I'm having a xmas dinner party w/ beef bourguignon. Does anyone have french appetizer suggestions?

Answer 1

Gougeres (Tiny Cheese Puffs)

Ingredients:
Unsalted butter, softened, and all-purpose flour, for the baking sheets
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
Pinch of sea salt
1 cup water
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, sifted
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup freshly grated imported Gruyere cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lightly butter and flour 2 baking sheets; set aside.
3. In a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, salt, and water over high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. As soon as the mixture boils, remove the pan from the heat. Add the flour all at once, and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan.
Return the pan to low heat and continue beating for 1 minute, to dry out the dough.
4. Quickly transfer the dough to the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a flat paddle. Gradually add the eggs and 1/2 cup of the cheese, mixing at moderately high speed to incorporate the maximum amount of air. The dough should have the consistency of a very thick mayonnaise.
5. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/2-inch tip. (Depending on the size of your pastry bag, this may have to be done in two batches.) Pipe into round 2-inch mounds, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (If you do not have a pastry bag, carefully spoon the dough onto the baking sheets with a tablespoon.)
6. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Place in the center of the oven and bake until the puffs are an even golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Avoid opening the oven door during this time, for humidity will escape and the pastry will dry out.
7. To test for doneness, remove one well-browned cheese puff from the oven. Split it apart: It should be moist and steamy in the center. Transfer the puffs to a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 30 to 36 cheese puffs

Pate' (can be made with chicken, duck or goose livers)

Ingredients:
Livers and hearts from 6 ducks (or 2-3 geese)
2 tsp. vermouth
Salt and pepper to taste
Instant minced onion
1 hard boiled egg
1-2 tbsp. mayonnaise or softened butter

Directions:
Boil livers and hearts in water with some minced onion flakes. Cook until tender and then place them in your blender along with the hard boiled egg. After blending, remove to a small bowl and add vermouth, mayonnaise or butter, and seasonings. Stir until well blended. Chill your pate in the refrigerator before serving in a crock or other container.

Grapes in Napoleon Brandy
Yield: 20 Servings

Ingredients:
4 lb Seedless green and purple-
Grapes
3/4 c Liquid honey
3/4 c Napoleon brandy
2 tb Lemon juice
2 c Sour cream
Lemon twists (optional)

Directions:
Place grapes in large serving bowl. In small bowl,
mix honey, brandy and lemon juice. Pour over grapes,
cover and refrigerate for about 3 hours, stirring once
or twice.
Serve sour cream in separate bowl for passing.
Garnish grapes and sour cream with twists of lemon, if
using. Makes 20 servings.

Answer 2

Keep it simple and light at the beginning of dinner because you don't want to over do it. I would have something like a French Onion Soup and perhaps some type of fresh green salad with a blue cheese dressing. You can find a recipe for the onion soup on allrecipes.com

That's my suggestion.

Answer 3

Stuffed mushrooms come to mind. Consider taking crimini or button mushrooms, removing stems, placing a tsp of boursin herb and garlic cheese in the center, and wrapping them in puff pastry. Brush with egg wash and bake until puffed and golden brown.

Crisp tender veges (bagna cauda) also come to mind when served with an anchovy butter dipping sauce.

Brie En Croute is also elegant: one large wheel of brie topped with some caramel ice cream topping and chopped pecans, placed in a sheet of puff pastry. Bring sides of pastry up and over the top, securing with bakers twine. Trim ends in a decorative fashion and brush with egg wash. Bake until golden and puffed. Carefull remove and place on serving dish. Serve with crackers or thinly sliced baguette.

Take thinly sliced baguette and top with gorgonzola or cambozola cheese. Drizzle with honey and bake until softend.

Asparagas wrapped with prosciutto.

Answer 4

Baked Brie - but that would be a rather rich meal woudn't it.
Should be a lot of clogger arteries afterwards. LOL!

Answer 5

Escargot of course, and camembert with crackers.

Answer 6

fresh baguette with triple creme goat cheese?