If you're hosing a dinner party or a big get-together and want to keep your life a little simple, easy cold appetizers are the way to go. You don't have to spend hours in the kitchen putting them together, and you don't have to worry about to keep them hot during your party. They're the perfect thing to impress your guests with a minimum of effort.
Especially the oh-so simple, easy cold appetizers I've got here. These appetizers are ulta-quick to put together (all three can be made in advance and tossed in the fridge until party time), but look beautiful, special and elegant. Almost gourmet.
No, really!
Don't believe me? Read of for some of my favorite recipes to keep life simple: easy cold appetizers that I make again and again.
Elegant Cold Appetizer Idea: Mini Salads in Cups
- Layered taco salad (very pretty!)
- Greek salad with feta
- Chinese chicken salad
- Cobb salad
- Waldof salad
- Caesar salads
- Spinach salad
- Lobster or shrimp salad
- Ceviche
REAL Spanish Salpicon Recipe:
Marinated Seafood Salad in Olive Oil
What makes this cold seafood appetizer recipe really easy is that you can assemble it the morning of your party and let it sit-- unlike most salad recipes it won't get soggy, because there's no lettuce. For prettiest presentation in salad cups, line each cup with a lettuce leaf before adding the salpicon. Makes about 20 salad cups.
Ingredients:
32 peeled, de-veined shrimp, cooked and coarsely chopped
16 canned or freshly steamed mussels, meat only
1/2 lb. good-quality imitation crab, coarsely chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 sm. green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 sm. red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 sm. tomato, chopped
2 sm. white onion, finely chopped
1/2-3/4 C. spanish olives, left whole (optional)
1/4 C. minced fresh parsley
Salt, to taste
1/4 C. red wine vinegar (or to taste)
3/4 C. good-quality extra virgin olive oil (or to taste)
20 bright green lettuce leaves (not iceburg!) (for garnish)
Instructions: 1. Place your seafood, veggies, olives, and parsley in a large bowl. Stir to mix. Add salt to taste.
2. Stir in vinegar. Start with just a bit and add the amount that fits your tastes (sorry, it's hard to be specific-- most Spanish recipes are just "taste as taste can".
3. Stir in oil. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour two, or up to 12 hours, before serving.
4. Line each salad cup with a lettuce leaves and divide your prepared salpicon recipe evenly among them.
Easy Cold Dip Appetizer: 7-Layer Hummus Dip Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 C. prepared hummus
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 C. marinated sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 tsp. minced fresh oregano
1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 C. chopped kalamata olives
1/4 C. chopped green onions
Instructions: 1. Stir cumin and garlic into your prepared hummus. If your hummus is already strongly flavored, this step may not be necessary. Spread your prepared hummus in the bottom of a pie plate.
2. Top your hummus with your chopped sundried tomatoes. Top those with cucumber and season cucumber with freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle the parsley and oregano over.
3. Sprinkle the feta over. Sprinkle the olives over. Finish off with the green onions.
4. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serve cold.
Citrus, Ginger, and Basil Infused Goat Cheese
Oh, one more thing! Be sure to use a firm soft goat cheese to make this simple, easy cold appetizer. Too-soft goat's cheese won't slice cleanly and makes for a messy presentation. Serves about 10.
Ingredients:
12 oz. soft fresh goat cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
1/3 C. minced fresh basil
1 tsp. orange zest
3/4 C. good-quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. tricolor peppercorns
1 tsp. whole allspice berries
Instructions: 1. Start off with very cold goat cheese. The colder it is, the easier it will be to slice it in neat rounds, which is what you want.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, ginger, basil, and orange zest.
2. With a very sharp knife, slice the goat cheese into slices about 1/2" thick. Place the cheese in the bottom of a round baking dish.
3. In a small pan, cook the olive oil, peppercorns, and allspice over medium heat. When the peppercorns start popping, remove the pan from the heat. Quickly add your bowl of basil-zest mixture. Stir to mix.
4. While oil is still quite hot, pout over your prepared goat cheese slices.
5. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 4 days and at least 4 hours.
6. To serve, place goat cheese slices neatly on a serving dish. Pour marinade over. Let come to room temperature to make cheese easier to serve and spread. Serve with crusty French bread and crackers.
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