How many times does it happen that we feel like snack on something delicious and we don’t feel like cooking. Or that we find ourselves in a place where there is neither a kitchen, nor an oven, nor any appliance that allows us to cook a good appetizer. Many. But everything has a solution and, fortunately, there are ways to manage it or, rather, appetizer recipes that do not require cooking.
With them we set up a snack without complications in the blink of an eye. Like these seven that we propose today. They sound good, right? Well, they know better, so don’t waste your time and get with them now.
Salmon And Avocado Tartar
With the help of a very sharp knife, so as not to crush the salmon but to cut it, we chop it finely. I fillet it first, then cut it into thin strips and finally chop the strips into small pieces. If the salmon is slightly frozen, the operation becomes much easier, although it is not necessary. Place the minced salmon in a bowl and season it with the vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce and perrins sauce. Season to taste, trying not to overdo it, since soy sauce contains enough salt, so as not to ruin the result. We cover the bowl with transparent paper and let it macerate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, we peel the spring onion, avocado and tomato and chop them finely. In the case of tomato, we remove the seeds. We can make a cut in the base of the tomato and blanch it in freshly boiled water for 1 minute, to end up cooling it immediately in ice water. This way the skin comes off very easily. Once the resting time has elapsed, we add the chopped spring onion, avocado and tomato to the salmon. We stir well and try, to check if we need to adjust the salt point and give it the point that we like. We cover it again and let it rest a second time, in the fridge, for another 30 minutes.
Link to the recipe | Salmon And Avocado Tartar
Mussels Pate
This simple and lustrous recipe for mussel pâté is one of those in which the relationship between the result and the cost to prepare them is spectacular. In less than five minutes we will have prepared a delicious delicacy with which to entertain our stomachs and those of our companions.
Ingredients for two units: 2 cans of pickled mussels, 1 can of natural mussels, 3 small cheeses, crab sticks, 15 g of mayonnaise and fresh parsley.
Elaboration: We remove all the broth from the natural mussels and part of the marinated mussels (this should be reserved, just in case). Then we put everything in a suitable container for the blender and make use of its rotating blades to turn all the ingredients into a pâté. If it’s not too thick, we can add another cheese or a little more mayonnaise, and if, on the other hand, it’s not very manageable, we can add a little of the pickled mussel broth that we removed at the beginning. We can serve it in small bowls or in the same mussel cans, decorated with parsley or mint, and accompanied by toasts on which to spread it.
Link to the recipe | Mussels Pate.
Avocado toast with caramelized pepper and smoked cod
The avocado has become an essential in our kitchen and there is not a week that does not fall into the shopping cart to become part of our recipes. We like to combine it with other ingredients and make delicious avocado toasts that can be solve appetizers easily and quickly.
Ingredients for two units: 1 avocado, 2 slices of bread, 2 canned caramelized peppers, 200 g of sliced smoked cod, pine nuts and fresh parsley.
Elaboration: Cut the avocado in half, lengthwise, and remove the bone. We peel and mash its meat. We can season to taste with salt, pepper, olive oil, etc. or leave it as is. We spread on the bread. We cover the avocado layer with some strips of caramelized red pepper and, on top of these, we place some slices of smoked cod. Decorate with pine nuts and a few sprigs of fresh parsley.
Link to the recipe | Avocado toast with caramelized pepper and smoked cod
Beet hummus with lime and coconut
Its preparation is quick and easy. We only need to have a blender or kitchen robot at home and the handful of ingredients that you will see below. The rest is a matter of grinding them all together, period. We accompany it with some strips of pita bread or some carrot sticks and enjoy this delicious beetroot hummus with lime and coconut!
Ingredients for 10 people: 400g canned cooked chickpeas, 1 lime, 1 tablespoon tahini, 1 garlic clove, 1-2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 tablespoon grated coconut, 180g cooked beetroot, extra virgin olive oil, salt, 50 g of Greek yogurt (optional) and fresh parsley for presentation.
Elaboration: Wash the chickpeas well to remove the flavor provided by the canning liquid and reserve. In a blender glass, add the juice of half a lime, the tahini, the chopped beetroot and a part of the chickpeas. Blend until a homogeneous paste is obtained. Add the rest of the ingredients to the glass and blend again. We check the point of texture and, if we want it to be less dense, we add a little Greek yogurt or water. We adjust the salt and lime point if necessary and beat again. We serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top, sesame seeds, grated coconut and fresh parsley.
Link to the recipe | Beetroot hummus with lime and coconut.
Smoked salmon and cheese spirals
These smoked salmon and cheese spirals are flavorful and light. You may end up eating three or four in one sitting so prepare a good amount of them. With no complicated ingredients to find, when these smoked salmon and cheese spirals enter your life, they will be here to stay. You are warned.
Ingredients for 12 units: 1 wheat tortilla, 50 g cream cheese, 80 g sliced smoked salmon and fresh chives.
Elaboration: Wash a few branches of chives well and chop them finely. We spread the wheat tortilla on the counter and cut the sides to make something similar to a square. Spread the surface with the cream cheese, leaving a clean, uncovered strip. Place the smoked salmon on top of the cheese and distribute the chopped chives. Roll up the wheat tortilla trying to squeeze well so that there are no gaps. Wrap in cling film and let rest in the freezer until ready to eat. Then we remove the plastic wrap, cut into discs with a sharp knife, prick each one with a skewer and serve.
Link to the recipe | Smoked salmon and cheese spirals.
classic Gilda
Pickles, salted foods and semi-preserves are the kings of the aperitif. With good ingredients we can assemble in a few minutes a delicious appetizer like the classic pinchos, essential in the bars of the north of our country. The gilda is undoubtedly one of the most classic and iconic pintxos in the Basque Country, a recipe with its own name that is very simple to prepare at home.
Ingredients for two people: 6 piparras or chillies in vinegar, 6 salted anchovies, 12 pitted green olives, extra virgin olive oil.
Elaboration: Drain the chillies or piparras from the canned liquid and cut off the stem. It can also be left if desired. Cut each unit into two pieces or leave whole, if they are small. Also drain the anchovy fillets and clean a little of the oil from the preserve. I usually prefer to remove this oil to dress them with a good extra virgin that I like and have at home. Assemble each skewer starting with a pitted green olive -it can be stuffed or not-. Continue with a portion of piparra and then thread the anchovy folded on itself. Reintroduce half of the piparra and finish with another olive. Continue until the skewers are finished and season to taste with good extra virgin olive oil, trying to be generous. Of course, the banderillas can also be assembled with a different arrangement of the ingredients, or leaving the piparras whole.
Link to the recipe | Classic Gilda.
Octopus salmigundi
In this recipe you can use either a fresh octopus cooked by yourself, or a packaged and already cooked piece if you don’t have time, which is what we have done on this occasion. With either of the two ways you will enjoy this fresh dish that goes into any mealeither at noon or for dinner time.
Ingredients for four people: 1 medium cooked octopus, 1 spring onion, ½ green pepper, ½ red pepper, 1 clove of garlic, 1 sprig of parsley, ½ teaspoon of La Vera paprika, 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and salt .
Elaboration: Cut the octopus with scissors and place it in a large salad bowl. Add the minced garlic clove and finely chopped chives. We are also chopping the two types of peppers into small pieces and also adding them to the octopus and chives. Finally, mix the extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, chopped parsley and paprika, stir and dress the salad with this. Salt and leave to rest in the refrigerator for half an hour before serving.
Link to the recipe | Octopus salmigundi.
Beef carpaccio rolls with rocket and dates
This is a recipe that is normally served on a plate, with the carpaccio spread out on the base and the arugula and Parmesan cheese flakes on the surface. However, we have given it a twist and turned it into a fun snack that can be easily eaten by hand.
Ingredients for 12 rolls: A package of beef carpaccio (about 90 g in thin slices), arugula, 20 g of Parmesan, 4 dates, oil, salt and pepper
Elaboration: This recipe is extremely simple and quick to prepare. The most delicate part is to separate the carpaccio sheets without breaking them. On the other hand, grate the Parmesan and cut the dates into slices. To assemble the rolls we extend several cuts of carpaccio, then we place a little arugula on top, a little grated Parmesan and two or three slices of dates. Season with salt and pepper, add a little oil and close the roll with the help of a toothpick so that it does not fall apart.
Link to the recipe | Beef carpaccio rolls with rocket and dates.