A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to join a group of Dallas bloggers in a fun culinary challenge at Team Building With Taste.
The day started when we were randomly divided into four teams, then provided with a recipe to recreate in just 60 minutes! The theme of the day: Global Appetizers! Our recipe: Smoked Salmon Crostini.
When the clock started, the adrenaline started, too. It was like being on Master Chef, with judges watching, a pantry to use as needed and one finished product in mind! There was no time for discussion… the clock was ticking and you just put your minds together to get it done! We did have road blocks (no talking for 2 minutes) and even a secret ingredient that had to be incorporated with about 20 minutes left on the clock! (our secret ingredient was sun dried tomatoes!) It was fun and such a great experience!
When the cooking (and plating) time was over, the four dishes were judged. The chef gave his critiques and compliments on each appetizer, and when all was said and done, our team won! The chef even said this was one of the best versions of a Smoked Salmon Crostini he’d ever tasted, and he wouldn’t be surprised to see our dish on the menu at the restaurant across the street! WHAT?!
Team Building With Taste Dallas has two commercial kitchens, with the capability to host up to 100 people! Here are a few of the experiences available:
Smoked Salmon Crostini
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter
6 leeks, thinly sliced
¾ cup heavy cream
8 ounces smoked salmon, cut into ½ inch pieces
¼ cup chopped chives
2 baguettes, sliced ¼ inch thick
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks; sauté until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add ½ cup of the cream to leeks and cook over low heat until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Pull from heat and cool slightly. While liquid is cooling, slice baguettes and lightly toast for 5 minutes. Add salmon and the rest of the cream to slightly cooled leek mixture and stir to combine. Spoon 2 tablespoons of mixture on toasted baguette slices and place on a greased baking sheet. Broil until top is golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve.
*We did kick it up a notch and baste the baguette slices with melted butter/olive oil/garlic before baking! (And this is where the sun dried tomatoes came in, too!)
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