A Collection of Summer Appetisers and Canapes for Picnics/Buffets

 First courses/appetisers perfect for Summer, including thrifty, healthy & easy options.

 Prices are historical and do not reflect 2024 inflation

first posted 2022

Carrot, Cashew & Date Moutabel, Sausage Palmiers, & Chinese Tea Eggs 

Some 2018 appetisers:

Familiar treats with a twist

Avocado & Ham Devilled Eggs, Vegetarian option: quirkily yummy with delicate heat and a sublime salty sweetness that's just 'Wow'

Devilled Tuna gourmet open faced sandwiches: creamy mashed tuna & cooked egg yolk with celery, spring onions & radish plus tabasco/chilli & mustard accents; serve on square bread, in quarters.  Frugal, low-fat.

Easy-peasy Dill Pickles, lower sugar, prep 3 days ahead: Hard to beat - 'Wow!  I love these. Very refreshing.' 'Better than I expected.' Tasters

Frugal & Fast

Kids' Delight Glazed Wings: lower fat but kids will love them; they're crispy, smokey, sweet and more-ish.

Braised Oriental Wings: Low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt. 'Great Chinese flavour with lovely amount of garlic!' Taster

Almost Instant Beetroot Chive Hummous

Carnivore's Delights

Beef Skewers with Hoisin & Orange, crowd-pleasing Asian accents 

'Oh my goodness; these are wonderful - full of umami flavour.' Tasters

Spanish Pinchitos: popular Arab inspired Spanish tapas, boldly flavoured & tender meat cubes, marinated a day ahead 

Beef Mini-Koftas: prep ahead; spicy, herby & meaty mini-koftas with exotic tahini sauce delights crowds  

VEGAN 

Unfried Crispy Chinese Dumplings: carnivore pleaser 'Crispy without being greasy'' Unbelievable diet version' 'Amazing with the sweet chilli sauce' Tasters

Thai Larb/mince in lettuce cups: with carnivores' option: a die-hard carnivore and Thai food fan tested this dish without knowing it was vegan and loved it! Fast & easy.

Caponata, Sicilian Aubergine Dip - family-friendly aubergine dip that doesn't need an oven; low-cal; sweet, sour & sassy; easy for tween-agers

Sweet & Savoury Tomato Jam: sensational with home-made bread, cheddar and cucumber (and for carnivores, cold meats).  No need for brown pickle with this one!

Popular Blasts from the Early Years:

Artichoke & Spinach Dip, hot show-stopping dip served in a crusty bread bowl

Chive & Onion Dip - zingy low-cal dip made with cottage cheese

Crunchy 'Chicken' Gougons: VEGAN, kid/ults love them, easy, prep ahead, optional boozy sauce

Skinnier sausages with honey(maple syrup) & mustard: does anyone need to know more?

Smoked salmon dip: offcuts make this a wonderfully wallet-friendly treat

Some Simple Easy Starters 

• Parmesan Crisps.  Drop tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat, leaving a bit of room between; level with clean fingers; bake at 180c/350f 7-10 mins. Rest a minute then carefully lift with a metal fish slice; place on cooling rack.  Broken ones will be fine but not crumbs. 
• Cucumber & spiced sausage.  Slice cucumber 1/4in/1/2 cm thick; top with similar-sized slices of good salami or Polish sausage like kielbasa.  Scone cutters will make evenly shaped sausage slices.  

• French Bread Crispbreads: easy-peasy, frugal, VEGAN. Thinly slice French bread (1/4in/1cm); lightly spray with olive oil both sides; salt lightly; bake at 180c/350f  7-10 mins or until lightly golden, turning once.  (watch they don't burn).  Cool on a wire rack.  A good vehicle for cheese or smoked salmon on a slice of lettuce (anchor both with a dab of mayo) or pate or vegetarian dips.  Assemble at last minute to retain crispness.

• Parma ham Sticks. Roll parma or serrano ham round breadsticks or thin mango wedges or drained peach slices. (Fruit ups the healthy quotient.)

• Date & Walnut Yummies.  VEGAN opt.  An Indulgence.  Fill fresh Medjool dates with cream cheese & top with (a) a dab of set honey or (b) a walnut half or (c) coarsely chopped walnuts

• Baby tomato & mozzarella balls.  VEGAN. Alternate baby tomatoes & mozzarella on cocktail sticks.  Serve with a pesto dip.  

• Stuffed New Potatoes.  VEGAN opt.  Take a thin slice off the bottom of boiled new potatoes to keep them upright. (The potatoes are slightly underdone; a sharp knife inserted into the centre should meet a little resistance; they will keep cooking after being drained.) Use a melon baller or sharp knife to make a depression in the top, stuff with sour cream or thick yoghurt; sprinkle with (a) chives or (b) strips of offcuts of smoked salmon or (c) whatever you fancy

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These recipes  have been developed or adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.