These days I am very concentrated on work. I am trying to get together a job market paper for when I will be looking for a job this summer and I am loosing pieces everywhere. I am just not able to retain any info that is not job market paper related. It’s like living in a daze in which days go by and I have not managed to get anything done other than worry about job market paper.
Even cooking has taken a bit of a back step. I am still eating at home mostly, so I throw stuff together, but is never something well thought out or planned. And a lot of times I feel in a daze even when I am cooking, forgetting stuff on the stove or not getting to cooking until well past 8.
So when guests come over, I have to throw something together that doesn’t involve cooking too much, having a well stocked fridge but it is still somewhat reminding them of the fact that I am a decent cook. So this weekend I threw together a fish plate for an appetizer.
I used stuff from the pantry. Herrings from IKEA, sardines and anchovies preserved in olive oil from the middle eastern store and homemade pickled cucumbers. If you are a bit better at planning than me, you could also make some cured salmon and pumpernickel bread to go with the plate.
But, trust me, even if it is just stuff out of a jar, your guests will be impressed!
Ingredients
- Anchovies
- Pickled herrings
- Pickled herrings with mustard sauce
- Butter
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Preserved sardines
- 1 cucumber
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- chive
Directions
- Prepare the pickled cucumber. Thinly slice the cucumber and mix it with the sugar, the vinegar and the chive. Let rest for 15 min or so.
- Get a nice platter and artistically arrange your sardines, anchovies, herrings, tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Cut the butter in flakes and add to the platter with a bit of chive.
- Serve to your guest with crackers, instructing them to have the butter with the anchovies, the tomatoes with the sardines and the herrings with the cucumbers.
Hi! I'm PolaM, the Italian cooking in the Midwest.
Not bad for something done in a short space of time. This is such a nice antipasto and will go well with some crunchy fresh bread. Yummy!
Alida recently posted..A strawberry tart to beat the blues!
The most delicious looking fish plater. Anchovies is my favorite always, but pickle hearing is most definitely tempting!
Dewi recently posted..Granville Island Beer Bread
I love anchovies too! I don not understand how people can not like them! They are so deliciously salty!
come ti capisco il lavoro mi prende proprio tanto in questo periodo! pensa che ho lavorato anche oggi sabato!
ottimo il tuo piatto di pesce
ti auguro un rilassante we! baci
Gio recently posted..E’ primavera!
It is very simple to prepare yet very yummy. Thanks for sharing!
Dione recently posted..how to paint in acrylics the right way
I recently discovered the power of food styling for appetizers. It works incredibly well to impress guests!
Adoro i piatti di mare e il tuo è molto gustoso, complimenti!
Un abbraccio!
What a great, different kind of appetizer selection
Love it.
Sounds like you are very busy indeed! I love well-curated appetizer plates like this. Looks like a great selection!
Looks good! You can’t be from Bari though. All the fish is cooked
Chris recently posted..Orecchiette with cime di rape
mi piace molto questo modo di presentare tanti cibi diversi, una serie di assaggini molto appetitosi! Un abbraccio Pola!
Chiara recently posted..Blogs Got Talent ! (7)
This looks delicious! What a pretty presentation, too. You can’t go wrong with a seafood appetizer.
Due Spaghetti recently posted..Cacio e pepe (Happy Birthday, Roma!)
Lovely appetizer! Jar or not, this is good! Buono e gustoso! Ciao!
Alida recently posted..Mediterranean spinach souffle’ in filo pastry
We love fish but I’ve never thought of preparing appetizer plate with fish. What a great idea. You get Herrings from IKEA? I didn’t know they sell them – I only think of Ikea as meatballs. haha. I should check it out! Good luck with your work and job hunting this summer. You will do great!
Nami | Just One Cookbook recently posted..Sake Mojito – Guest Post by Family Spice
It’s my favorite thing to buy at IKEA! Check them out!
That is a terrific plate of appetizer!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Asparagus Baton Bread with Sesame Seeds
That was a really good article about Anchovies vs sardines. Thanks and keep posting. Love, Julia :*
This is such a good idea! I am especially fond of the anchovies
I love plates that you can just pick at over good wine and good conversation.
Retrieved! thanks for letting me know! Don’t know why but sometimes my spam filter does weird stuff… I love anchovies too! There is nothing that gives quite the same saltiness and savoriness to a dish!
i love the idea of a fish appetizer plate! looks great!
Jenn and Seth (@HomeSkilletCook) recently posted..Bacon Wrapped Egg Cups with Horseradish and Cheddar
Hey… it doesn’t matter how it gets on to the plate for a party… the point is it looks great and appetizing!! You want people to dig in and that’s what this tray says!
Ramona recently posted..Strawberry-Lemon Iced Tea
Anybody serving herring as an appetizer (and anchovies!) is going to be a friend for life in my book. I really love herring (although I prefer it Dutch style, pickled just in salt brine without vinegar, making it so hard to find in the States except in specialty food stores). Anyway, yes, it is all about the arrangement, even if it’s from jars, the guests will swoon!
Kat recently posted..Mexican Ceviche with Shrimp
Hehe I always buy a jar of the herring in dill sauce at Ikea!
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