Appetizers recipes

Mititei are traditional Romanian skinless beef sausages seasoned with garlic, rosemary, cloves, and baking soda for a tender bite. Grilled until crisp and brown on the outside.

Tangy garbanzo dip with soy sauce, fresh ginger, rice vinegar, and scallions. An Asian-inspired twist on hummus with no tahini, blended smooth in minutes.

Light, puffy souffleed crepes made with beaten egg whites folded into a classic crepe batter. Cook in a crepe pan or bake as a flat souffle, then fill with fruit, brandy, or vanilla.

Lobster chunks poached in herbed chicken broth with fresh mushrooms and garden vegetables, finished with lime juice. A light, elegant seafood dish ready in 30 minutes.

Microwave cauliflower scramble with frozen cauliflower in cheese sauce, zucchini, tomatoes, and thyme. A quick vegetable side dish ready in 30 minutes with no stovetop needed.

Yeasted buckwheat blini made with whipped cream and egg whites folded into the batter for a light, fluffy pancake. Serve topped with caviar and creme fraiche.

Gefilte fish made from scratch with ground whitefish, pike, and carp, poached in a vegetable broth with carrots and onions. A traditional Jewish holiday recipe.

French onion tart with a handmade butter pastry, slow-cooked onions, bacon, and a silky cream custard. Baked low and slow for a rich, golden filling.

Sesame cheese crackers with cheddar, toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, and cayenne in a buttery dough rolled thin and baked crisp. Homemade crackers with an Asian-cheddar twist.

Boiled lobster medallions and claw meat served in a rich curry sauce made from the lobster cooking liquid, Calvados, white wine, and curry powder, finished with a butter-flour thickener.

Scotch eggs with fresh herbs: hard-boiled eggs wrapped in herby sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried to a crackly golden shell. A British pub classic for picnics.

San Antonio seafood cocktail sauce made with picante sauce, ketchup, and fresh lemon juice. A Tex-Mex twist on classic cocktail sauce served with chilled shrimp, scallops, or crab.

Steamed chickpeas soaked overnight and steamed until tender but chewy, seasoned with salt and garlic salt. A simple, high-protein vegetarian snack or side dish from dried beans.

Hoppel Poppel tart with breakfast sausage, potatoes, onion, and fresh dill in a blind-baked butter pastry shell. A German-American brunch classic turned elegant.

Hunter's buns made with pastry dough kneaded with currants and brushed with milk before baking. A simple British-style tea bun that can be filled with jam for a sweeter treat.

Ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers filled with creamy ricotta, Asiago, chopped almonds, basil and parsley. Delicate squash blossoms baked until warm, elegant enough for company, easy enough for a summer Tuesday.