Starter

Quickly roasting oysters in a hot oven pops the shells apart so they can be opened the rest of the way by hand, no shucking skills required.

This simple appetizer is a hit every time due in large part to the vast appeal of warm cheesy things.

Dark soy sauce along with regular soy sauce is what gives these wings their rich color. We like to use all flats—arguably the best part of the wing!—but a mix with drumettes or whole wings works too.

Shelled raw peanuts are easy to find at Asian markets, health food stores, and other specialty food stores.

Serve this dish of mashed beans wrapped in flatbread and pan-fried until crisp as a appetizer, or alongside a big green salad for lunch or dinner.

Toasting the pine nuts until they’re properly golden brown to the center and not just on the surface is key in coaxing out maximum flavor. That said, pine nuts are expensive and can burn, so keep a close eye on them as they cook.

Wake up deviled eggs with a bright and briny tonnato-inspired filling. Top with crispy fried capers and salmon roe for extra salty pop.

Take crispy chickpeas to the extreme with this recipe of battered, fried garbanzos spiked with Thai basil, Sichuan peppercorns, and a host of fragrant spices including cumin and five-spice powder.

These bite-size mashed potato croquettes are filled with smoked trout, mozzarella, Parmesan, and chives.

If you love beef tartare but don’t love the idea of leaving a bowl of raw beef out at a cocktail party, this recipe is for you. 

Anchovy lovers: This one’s for you. The combination of vanilla butter and anchovies is the perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Use the best balsamic you can afford for this simple yet refined appetizer. 

We’ve never met a riff on larb that we didn’t like, including this version, which forgoes the typical meat or fish for crispy shiitake mushrooms.