For cookbook author Angelika Ilies, one thing is very important when it comes to appetizers: “They have to be quick and easy to prepare.” difficult when the guests are already there and overwhelms most hosts.”
In her book Antipasti
If you don’t want to eat meat, Angelika Ilies recommends “Oyster Mushrooms Tonnato”. As with Vitello Tonnato, the sauce consists of tuna, but is not poured over veal but over fried mushrooms.
In any case, use tuna (150 g) in its own juice and do not skimp. “The absolutely inexpensive tuna variants have a penetrating taste,” says Ilies. Drain the tuna, place in a tall mixing bowl and mix with 100 g sour cream. Then stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Then wash 20 g rocket, shake dry and chop roughly. Leave tender leaves whole.
Now clean 250 g oyster mushrooms, rub with a damp cloth and cut into thick slices if necessary. Fry in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over high heat for about four minutes. Turn occasionally and season with salt and pepper. Finally spread the mushrooms on a plate, drizzle with tuna sauce and spread 3 tbsp small capers (from the jar) on top. Finally sprinkle the arugula on top.
Ilies’ second tip: “Crostini with Salsiccia”. “I find them super easy and also ‘wow’ suitable!” For four people, two salsiccia sausages are each cut into four slices (about 2 cm thick) and fried in a pan for ten minutes until they are crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside are. Place on a plate and cover to keep warm.
Then fry four small eggs into fried eggs and place on slices of ciabatta bread. Put two pieces of sausage on a 15 cm long wooden skewer and put it in a loaf of bread. Finally, garnish the crostini with chives.
If you have the time and inclination, you can of course bake the ciabatta bread yourself instead of using it fresh or as a pre-baked version.
And what do you have to consider with the following main courses? “Actually nothing,” says Angelika Ilies. “Anything that tastes good is allowed. As everywhere, there are no longer any strict guidelines here.” Nevertheless, she would make sure – especially when she has guests – that the courses somehow fit together geographically and that one style runs through the entire menu.
In other words: no Wiener Schnitzel after Spanish tapas. The most important thing about the starter, however, is “that it’s not too rich,” says Angelika Ilies. “Above all, it should make you want more.”
The suggestions of recipe developer and food blogger Marita Koch (marita-koch.de/blog) certainly do the same. For example, an asparagus-ginger-coconut soup with coriander-lime oil and roasted cashew nuts. To do this, peel 500 g of asparagus, cut off the heads 4 cm long, cut the rest into pieces 1.5 cm long, and blanch everything for three minutes in 900 ml salted water until al dente. Remove the asparagus from the cooking water with a slotted spoon. Add the asparagus shells and simmer for 10 minutes, drain through a sieve and collect the brew.
Meanwhile, for the oil, mix together a quarter teaspoon of organic lime zest, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 4 sprigs of chopped coriander. For roasted cashew nuts, mix 1 tsp lime juice with a little salt. Roast 40 g cashew nuts in a pan over medium to high heat until light brown. Add the lime juice mixture and roast briefly until the cashew nuts are dry again. Then put in a bowl, mix with cayenne pepper and let cool.
For the soup, sauté 15 g of finely grated ginger and a finely chopped clove of garlic in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil for about 1 minute. Deglaze with the prepared asparagus stock. Stir in 200 ml coconut milk and 1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder and bring to the boil. Mix 30 g of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of cold water until smooth, stir into the soup and simmer briefly.
Add asparagus heads and pieces and heat through. Season to taste with salt and vegetable stock powder. Portion the soup, drizzle with the coriander-lime oil and garnish with the coriander leaves. Add the cashew nuts.
“Of course, the soup has a bit of a punch because of the coconut milk,” admits Marita Koch. But you don’t have to serve the starter in large, deep plates. “Especially when a soup is a bit richer, you can also serve it as a smaller portion in a coffee cup!”
For those who want to serve a special appetizer but want minimal work with it, she recommends her favorite Pimientos de Padron skewers. “A grilled appetizer that adds variety,” says the recipe developer.
With their extraordinary appearance and sweetish-tart taste, the small green peppers not only enrich every barbecue party, but also summery multi-course menus: Stick 5 pimientos per portion crosswise onto a skewer, brush generously with frying oil and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side Grill over medium heat until skin blisters.
Then place the skewers on plates and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Serve with baguette and lemon aioli. Mix 100 g mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 pressed clove of garlic and some chopped parsley.
“Of course, pimientos can also be served as a side dish, as well as a starter,” says Marita Koch. “We particularly like them as a starter and trigger an even greater wow effect with guests.”
