From Better Homes and Gardens

Elegant enough for holiday celebrations, this appetizer recipe is also easy enough to prepare on a relaxing night in.

Cajun Shrimp

From Food & Wine

Thomas Keller's salmon cornets (tuiles shaped into tiny cones and topped with creme fraiche and fresh salmon) are a famous kickoff to his luxe and whimsical meals. The original recipe appears in The French Laundry Cookbook (Artisan). Shaping the tuiles into cones is tricky and involves working very quickly with a cornet mold. Instead, leave the tuiles flat, like crackers. Top them with store-bought smoked salmon and creme fraiche.

Smoked Salmon Crisps

From Better Homes and Gardens

The homemade tartar sauce for these broiled or grilled scallops is altogether different and so much better than the sauce that comes in a jar. Serve it with any cooked fish or shellfish.

Scallops with Fresh Herb Tartar Sauce

From Better Homes and Gardens

Cod, haddock, and pike are all good varieties of fish to use in this easy 30-minute recipe.

Fish Soup

From Food & Wine

A sparkling white wine would be great with these crispy, buttery mussels from F&W's Marcia Kiesel.

Broiled Mussels with Hot Paprika Crumbs

From Better Homes and Gardens

These appetizer eggs are stuffed with potatoes and ham. You could also serve as a side dish at brunch.

Smoked-Salmon-Stuffed Eggs

From Better Homes and Gardens

This quick appetizer dip delivers a smoky taste with a lemony zip.

15-Minute Zesty Smoked Trout Spread

From Better Homes and Gardens

Smoked salmon not available? Substitute drained canned tuna to make this party nibble.

Smoked Salmon Appetizers

From Food & Wine

F&W's Grace Parisi shares a classic recipe for mussels in white wine, then creates amazing alternatives with clam broth, sake, and, in this recipe, lager.

Lager-Steamed Mussels with Mustard, Kielbasa, and Dill

From Food & Wine

F&W's Grace Parisi shares a classic recipe for mussels in white wine, then creates amazing alternatives with sake, lager, and, in this recipe, clam broth.

Mussels with Creme Fraiche, Jalapenos, and Cilantro

From Food & Wine

Ethan Stowell loves mussels all year round, but he's particularly fond of the plump summer ones from Washington's Puget Sound. "I often grab a couple handfuls of mussels at the end of the night and cook them at home for a late-night snack," he says. Here he flavors the briny mussels with lemon juice, fresh herbs, and speck, the salty cured ham.

Mussels with Speck, Lemon, and Oregano

From Food & Wine

Sardines with Jalapeno Cream Cheese and Cocktail Olives

From Betty Crocker

Try this salmon appetizer recipe from Betty Crocker.

Poached Salmon Appetizer

From Better Homes and Gardens

Serve this elegant cheese and seafood recipe as an appetizer or first course. It prepares in minutes.

Puff Pastry Shells with Brie and Lobster Cream

From Betty Crocker

Add a bold splash of color to this savory cheesecake with red caviar, chopped red bell pepper or chopped seeded tomatoes. This fabulous appetizer can be made up to 48 hours ahead of time.

Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

From Better Homes and Gardens

If fresh crab is hard to find for this appetizer, look for canned pasteurized crabmeat. Your supermarket should be able to order this product for you.

Crab Cocktail with Lemon Aioli

From Better Homes and Gardens

These savory make-ahead pancakes can be frozen. When thawed, they form a mini edible plate for smoked trout appetizers.

Wild Rice Pancakes with Smoked Trout and Creme Fraiche

From Food & Wine

F&W's Grace Parisi shares a classic recipe for mussels in white wine, then creates amazing alternatives with clam broth, lager, and, in this recipe, sake.

Sake-Steamed Mussels with Ginger, Miso, and Spinach

From Food & Wine

Eric Ripert pounds smoked salmon paper-thin, like beef carpaccio, then serves it with brioche and salmon caviar.

Smoked-Salmon Carpaccio with Brioche and Caviar

From Food & Wine

Grappa, an Italian spirit, is made from grape pomace (the skins, seeds, and stems left over from winemaking). Its slight earthiness and high alcohol make it perfect for curing fish, as in David Page's meaty striped bass fillets here, delicately scented with fennel.

Grappa-Cured Striped Bass

From Food & Wine

Tuna-Red Pepper Mousse Toasts

From Food & Wine

Salmon trout has a mild, delicate taste, but regular salmon is also delicious in this bright-flavored tartare.

Salmon Trout Tartare with Pressed Caviar and Tomatoes

From Food & Wine

Here, Grace Parisi revamps the classic shrimp-cocktail recipe by including scallops and stone-crab claws, then tweaks the cocktail sauce by replacing the ketchup with bottled chile sauce and seasoning it with hot pimenton de la Vera and prepared horseradish.

Smoky Seafood Cocktails

From Food & Wine

"In 1994, when I enrolled at the Culinary Institute oh America in Hyde Park, I had to catch up on so much -- it was like I had a virgin palate for food and wine," says Rajat Parr. "For instance, I'd never had a scallop before; I didn't even know what they were. I had never seen a chestnut before, either. So cooking school was an eye-opening experience."

Scallops with Chestnut Sauce and Crisp Sage

From Food & Wine

Tim Cushman is a master at preparing raw fish. Here he dresses salmon with a little citrus-soy dressing, then tops it with fresh ginger and chives before bathing it in a hot sesame-oil mixture. The heat from the oil cooks the salmon just slightly, creating a luxurious texture and fragrance.

Salmon Sashimi with Ginger and Hot Sesame Oil