South of the Boarder

These tortilla pinwheel appetizers are the kind that disappear fastest off the party platter. The whole concept is dead simple: cream cheese, chopped olives, and minced hot chili peppers blended together, smeared on a flour tortilla, rolled up, chilled, then sliced into pretty little spirals.

The heat dial is in your hands. Jalapenos with seeds and membranes give you a real bite; remove the seeds and membranes and you get gentle warmth. Use serranos or habaneros if you want serious heat, or substitute mild canned green chilies for a crowd-friendly version.

Black olives bring brininess that cuts through the rich cream cheese. Chop them fine so each pinwheel slice shows even speckles of dark olive against the white cheese; large chunks make the rolls hard to slice cleanly.

The chill is the whole point. Cold cream cheese firms up enough to slice without smushing the roll. Thirty minutes minimum in the fridge, longer is better.

Kitchen Tips

• Spread the cream cheese mixture all the way to the edges of the tortilla, otherwise the ends of the roll come out hollow and ugly when sliced
• Roll tight; loose rolls fall apart when sliced and the pinwheels won’t hold their shape on the platter
• Trim off the ragged ends before slicing the rest into uniform pinwheels for a cleaner presentation
• These can be made a day ahead, wrapped tight in plastic, and sliced just before serving

Variations

• Stir in chopped fresh cilantro, sliced scallions, or diced bell pepper for extra color and freshness
• Add shredded sharp cheddar or pepper jack with the cream cheese for an extra cheese layer
• Sprinkle the cream cheese spread with crumbled bacon or chopped sundried tomatoes for a heartier roll