We had some friends over for dinner the other night (one of who is gluten-free) and decided to make several appetizers, rather than one whole meal. Since we knew bread was out of the question we decided to focus on fresh simple appetizers that complimented eachother. No oven used!
We went all out for our first appy: meat veggie & cheese platter. For meats we had duck prosciutto, ox & wagyu beef. Our fresh veggies were fresh new carrots, broccolini & asparagus, and the cheeses were fontina & gouda. I made some hummus and a dill yogurt for dipping. The crackers are gluten-free black pepper, and who can go without some mixed olives.
(Credit to Marg and Jim for our lovely dipping trio!)
This platter went over very well and it was agreed that the wagyu beef prosciutto was a big favourite.
Second in line was our tomato bocconcini skewers; baby heirloom tomatoes with mozzarella, basil leaves, & thinly sliced prosciutto. Before we skewered them, we tossed the mozzarella cubes in an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. The saltiness from the prosciuttto really made it even more delicious.
Next was a tuna tartar. Small cubes of fresh ahi tuna, chili, green onions, black sesame seeds, all tossed in a lime, (gltuen free) soy sauce, and sesame oil dressing. We served it in frosted cocktail glasses with chopsticks. Seconds were most definitely had.
Last appetizer was a watermelon salad. I used a round cookie cutter to cut out a thick disc of watermelon, topped with thinly sliced shallots, goat feta & mint, then drizzled some balsamic glaze overtop. So easy and so good. It is such a fresh and light dish, but all the flavours work so well together. It's a perfect summer salad.
And of course we had drinks! I made simple cocktail of gin, ginger ale, and mint. Very refreshing.
For dessert we had greek yogurt and berries drizzled with a touch of honey. Perfect way to finish off the night!
