Appetizers

The humble chicken liver is elevated to haute cuisine when cooked and blended with a little sherry and herbs.

Get creative and experiment with different combinations of fruit and cheese.

You may also want to try these succulent little bites with dried figs instead of dates.

Substitute tempeh for the chorizo to make the perfect vegetarian bite.

Not a zucchini fan? Try skinny Japanese eggplant instead.

For a sweeter taste, try wrapping prosciutto around melon or even pear slices.

Mix and match to create your favorite flavor profiles. For Greek-inspired flavors, mix the olives and vinaigrette with feta cheese, red onion, fresh mint, and a little oregano.

Spring rolls are the perfect vehicle for your favorite veggies. For fun, fill separate bowls with shrimp, veggies and herbs — and let people customize and roll their own dinner (great for picky eaters!).

Serve these little “latkes” on a bed of greens for a delightful appetizer or lunch.

Enjoy as an appetizer with raw veggies or whole-grain chips. Choose wild-caught or sustainably farmed U.S. shrimp over imported shrimp, which may be contaminated with antibiotic and pesticide residues. For a vegetarian version, substitute canned black beans for the shrimp.

This recipe has been excerpted from Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets by Deborah Madison (Broadway Books, 2008).

Raita is a frequent condiment in Indian cuisine, tsatsiki in Greek cuisine.