovers.
The working title for Carolyne’s Gourmet Recipes cookbook is From Lady Ralston’s Kitchen: A Canadian Contessa Cooks. This kitchen-friendly doyenne has been honoured and referred to as the grande dame of executive real estate in her market area during her 35-year career. She taught gourmet cooking in the mid-70s and wrote a weekly newspaper cooking column, long before gourmet was popular as it is today. Her ebook, Gourmet Cooking – at Home with Carolyne is available here for $5.99 US. Email Carolyne. Scroll down to the comments at each recipe column. Carolyne often adds complimentary “From Lady Ralston’s Kitchen” additional recipes in the Recipes for Realtors Comments section at REM.
