Appetizer
3523 recipes found
Delicata Squash and Corn Fritters
These vegetable-packed fritters are crispy around the edges and tender in the center. Delicata squash has a thin skin that can be left on, adding color and a dose of nuttiness. Corn adds pops of sweetness, while moist zucchini helps bind the patties. Fragrant fried sage leaves do double duty in this dish: First they infuse the oil with herbaceous flavor, then they become a beautiful, crisp garnish. For the best results, fry the fritters and serve immediately; however, they can also be made a few hours ahead and reheated at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until hot and crisp.
Crispy Mushroom Focaccia
In this recipe, the secret to achieving crispy, not soggy, mushrooms is roasting them twice: first, alone on a sheet pan until they’re just tender and their moisture reduced, then again on top of a soft and fluffy focaccia dough, where they will brown and crisp. For a vegan version, skip the Parmesan and use flaky salt or nutritional yeast instead.
Warak Dawali (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Stuffed grape leaves are so prevalent across the Arab world and the Mediterranean that it can seem like there are as many variations as there are families. This recipe is for traditional Levantine versions existing in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, which generally have a warmly spiced beef and rice filling, are rich from being cooked with either meat at the bottom of the pot or chicken broth, and involve stuffed grape leaves that are rolled fairly thin and long. It’s a hallmark of any celebratory or holiday table, and perfect served with a side of plain yogurt. Though they are time-consuming, warak dawali are a very fun project to embark on with family or friends, and leftovers store wonderfully, up to 3 days in the fridge or a couple of months in the freezer.
White Bean Caprese Salad
Beloved pantry white beans add substance to this take on caprese salad, which comes together in no time. It’s a perfect side for grilled chicken or fish, and can be easily doubled to work as a main course when it’s too hot to turn on the oven. If you’re so inclined, a handful of spicy arugula, thinly sliced roasted red peppers or ribbons of prosciutto — or all three — would also be nice additions. This dish is easily transportable and tastier when eaten while sitting in a lawn chair.
Matar Kachori (Fried Pea-Filled Pastries)
Kachori started as street food in Rajasthan, where Marwari cooks sealed food in pastry and deep-fried it, making it ideal for the hungry traders doing business at outdoor markets. Kachori can be filled with potatoes, dal and vegetables, but when peas are in season, they make what I consider the pinnacle of the genre. The filling is fresh, green, bright, juicy and lightly seasoned with herbs and lemon, all tucked inside a thin, flaky crust. The dough behaves nothing like pie dough, but somehow achieves the same effect after it’s deep-fried. Though the snack was originally made to be portable and to keep for a long time, these kachori are best the day they’re made.
Party Wreath
This party-size vegetarian version of a sausage roll takes a bit of inspiration from potato- and pea-filled samosas: The filling is a coarse mash of peas and potato mixed with fresh ginger and green chiles, along with cumin, fennel and sesame seeds. Seasoned with lemon juice and garam masala, it has a tangy, gently spicy flavor that’s even more sumptuous when it’s wrapped in buttery store-bought puff pastry. Be sure to cut the roll almost all the way to the inner edge before sliding it into the oven, so that the baked pieces are easy to tear away. Serve with green chutney, tamarind chutney, a squirt of Maggi ketchup, or just as is, with a few wedges of lemon or lime on the side.
Chilled Burgundy Carrot Soup with Celery, Belgian Endive and Baby Golden Beets
This recipe from the late chef Charlie Trotter came to The Times in 2001 as part of a story about the raw food movement, in which every element of every dish is raw, organic and vegan. If you do not have a juicer, buy carrot juice instead.
Soft-Boiled Eggs With Anchovy Toast
This is a no-recipe recipe, a recipe without an ingredients list or steps. It invites you to improvise in the kitchen. If you’re up for a delicious, slightly sporty breakfast, you might consider making some anchovy butter tonight. Take a stick of unsalted butter, and let it soften on the counter while you assemble the other ingredients: a tin of anchovies, some garlic cloves, a shake or two of smoked or regular paprika, a wee splash of lemon juice and maybe, but probably not, some salt. Rinse and mince the little fish, mince the garlic, and fork everything together into the butter to taste. Then, come morning, you can slather toast with the result and serve it with soft scrambled eggs or, better yet, soft-boiled eggs, a breakfast I once had in London at a hotel and restaurant the chef Fergus Henderson was running in Leicester Square. Make sure you spread the butter “wall to wall.” That is a vernacular phrase of the chef Gabrielle Hamilton. It means to cover the entire surface of the bread from edge to edge — an important step in buttering, one that is too often shirked. Sam Sifton features a no-recipe recipe every Wednesday in his What to Cook newsletter. Sign up to receive it. You can find more no-recipe recipes here.
Cranberry Sauce Salsa
Don't toss that little bit of cranberry sauce leftover from Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe, which we developed for a special kids' edition of The New York Times, calls for making it into a savory-sweet salsa that everyone will love. Just add some chopped fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro and jalapeño to prepared whole cranberry sauce (not the jellied stuff). Stir in some lime zest and juice, and a sprinkling of chile powder, cumin and cayenne. Serve with enchilada pie or tortilla chips, and consider stocking canned cranberry sauce in your cabinet all year long.
Burrata With Bacon, Escarole and Caramelized Shallots
Crispy Chickpea Pancakes With Roasted Mushroom Salad
Italian farinata are simple pancakes made from chickpea flour, which gives them a deep, nutty flavor and unexpectedly luxurious texture. Make sure to use an ovenproof pan so you can finish the pancake in a hot oven to give it golden, crisp edges. Top the farinata however you like — roasted vegetables, a dressed salad, a mix of fresh herbs — or even eat it plain, with a cold drink, just before dinner. But a mix of roasted mushrooms and radicchio seasoned simply with vinegar and olive oil is perfect in the fall.
Onion Sandwich
James Beard took this recipe from his colleagues Irma and Bill Rhode over 60 years ago, but there’s something delicate, fresh and unfussy about the sandwich even now. There isn’t much to it, so each component really matters: Slice the onions thinly and evenly, season well, and be gentle so you don’t squish the bread as you press each sandwich shut. Rolling the edge of the sandwich in chopped parsley (or a mix of parsley and other fresh herbs), gives it a retro styling touch, but it’s crucial for flavor, too.
Moroccan Nachos
This Moroccan twist on the much-loved appetizer features kefta, a ground beef (or lamb) mixture seasoned with parsley, cilantro, mint, paprika and cumin, and a spicy-sweet harissa salsa. Both give these nachos an unusual kick that’s as festive as it is comforting. Creamy guacamole, bright with lemon zest and juice, balances everything out. To save time, cook the kefta mixture and prepare the salsa in advance. Using a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes creates a not-too-runny and not-too-chunky consistency that’s ideal for drizzling over a tray of nachos. That said, feel free to swap the fresh tomatoes for half a 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes or vice versa.
Vegetable Dumplings
The Polish have pierogi, the Japanese have gyoza: Many of the world’s cultures have some version of dumplings, whether they’re filled with meat, cheese or vegetables, and baked, steamed, fried or boiled. This recipe is adapted from the children’s cookbook “Around the World: Delicious Dishes from Across the Globe,” from the American Girl cookbook series, and was inspired by the dumplings you might get at your local Chinese takeout spot. They’re not necessarily authentic, but they are delicious, and folding and frying them is a fun weekend project for kids of all ages. You can use round or square wonton wrappers for this project, but don’t forget the sauce: It’s what makes these dumplings great.
Green Salad With Dill Vinaigrette
Making a giant green salad for yourself and your loved ones can be one of the best ways to create a formal break between work and dinner. This simple recipe features two different lettuces (romaine for sweet crunch and arugula for bitter spice) and a fat shower of herbs (parsley for freshness and dill for piquancy). Chilling your chopped and washed leaves in the refrigerator before dressing them is one of the best ways to get a restaurant-style green salad full of big, juicy crunch. For a savory, unknowable quality, add a splash of fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce — choose your own adventure.
Roasted Peppers With Capers, Olives and Anchovy
A fresh sweet pepper roasted at home can be revelatory. The flames of an outdoor grill, stovetop burner or broiler add a touch of smokiness, while helping to remove a pepper’s tough skin. To prevent the pepper from overcooking, do not place it in a closed container after roasting, as some suggest — just let it cool uncovered on a plate. The skin will still come off and the flesh won’t be mushy. The combination of sweet pepper and salty anchovy is classic. Serve this carpaccio-style, using a whole pepper to cover the plate, or arrange in alternating rows.
Jingalov Hats
This recipe for jingalov hats, the simple flatbread stuffed with a mix of greens, comes from “Lavash,” an Armenian cookbook by John Lee, Ara Zada and Kate Leahy. The authors got the recipe in Artsakh from Lilia Harutyunyan, a local baker who mixes tangy wild sorrel and dandelion greens with soft herbs such as chervil and cilantro, as well as earthy beet greens, chard and spinach. The key to a great bread is in the mix of greens, which gently steam inside the bread as it cooks on the stovetop. Wash and dry all the greens in a salad spinner to remove as much moisture as possible before chopping. The pomegranate seeds are optional, though Ms. Harutyunyan likes to add them for extra tang.
Citrus Salad With Fennel and Olives
An orange salad can be a simple affair. Add sliced oranges, a few black olives and a drizzle of oil, and it’s a winning combination, known throughout the eastern Mediterranean, southern Italy and perhaps especially in Morocco. You can up the interest factor in any number of ways. Add thinly sliced fennel and red onion, some arugula, mint or basil leaves, a sprinkling of red pepper, a pinch of wild oregano or a little flaky salt. The salad needn’t be restricted to only navel oranges. In season, blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges or grapefruit are welcome to join.
Cacio e Pepe Frico
A delicate cracker made by baking mounds of grated cheese into weblike crisps, frico could feature a number of cheeses, be it Montasio, cheddar, Asiago or, in this case, the kinds featured in cacio e pepe. Using both Parmesan and pecorino gives a good mix of richness and tang, though you could just use Parmesan. (Pecorino on its own may be too salty once it concentrates in the oven.) Snack on these with wine or spritzes, or crumble them over pasta, salad, soup or anything that likes a grating of cheese.
Alcapurrias de Jueyes (Crab-Stuffed Fritters)
Puerto Rico is famous for its fritters, and alcapurrias are among the most coveted. Imagine a tamale made of green banana and root vegetable masa that is stuffed with savory meat or seafood, and then deep fried. You typically get them from the kioskos, roadside stands along Puerto Rico’s beaches and highways, particularly in Loíza, a town on the northeastern coast that is the island’s African heart. At home, they’re often made over the holidays, as many hands make light work. The flavor is unmistakable: earthy green banana and taro cut by savory sofrito, briny capers and delicate crab meat. The filling, often called a salmorejo, is usually made from local land crabs, but commercially available lump crab is a fitting substitute. This recipe is adapted from one by María Dolores “Lula” de Jesús, the 84-year-old owner of El Burén de Lula in Loíza, who is considered by many to be a madrina, or godmother, of this and other dishes with African origins.
Chopped Salad
A good chopped salad is a buoyant mix of different textures (creamy, crisp, crunchy, juicy), a range of colors, and sweet, salty and tangy flavors. This one has it all, in just the right proportions. You can gather all the ingredients in advance, including cooking the bacon and the eggs. But don’t toss everything together until just before serving — and, preferably, do so at the table for maximum impact.
Goan Coconut-Milk Pilaf
Radicchio Salad With Anchovy Vinaigrette
Salt is the best way to tame a bitter flavor, and so a radicchio salad benefits from a dressing that tilts toward saltiness. It does not matter which type of radicchio you use — the common tight round head, clusters of white stems with burgundy leaves, or maroon-trimmed endives to name a few — they all deliver some bitterness. The vinaigrette here is bolstered with anchovies and capers.
Chilean Cabbage and Avocado Slaw
Coleslaw meets guacamole here in this utterly simple mix of shredded cabbage, salt, lemon, and puréed avocado. The chef Iliana de la Vega, who was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, served it at a delicious Latin-themed lunch she prepared at the “Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives” conference this year at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. I couldn’t get enough of it. I sat with Iliana at the lunch and asked her about the salad. “Just salt the cabbage, let it sit for a while, then add lots of lemon juice and the mashed avocado,” she said. That really is all there is to it. Shred the cabbage thin and for best results let it sit, after salting generously, for an hour or more, to tenderize it and draw out strong-tasting juices.