CAVIAR, CREAM CHEESE, SCALLION, AND EGG TOWERS

Caviar, Cream Cheese, Scallion, and Egg Towers image

Categories Cheese Egg Fish Onion Cocktail Party Fall Gourmet

Yield Makes about 40 hors d'oeuvres

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

For filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 hard-cooked large eggs
1 cup finely chopped scallion greens (from about 1 large bunch)
For 8 egg sheets:
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
4 large eggs, beaten lightly
1/4 teaspoon salt
vegetable oil for brushing skillet
2 ounces beluga or sevruga caviar*
*available at some specialty foods shops

Steps:

Make filling:
In a bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy. Quarter eggs and with back of a spoon force through a coarse sieve into cream cheese. Add scallion and stir well. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring filling to room temperature before proceeding.
On a work surface arrange 2 egg sheets, side by side and overlapping by 1 inch. Put a dab of filling between sheets where they overlap (to act as glue) and press sheets together gently. Spread 1/2 cup filling on overlapping egg sheets, leaving about a 1/2-inch border on each long side. Fold in border of long side nearest you and tightly roll up sheets jelly-roll fashion into one 11-inch-long roll. Wrap egg sheet roll in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour, or until firm. Make 3 more egg sheet rolls with remaining egg sheets and filling in same manner. Egg sheet rolls may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped well.
Discard plastic wrap and trim ends of egg sheet rolls. Cut rolls crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Arrange pieces, cut ends up, on a platter and top each with about 1/4 teaspoon caviar.
To make egg sheets:
In a bowl dissolve cornstarch in water and whisk in eggs and salt until smooth. Brush a non-stick skillet measuring 6 inches across bottom lightly with oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Half-fill a 1/4-cup measure with egg mixture. Remove skillet from heat and pour in 1/8 cup egg mixture, swirling skillet to coat evenly. Return skillet to heat and cook egg sheet until set, 10 to 15 seconds. Loosen edges of egg sheet with a heatproof rubber spatula and turn sheet over. Cook egg sheet until set, 5 to 10 seconds more, and slide onto a plate. Make more egg sheets with remaining mixture in same manner, brushing skillet lightly with oil each time. Egg sheets may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap. Makes 8 or 9 egg sheets.