Grilled Apple Appetizer Recipe from 'Short Stack'
Photos: Mackenzie Smith
Short Stack Editions is a series of ingredient-driven, small-format cookbooks. The following recipe comes from Short Stack Volume 11: Apples. Go here for more information about this recipe project.
Grilled-Apple Pintxos with Ham and Cheese
Makes 24
Pintxos are the Basque equivalent of tapas—small appetizers meant to be enjoyed with a pre-dinner drink—and often come neatly packaged on toothpicks or little skewers. Here, caramelized grilled apple slices stand in for the more traditional quince paste. These one-bite hors d’oeuvres are excellent alongside a dry cava or other sparkling wine.
2 sweet, crisp apples, such as Pink Lady, cored and cut into 12 wedges each
1/3 cup sugar in the raw
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
8 ounces Manchego cheese, rinds removed and cut into 24 ¼ -inch-thick rectangles
24 thin slices Serrano ham (about 8 ounces)
Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Toss the apples with the sugar and rosemary in a bowl. Place a double layer of foil on the grill and arrange the apples on top in a single layer. Cook, flipping the apples halfway through, until they’re caramelized and tender, about 16 minutes.
Let the apples cool to room temperature. Skewer each apple wedge onto a toothpick with a slice of Manchego and a slice of ham. Arrange on a platter and serve.
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