Easy Appetizer Ideas
By: Cooking At Home
Tags: Seafood, Food, Recipe, Cooking, Appetizer

Photo by: Cooking at Home

Nothing brings the family together, quite like food! These tasty appetizer ideas are easy and healthy, and everyone will gather around the table in no time. Appetizers can be simple to make, like this family Italian Seafood salad recipe, which is perfect when accompanied by a loaf of home-baked artisan bread, smoked salmon with capers and brie platter an assortment of fresh fruit. Together, they can become a meal in itself.

The Seafood salad is conveniently made the day before serving so that all the delicious flavors of the marinade, vegetables, and seafood meld together. The artisan bread is freshly baked the day of and cooled before serving for a crispy outside and a soft and airy center. Pair this bread with a cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil for dipping for added indulgence.

The luxurious smoked salmon gently rolled with scattered capers over the top complemented with a rich, soft block of brie, making this an irresistibly tasting platter. A fresh fruit platter arranged with an assortment of vibrant colors: cantaloupe, a refreshing starter, citrusy orange slices, sweet pineapple slices and fennel wedges, adding a sweet licorice flavor and crunchy texture to your spread.

With a little bit of planning, all of these appetizers make cooking at home simple and an enjoyable experience for your whole family!

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yields: 12 servings

Seafood Marinade

½ lemon, juice freshly squeezed

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

Crushed red pepper flakes, pinch

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Whisk ingredients and set aside.

Seafood Salad

Ingredients:

500 grams cooked frozen shrimp, peeled, deveined

400 grams Seafood Combination (mussels, calamari, octopus)

250 grams Flake Style Imitation Lobster Meat

500 grams baby scallops

2 cups white vinegar for boiling

1 cup carrots, diced

1 cup celery, diced

Fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 lemon, garnish

Instructions:

In a medium pot, fill 1 ½ liter of water, 1 cup of vinegar, and the frozen seafood combination. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Rinse and drain seafood, set aside to cool in a large bowl. In a medium pot, fill 1 ½ liter of water, 1 cup of vinegar, and frozen scallops. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain scallops, combine with seafood combination to cool in the bowl. Rinse frozen cooked shrimp under cold water in a colander. Peel and devein and combine into the seafood bowl. No boiling is required. Separate the imitation lobster meat into pieces and mix into the seafood bowl. No boiling is required.

Photo by: Cooking at Home

6. Dice carrots and celery into small pieces. Finely mince garlic and chop parsley.

Photo by: Cooking at Home

7. Combine the celery, carrots, garlic, and parsley into the seafood bowl. Pour marinade into the seafood bowl. Mix well and refrigerate overnight for flavors to meld together.

Photo by: Cooking at Home

8. Before serving, mix seafood salad. Transfer onto a serving platter, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices. Drizzle with olive oil.

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