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Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains
lies a little town called Aspen, you may have heard of it
before. This is where I was first introduced to the concept
of Après Ski. Here the slopes are steep, the terrain
is challenging and the runs are long — so after a hard
day of exercise, so much so that your legs are humming, and
you’ve got that wind-blown face and overall satiating
mountain glow, some yummy appetizers, perhaps a glass of wine
or a hot and steamy cup of hot cocoa, and the gathering of
friends to recap the days victories and hopefully non-serious
spills, is the absolute perfect reward — this is what
we call Après Ski.
Since March is the month of spring skiing
I thought it fitting to share some of my favorite Après
Ski menus. These appetizers are quick and easy to prepare
and are guaranteed to be rapidly consumed by your group of
hungry snow enthusiasts.
Après Ski Menu — Gourmet
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Smoked
Salmon Plate
Decorate a platter with a scoop of
whipped cream cheese, smoked salmon slices, sliced tomatoes,
red onion slices, gluten-free crackers and if you have
them a dollop of capers. Easy and very delicious!
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Spinach
& Artichoke Dip served with Tortilla Chips
Prepare this dish a day ahead and
pop in the oven as everyone is getting comfortable.
Don’t expect leftovers with this dish….you’re
fellow skiers will not be able to pass this one up!
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Mini
Beef Filets w/Horseradish-Crème Fraiche
This appetizer is a huge hit, particularly
with men. Although it may sound too difficult and gourmet
to prepare after a long day, it actually is a cinch
to put together. The only thing you will need to do
is make sure you have made a gluten-free baguette the
day before. Before serving, simply toast the baguette
slices, pan sear a beef tenderloin filet and top with
a simple combination of horseradish and crème
fraiche.
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| Suggested beverage(s):
Red or white wine or martini’s. |
Après Ski Menu — Asian Influence
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Thai
Chicken Wings
Most people love chicken wings….this
dish is a true winner, particularly for those who like
Asian cuisine. Prepare the marinade the night before,
add the wings and after skiing place them under the
broiler.
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Lemon
Ginger Marinated Shrimp
One of my favorite quick shrimp dishes!
Easy to prepare — prepare the marinade, marinate
the shrimp for 30 minutes and sauté! Simply delicious.
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Edamame
If you’ve ever been to a Japanese
restaurant and been served edamame you will understand
how addictive these little soy bean pods can be. So
simple to prepare — purchase frozen edamame and
throw into a pot of boiling salted water. Boil for 5
minutes or so, or until just tender, drain and toss
with kosher salt. Make sure you make quite a bit, since
nobody seems to be able to get enough of these!
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| Suggested beverage(s):
Memokawa Premium Sake (if choosing another brand of sake
make sure that it is traditional pure sake and there are
no gluten containing additives) |
Après Ski Menu — Mexican
Style
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Roasted
Poblano Guacamole Dip
Prepare the roasted poblano’s,
tomatoes and garlic a day ahead. When you are ready
to serve mash the avocados and mix everything together.
This is an awesome dip, especially if are a guacamole
lover!
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Layered
Bean Dip
Another all time favorite. Prepare
this one a day ahead and simply remove from the fridge
when you are ready to serve.
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Pico
de Gallo & Chips
You can either prepare our recipe
for pico de gallo (best made right before serving) or
you could also purchase some very good quality, organic
or all natural gluten-free prepared salsas.
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| Suggested beverage(s):
Gluten-free beer — RedBridge or Ramapo Valley Brewing
Co. or Margaritas |
Enjoy!
-Glutenfreeda
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