Appetizers recipes

Chickpea dip with 6 cloves of garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice pureed smooth. A tahini-free hummus-style appetizer served with pita bread, scallions, crackers, or red cabbage.

Stuffed snow pea pods filled with a ricotta and cream cheese filling with shredded radish and chives. A crisp, no-cook appetizer that's low-calorie and elegant.

Marinated olives with garlic, orange zest, and fennel seeds warmed in olive oil. An Italian-style appetizer that improves with time. Ready in hours, not days.

Stuffed jalapeno peppers with a creamy filling of cream cheese, boiled eggs, mayonnaise, onion, and garlic salt. A no-cook, chilled appetizer with tangy heat in every bite.

Greek-style fried mussels marinated in ouzo then dipped in a crispy beer and Parmesan batter with yogurt. A crunchy, briny appetizer straight from the Aegean coast.

Creamy no-cook Camembert and walnut pâté with just 4 ingredients. Blended smooth with cream cheese and a squeeze of lime, it's an elegant appetizer ready in 20 minutes.

Herbed chicken blended with Swiss, Parmesan, and mayo spread on English muffins, baked until bubbly and golden, then cut into quarters. A hot, savory appetizer ready in 25 minutes.

Bite-sized baked egg cups loaded with cheddar, Monterey Jack, green chiles, and cumin. Makes 30 mini appetizers that disappear the second they hit the table.

Tender sweetbreads poached in milk, cubed, and served in a classic béchamel sauce. A refined old-world appetizer for adventurous cooks who appreciate offal done right.

Vegetarian Greek stuffed grape leaves filled with seasoned rice, toasted pine nuts, and sweet currants. Served cold with fresh lemon wedges, these dolmathes make an elegant meze appetizer.

Old-school chopped chicken liver with caramelized onions, garlic, hard-boiled eggs, and butter. Kept chunky, not smooth, for the real deli-style texture. A classic Jewish appetizer.

Tiny baby zucchini halves hollowed out and stuffed with a sauteed filling of garlic, shallot, Roma tomatoes, and fresh parsley. An elegant room-temperature appetizer from the Silver Palate.

Roman-style concia: zucchini slices fried golden in olive oil, then layered with garlic, basil, and vinegar. An old-world Italian appetizer that improves as it sits.

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.

Gratineed oysters on the half shell with diced apples and a Calvados sabayon broiled golden. An elegant French appetizer pairing briny oysters with apple brandy cream.

Salmon rollups wrapped in flaky crescent dough with dill and parsley. Canned salmon makes these a quick appetizer or snack, baked golden and served with warm cheese sauce.