Appetizers

  If there’s one thing we wait for each year, it’s the arrival of fresh, ripe figs. There’s something so decadent yet wholesome about figs—sweet, tender, and bursting with flavor. …

  My favourite of all of Venice’s cicchetti is also among the most classic on offer at any bàcaro and is one of the traditional dishes that Venetians take on …

  This simple onion tart is perfect as a main dish served with a side salad or as an elegant appetizer for your next gathering. This French tart is a …

  Yolanda and I went to City Island in the Bronx a couple of years ago to check out one of the many old-school seafood restaurants there. The house appetizer—garlic …

  This dish is also known simply as polenta e schie indicating how important it is that these prawns, tiny grey shrimp that are fished out of the Venetian lagoon, …

  Mmm… potato, and melting cheese, and creamy mascarpone, on crisp, golden pastry? Heaven. Make this once, and you will make it forever more, experimenting with different spices and herbs, …

  Who doesn’t love a prawn (shrimp) cocktail? This is a play on the classic, served in baby gem lettuce cups. Your prawn options include buying whole prawns and cooking …

  A few years back, we made Thomas Keller’s recipe for salmon rillettes. It was rich in flavor and texture. However, it was a complex recipe that made a lot. …

  The first Christmas I celebrated with Yolanda’s family in California was in stark contrast to the big overeating events of my Italian family’s holiday affair. There was no Feast …

  One of my first kitchen jobs was at an extremely busy bistro inside a pub in Perth, Western Australia. A trio of dips was on the menu, and most …

  I visited Graham and his lovely family in the summer when the cows were out grazing the lush Lancashire grass and the skies were a dark inky blue, though …

  Whether it’s stuffed into a samosa, tossed in a crisp cold salad, or fried into a cake, enjoying crab is a no-brainer. This warm bubbly crab dip combines the …