Appetizer recipe collection

Crab butter dip with cream cheese, mayo, lemon, Worcestershire, and real crab meat, chilled and topped with cocktail sauce. A rich, no-cook party appetizer for crackers.

Kobeba samakeyah are Lebanese fish-filled bulgur croquettes seasoned with cumin and cilantro, deep-fried golden, and served with homemade tahini sauce. A Middle Eastern classic.

Lebanese stuffed grape leaves filled with spiced lamb and rice seasoned with allspice and cinnamon, rolled tight and simmered over lemon slices. A traditional Middle Eastern appetizer.

Mousseline of scallops and salmon, a silky two-tone seafood mousse with a truffled scallop outer layer and a salmon center, steamed in ramekins and served on sauteed spinach with a beurre blanc. An elegant French starter.

Savory crepes filled with wine-braised leeks, shiitake mushrooms, and herbs, topped with a rich red wine mushroom sauce. An elegant vegetarian main that impresses.

Buttery garlic mushroom appetizer simmered low and slow with Italian dressing mix. Three ingredients, toothpick-ready, and they vanish off the platter in minutes.

Penne pasta salad with kalamata olives, dried currants, toasted pine nuts, and red onion in a curry-cumin parsley vinaigrette. A Mediterranean-meets-Indian make-ahead side.

Penne with Provencal Eggplant & Sweet Peppers recipe

Black olive paste (pure di olive nere) blends pitted Italian or French olives with olive oil, lemon, pepper, and bread crumbs. Italian-style spread for crostini, sandwiches, and pasta. Vegan, keeps for weeks.

Rolled calzone stuffed with pesto, ham, capicola, provolone, roasted red peppers, and pepperoncini. Homemade herb pizza dough baked golden and sliced into pinwheels.

Roman bean soup with lima beans, fresh tomatoes, and a bright squeeze of lemon. Half-pureed for a rustic, creamy texture that feels like a warm Italian afternoon.

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.

Crispy deep-fried ham and sauerkraut balls with cream cheese, onion, and mustard in a golden breadcrumb coating for appetizers or main dish.

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.

Seafood crepes stuff thin pancakes with poached monkfish, scallops, and shrimp bound in a garlic-infused Gruyère cream sauce, then bake until bubbling. A French bistro starter or light luncheon dish that punches well above its ingredient list.

Buttermilk-marinated chicken strips get coated in sesame-studded breadcrumbs and baked until golden, served with tangy plum preserves sauce spiked with horseradish and mustard.