Easy Summer Appetizers
There’s a reason caterers charge so much for passed apps: The beautiful, bite-size morsels are usually a serious pain in the [email protected]$ to make. While the mini pieces of art the pros put out are spectacular, their multiple components, obscure ingredients, and often elaborate assembly make them an unrealistic undertaking for your average summer cocktail party. Since they’re still the perfect party food, we set to work in the goop test kitchen developing some quick and easy recipes to up our summer app game. Here’s what we came up with.
Seared Tuna Bites
Seared tuna is always a crowd pleaser, and serving it on cucumber slices helps keep things light.
Peach & Mozzarella Skewers
A riff on caprese, we think the peach and mozzarella combo might be even better than the original.
Marinated Olives & Artichoke Hearts
This gets better as it sits, so try to make it at least 1 day in advance. We particularly like using Casteveltrano olives for this recipe, but any mix will work.
Smoked Salmon Dip
People go crazy for this old-school smoked salmon dip. Serve with potato chips and champagne and don’t think about the fact that cream cheese is the main ingredient.
Summer Melon with Crispy Prosciutto
If you’ve ever been to Italy (or an Italian restaurant) in the summertime, you’ve undoubtedly seen melon and prosciutto. The sweet melon and the salty prosciutto compliment one another perfectly, and make a delightfully easy appetizer or first course. Our slight modification involves baking the prosciutto, which adds lovely crunch, and a pinch of Marash chili for a bit of heat.