From our Gust Blogger Viollet she brings us
Easy-to-Make Valentine's Day Appetizers
Easy-to-Make Valentine's Day Appetizers
If you’re in
a rush or not much of a cook, there are still many ways you can
impress your loved one this Valentine’s Day with a sensuous and
mouthwatering spread of appetizer recipes. You can make easy
appetizers with pantry staples like eggs, bread, cheese, tomatoes
and bell peppers. Some of the best recipes around the world are
simple and easy and rely on fresh ingredients and top quality
produce.
Italian antipasto
One of the best
recipes and easy appetizers for Valentine’s Day is Italian
antipasto. The sensuous colors of grilled red bell peppers and
sun-dried tomatoes make a romantic presentation. You can use bottled
sun-dried and roasted tomatoes if you have no time to prepare the
appetizer
recipes from scratch. You can also use canned artichokes and
olives. Drain any excess oil from the vegetables. Use focaccia bread
for serving the antipasto. For a romantic touch, slice the bread into
the shape of a big heart and place on a serving dish. Spread the
bread with pesto and arrange the vegetables on rows or layers on top
of the focaccia. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.
Bruschetta or crostini
Instead of focaccia, you can also
serve baguette to make bruschetta or crostini. Slice the baguette and
brush with pesto and top with sun-dried tomatoes then grill over an
open flame for a mouthwatering and sexy appetizer. You can also top
the bread slices with roasted bell peppers, cheese, artichokes,
mushrooms, olives, capers, or sardines. Offer a variety for an
impressive presentation.
Dips and spreads
Dips and spreads also make a sensual
and easy appetizer for Valentines. Hummus, creamy spinach or
artichoke dip, melted cheese, and guacamole are only some of the
recipes you can try for this special day. Serve with crispy pita
wedges, tortillas, chips, or vegetable sticks.
Dumplings
Dumplings or dim sum can be a lot of
fun especially when you make them at home and share with a loved one.
You can make a basic Chinese dumpling or savory seasoned pork and
shredded cabbage wrapped in wonton wrappers, steamed or fried, and
served with soy sauce for dipping. If you have more time and
patience, you can make different kinds of dim sum including shrimps,
scallops, fish, tofu, pork, crab, mushrooms, or vegetables.
Sushi
Sushi makes very sexy appetizers
because of their raw texture and flavor and sensual colors,
especially raw salmon and raw tuna. Purchase fresh salmon and tuna
and slice them into bite-sizes pieces and simply serve with wasabi,
soy sauce, and a wedge of lemon. You can also try your hand at making
sushi rolls with Japanese rice and nori seaweed paper, as well as
other ingredients like cucumber, carrots, radish, avocado, mango, and
crabsticks.
Deviled Eggs
There are a hundred ways to make
deviled eggs and you can make them as simple or as fancy as you wish.
Peel and slice hardboiled eggs lengthwise into two, scoop out the
hardened yolks and mix with mayo, dill, chives, mustard, salt and
pepper. Scoop back to the hollow whites and you have beautiful
appetizers. Other ingredients you can add are jalapeno peppers,
bacon, ham, cheese, sour cream, or relish. You can also top the
deviled eggs with caviar or smoked salmon for something more elegant
and sophisticated.
Baked Seafood
What can be more sensual than
seafood, especially oysters, clams or mussels? You can simply steam
the seafood or cook it with white wine together with fresh herbs like
parsley, fennel, or basil. Baked oysters/clams/mussels are also quite
a special treat. Serve on its own or with crusty toasted bread for
sopping up the sweet juices.
I just want to thank you. This post was really helpful and we had a wonderful dinner last night. I don't know what might have happened without this.
ReplyDeleteThis is incredible! Some of the recipes from the article are the one that I've seen during the valentine day :)
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