Seafood appetizers can be made ahead of time when preparing for a summer BBQ, birthday party, or cocktail party.
You can make alluring appetizers for your guests including seafood mousse, smoked salmon phyllo cups, tzatziki avocado salmon rolls and more!
Seafood Mousse
Seafood mousse is a chilled mousse that is served with accompanying crackers.
Seafood mousse is made by blooming gelatin in a bit of white wine. This will help the mousse solidify, and maintain it’s shape when it’s being served.
In a separate bowl, crab meat, shrimp, diced celery, whipped heavy cream, sour cream, green onions, mayo, dill weed, lemon zest, and paprika are mixed together to until they’re fully combined.
Gelatin and wine mixture is microwaved until it forms a liquid, and then is added to the seafood mousse.
Once gelatin is mixed into the mousse, it’s placed into a prepared mold or bowl and chilled in the fridge for a few hours.
You can prepare seafood mousse the day before, and then unmold it right before serving.
Unmold the seafood mousse, and serve with crackers or baguette slices.
Seafood Spread
Seafood spread can be prepared ahead of time, and served with baguette slices, crackers, or prepared crostini’s if desired.
Seafood spread is made by combining softened cream cheese, shredded Parmesan cheese, crab meat, minced garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, and fresh pan fried shrimp pieces.
You can place the prepared spread in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Serve seafood spread with baguette slices, crackers, or crostini’s.
Smoked Salmon Phyllo Cups
Smoked salmon phyllo cups are a creamy appetizer served in a phyllo dough cups.
Smoked salmon cream cheese mixture is made by adding softened cream cheese, sour cream and fresh lemon juice to a food processor and blending together.
Smoked salmon, fresh dill, chives, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper are added to the food processor and blended together until smooth.
Place filling in the fridge overnight to chill.
Phyllo cups only take a few minutes to bake. You can bake them any time the day of your event.
Place smoked salmon cream cheese filling in a piping bag, fitted with the star tip and pipe the filling into the prepared dough cups.
Place smoked salmon phyllo cups in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them.
Tzatziki Avocado Salmon Rolls
Tzatziki avocado salmon rolls are a creamy appetizer you can make ahead of time.
Tzatziki is mixed together with chives and fresh lime juice.
A piece of plastic wrap is placed on a cutting board, and smoked salmon is placed on top of the plastic wrap. Smoked salmon should have overlapping edges and be patted down, so that the roll will turn out later on.
Tzatziki is spread over the salmon, and then slices of avocado are arranged in the center of the salmon. A couple of cucumber strips are added on top of the avocado, along with a few more chives.
Roll up the salmon roll, using the plastic wrap to help guide you. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the edges, and place it in the fridge covered until you’re ready to serve.
Unwrap the salmon roll and slice off bite sized pieces when you’re ready to serve your seafood appetizer.
Smoked Salmon Bites
Smoked salmon bites are creamy toothpick appetizer you can easily make ahead of time.
In a bowl, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, lemon zest, salt, and dill are mixed together.
Cream cheese mixture is spread in the center of a tortilla creating a square shape.
Smoked salmon pieces are placed on top of the cream cheese mixture,
With another tortilla, spread a thin layer of butter. Place the butter side down onto the smoked salmon.
Spread cream cheese mixture on top of the tortilla, and layer again with more smoked salmon.
Butter another tortilla, and place it butter side down onto the smoked salmon.
Press down on the appetizer using a plate or cutting board to flatten out the appetizer.
Cover the appetizer and place it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
When you’re ready to serve, use a serrated knife to trim the edges into a square.
Cut the appetizer into strips, and then into squares. Place a toothpick into each smoked salmon appetizer for easy serving. Garnish with a bit of dill weed if desired.
