Summer Party Appetizers

Two-bite appetizers are always a big hit at parties and the following recipes are no exception. They will be a welcome start to your evening’s entertaining.
Summer Party Appetizers
Quick and easy to prepare, these tasty prawn and salsa morsels can be assembled as guests arrive. (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)
7/4/2009
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/summerparty.jpg" alt="Quick and easy to prepare, these tasty prawn and salsa morsels can be assembled as guests arrive. (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)" title="Quick and easy to prepare, these tasty prawn and salsa morsels can be assembled as guests arrive. (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1827550"/></a>
Quick and easy to prepare, these tasty prawn and salsa morsels can be assembled as guests arrive. (Sandra Shields/The Epoch Times)
Two-bite appetizers are always a big hit at parties and the following recipes are no exception. They will be a welcome start to your evening’s entertaining. All three recipes are fresh, easy and quick to prepare, and no baking or heating is required.

The prawn and salsa appetizer is a summer favourite. A dash of lime, avocado, sour cream and salsa tucked into a mini tortilla scoop is topped off with a large prawn. The cucumber cups are a novelty filled with delicious sweet crab salad and decorated with thinly sliced red pepper. The third appetizer is Belgian endive filled with a smooth creamy Boursin cheese, green onions, and a slice of cherry tomato as a garnish.

All the ingredients can be prepared ahead of time, assembled at the last minute and served as soon as guests arrive.
 
Prawn and salsa appetizers

Makes 12

Ingredients:
12 prawns, cooked and peeled
1/2 avocado, firm but ripe
1/2 lime
12 mini tortilla scoop chips
75 ml (1/3 cup) salsa, mild, medium or hot according to taste
75 ml (1/3 cup) sour cream

Rinse prawns and dry on paper towels. Dice avocado and sprinkle with lime juice.
In the bottom of each tortilla scoop, place a small teaspoon of salsa, sour cream and avocado. Stand the prawn on top and serve immediately.

Crab salad cucumber cups

Makes 24

2 English cucumbers
200 g fresh or frozen crabmeat
50 ml (1/4 cup) mayonnaise
1 ml (1/4 tsp) lemon zest
15 ml (1 tbsp) chives, minced
Salt
Red pepper thinly sliced into slices

Score cucumber lengthwise with fork, vegetable peeler or citrus zester to create stripes; cut crosswise into 2.5-cm (1-inch) thick pieces. To form cups, use a melon baller to scoop out some of the pulp and seeds without piercing the bottom. Leave the base intact. Sprinkle cups with salt and turn over on paper towelling to drain any liquid.

Drain crab. Add mayonnaise, lemon zest and chives, mix well and fill cucumber cups. Top with red pepper slices. Serve immediately.

Belgian endive with Boursin cheese and tomato

Makes 20

2 Belgian endive
1 pkg 113 g Herb and Garlic Boursin cheese
50 ml (1/4 cup) sour cream
2 green onions, minced
Cherry tomatoes, sliced for garnish

Trim endive bases and separate the leaves. Arrange leaves on a serving platter. Mix cheese, sour cream and green onions together. Place a tablespoon of mixture on each leaf and place a slice of tomato on top.