Appetizer recipe collection

Dried tomato crostini with sun-dried and fresh tomatoes, olives, capers, balsamic vinegar, and garlic on toasted baguette. An Italian bruschetta-style appetizer with optional melted cheese.

Eggplant relish with baked eggplant, hard-boiled egg, green pepper, and onion ground together with vinegar and garlic. A cold Eastern European-style spread for bread and crackers.

Smoky roasted eggplant spread with cumin, coriander, and fresh herbs. This low-fat appetizer dip is baked until silky smooth and packed with warm Middle Eastern spices.

Belgian endive leaves filled with whipped cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, piped into elegant rosettes. A make-ahead appetizer that looks stunning on any party platter.

Chinese-style fried shrimp balls with minced shrimp, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and ginger, bound with egg white and cornstarch then deep-fried golden and crispy.

Garlic broth made with two whole heads of garlic, saffron, curry powder, and sage. A pureed vegetarian soup with deep, aromatic flavor from simmered garlic and warm spices.

Gefilte fish from a jar upgraded with fresh beets, carrots, and onions layered and simmered for 45 minutes. Bubbe's shortcut for holiday fish that tastes almost homemade.

Hamaguri Sakami are sake-seasoned clams served at room temperature in their shells with lemon. A minimalist Japanese appetizer that highlights the clean, briny sweetness of littleneck clams.

Quick herbed white bean dip with cannellini beans, garlic, lemon, olive oil, cumin, and oregano. The 10-minute Mediterranean appetizer that's lighter than hummus and just as versatile.

Howard Karten's salsa is a Mediterranean-leaning chunky tomato dip: peeled tomatoes, red onion, black olives, cumin, garlic, oregano, and red wine vinegar. No chiles, no cilantro, all flavor.

Marynowane Pieczarki are Polish marinated mushrooms in a peppercorn and bay leaf vinegar brine. Tangy cocktail-hour bites that hold for weeks in the fridge. Pure old-world preserving.

Mock guacamole made with steamed asparagus and picante sauce instead of avocado. A low-fat, avocado-free dip with the same creamy green look and tangy flavor.

Mushroom ketchup, a Victorian-era umami bomb of salted fresh mushrooms and dried boletus simmered with vinegar, warm spices and sherry. A shelf-stable savory condiment worth the two-day project for real depth.

These were easy and so cute! I made 1/2 a recipe piped with tip 12 and got 25 mushrooms.

Steak and shrimp wonton filling with marinated beef, lemon-kissed shrimp, water chestnuts, and cilantro. A surf-and-turf twist for fried or boiled dumplings.

Deep-fried ginger shrimp in a light batter with garlic, chili sauce, and whipped egg white. Crispy, golden, and served with the tail on for easy dipping.