Appetizer recipe collection

Salsa gruda is a chilled fresh tomato salsa with crushed coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and a splash of red wine vinegar. A no-cook condiment built for grilled chicken or fish.

Turkish-style sauteed eggplant with a garlicky tomato sauce finished with vinegar. Salted and drained for silky, golden slices. Served warm or at room temperature.

The sauce here is no kin whatsoever to the ketchupy stuff that too often swamps cold seafood; it's a good bet with cold shrimp or crabmeat, too.

Crystal-clear dumpling wrappers reveal a savory filling of shrimp, pork, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. These bite-sized dim sum gems steam in just minutes and disappear even faster from the plate.

Fresh cucumber rounds hollowed out and filled with roasted eggplant paté blended with almonds, garlic, and parsley. A cool, elegant vegetarian appetizer that looks as good as it tastes.

Shredded Spam and sharp cheddar rolled into a zesty cheeseball with horseradish, Worcestershire, and chili powder, then coated in crunchy chopped nuts. A retro appetizer that keeps the cracker crowd coming back.

A stunning layered terrine of baked eggplant, ripe tomato wedges, and buffalo mozzarella set in a light tomato gelatin. Chilled, pressed, and sliced for an elegant appetizer.

A wholesome baked vegetable pâté built on ground sunflower seeds, whole wheat flour, and grated carrots and potato. Earthy, nutty, and spreadable, this vegan appetizer serves a crowd of 20 and pairs with crackers or crusty bread.

Dried figs, apricots, and almonds pulsed with honey, coriander, and sweet wine, then rolled in toasted sesame seeds. This Yemenite charoset brings a rich, fragrant twist to your Passover Seder table.

Andouille was a great favorite in nineteenth-century New Orleans. This thick Cajun sausage is made with lean pork and pork fat and lots of garlic. Sliced about 1/2 inch thick and greilled, it makes a delightful appetizer. It is also used in a superb oyster and andouille gumbo poplular in Laplace, a Cajun town about 30 miles fromNew Orleans that calls itself the Andouille Capital of the World.

Vegetarian party pate made from pinto beans, TVP, and shiitake mushrooms with mirin and mace, baked in a water bath and served cold on crackers.

Potted chicken with bacon, butter, and warm spices baked in a water bath until silky. Old-world Irish preserve sealed under clarified butter for an old-school appetizer or sandwich spread.

Italian oil-packed tuna blitzed with mascarpone, kalamata olives, capers, anchovy paste, and lemon zest into a luxurious tapenade spread. Pile it on grilled crostini for a cocktail party appetizer that disappears fast.

Anginares me anitho: Greek artichokes braised with spring onions, fresh dill, and lemon, then finished with a silky avgolemono egg-lemon sauce. The springtime Athenian classic.

Marinated mushroom salad with vinegar-poached mushrooms, blanched carrots, celery, and bell peppers dressed in oregano olive oil. A make-ahead antipasto-style cold salad.

Thai sa-teh skewers with chicken, beef, and pork marinated in lemongrass, curry, and fish sauce, grilled fast, served with cool cucumber sauce. Street-food flavor at home.