Appetizer

Potato skins are simple American appetizers consisting of unpeeled potato halves that have been hollowed out, deep-fried, then topped with cheese, bacon, or sour cream. They were originally invented as a way to turn potato peels into a profitable meal. Depending on who you ask, there are three restaurants credited with the invention of this popular appetizer in the 1970s: R.J.Grunts in Chicago, TGI Fridays restaurant chain, or the Prime Rib restaurant in Washington, DC. Today, potato skins are a staple of bar food and come in numerous versions, and there is even a fancy version of the appetizer with crabmeat, hollandaise sauce, and asparagus.

Potato Skins

Potted shrimps is a traditional meal that is usually made with Morecambe bay shrimp, although any small type of shrimp can be used in the dish. The shrimps are boiled in seawater, and then cooked in clarified butter. Additionally, the shrimps are often seasoned with pepper, cloves, cayenne pepper, mace, and nutmeg. Butter acts as a preservative, hence the name of the dish. Shrimps are usually served over thin slices of toast or greens such as cress, but they can also be added to a number of pasta dishes.

Potted shrimps

India

Prawn Koliwada is a popular appetizer and street food consisting of deep-fried shrimp, which have been rubbed in spiced and battered. The dish is said to originate in Sion, a part of Mumbai, and was created by Hukamchand Singh Julka, who served it in his restaurant Hazara, which is still in operation today. The preparation is simple; prawns are first coated in a mixture of spices such as ginger and garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and lemon juice, to name a few. Then, the prawns are dipped in a batter of besan (gram flour), yogurt, red chili powder, yogurt, and salt, and finally, fried. Before serving, the fried prawns can be sprinkled with chopped curry leaves and/or chaat masala.

Prawn Koliwada

Slovenia

Pražene gobe z jajci is a Slovenian dish with origins in the &Scaron;tajerska region, where mushroom picking is a common and popular activity, so baked mushrooms with eggs and fresh parsley is a beloved dish in the region, served as a hot appetizer or an independent dish. In order to prepare it, the mushrooms should be cleaned and cut into thin slices, then saut&eacute;ed with onions. Chopped parsley, pepper, and chopped garlic are then added to the pan before the addition of whisked eggs. The concoction is seasoned with salt and stirred until the eggs have been thoroughly cooked. It is recommended to serve the dish with moderately strong or slightly spicy dry or semi-dry wines.

Pražene gobe z jajci

France

Pr&eacute;fou is a French specialty originating from the Vend&eacute;e region. The dish is essentially garlic bread, made with a combination of a baguette, butter, garlic, and often parsley. The baguette is cut into slices so that the base remains whole, and the space between the slices is filled with the combination of butter, garlic, and parsley. The bread is baked in the oven, and it's then served hot as an appetizer before the main meal. It can also be served as an accompaniment to a leg of lamb. Originally, pr&eacute;fou was used by local bakers who wanted to test the temperature of their ovens before baking the regular daily bread.

Préfou

Italy

Prosciutto e fichi is an Italian appetizer consisting of only two ingredients &ndash; figs and prosciutto crudo. The dish is especially popular in August in the region of Veneto. Good figs should be supple, jammy, and a little bit squishy, oozing their nectar from the base. One of the best varieties for this appetizer is called settembrini &ndash; green, small, soft, and extremely sweet figs that are in season in late August and early September. The figs are divided into quarters and then a few slices of prosciutto crudo are rolled and placed onto each fig. This appetizer is often served with crusty bread on the side.

Prosciutto e fichi

Prosciutto e melone or prosciutto and melon is one of the most common summer appetizers in Italy. The simple, classic Italian combination of these two ingredients is usually served with pieces of melon wrapped in prosciutto and speared on skewers. Sometimes, the dish is drizzled with balsamic vinegar, adding a nice touch to the already colorful combination. It is recommended to use only high-quality Italian prosciutto such as Parma or San Daniele.

Prosciutto e melone

In Argentina, provoleta or grilled provoleta cheese is typically enjoyed before a meal as an appetizer. It's one of the staples of the Argentine bbq asado. The semi-hard provolone is the perfect cheese for the grill, because it's compact and firm. For asado, it is sliced about an inch thick, seasoned with a generous amount of oregano, maybe a light sprinkling of dried red chili flakes, and grilled until it just starts to melt in the center. Provoleta is best enjoyed topped with the garlicky chimichurri sauce and paired with crusty bread on the side.

Provoleta

Pudina paneer tikka is a traditional appetizer or a snack originating from the northern parts of the country. The dish consists of paneer cheese that's marinated with mint and a variety of spices, then grilled. The ingredients typically include paneer cottage cheese, oil, mint, ginger-garlic paste, chili peppers, coriander, yogurt, garam masala spices, cumin powder, lemon juice, and salt. After a few hours of marinating, the paneer is placed on skewers with chili peppers and onions, then grilled on a tawa until golden brown. The dish can also be prepared in a tandoor oven. Once prepared, pudina paneer tikka is usually served as a starter with green chutney on the side.

Pudina paneer tikka

This nacho dish is easy to prepare, but things can get quite messy when consuming it. Pulled pork nachos are made by combining nachos with pulled pork, shredded cheese, beans, corn, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. In order to prepare the dish, tortilla chips are first layered in a baking dish, then topped with shredded cheese. The concoction is broiled in the oven, then topped with the remaining ingredients, and it should ideally be garnished with coriander before serving. Pulled pork nachos are typically served as a snack or an appetizer, especially on game days.

Pulled Pork Nachos

Pulpo al olivo is a traditional meal that is served as an appetizer or main dish. The dish consists of octopus in olive sauce. The sauce is usually made with botija olives, growing in the southern part of the country. Although there are many variations on this dish, it is typically prepared with octopus, olives, lime or lemon juice, olive oil, eggs, and garlic. The octopus is boiled, then covered with the sauce made by blending the olives with mayonnaise. It is recommended to serve this Peruvian delicacy with boiled potatoes on the side.

Pulpo al olivo

United States

Pu pu platter is a staple of American Chinese restaurants, consisting of a platter filled with a variety of small dishes and appetizers. This platter is believed to have been introduced to North America from Hawaii via Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic during the 1940s and 1950s. A typical pu pu platter often includes spare ribs, chicken wings, egg rolls, fried wontons, crab rangoon, skewered beef, fried shrimp, and beef teriyaki. At the center of the platter, there is a small hibachi grill, and the fire can be used to reheat individual appetizers or make them more well-done. Everything needs to be cooked before, because the grill can only do so much. The name pū-pū is a Hawaiian word for appetizer.

Pu Pu Platter

Greece

Hailing from the Greek island of Nisyros, pythia is a savory specialty based on chickpeas. It may be compared to the Middle Eastern falafel, which is prepared with similar ingredients. The chickpea fritters are typically made with a combination of ground chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, garlic, flour, spearmint or dill, salt, and pepper. Spoonfuls or balls of the chickpea mixture are dropped into hot oil and fried until nicely browned and crispy. Pythia fritters are commonly prepared for dinner or served as a meze dish, and an almond-garlic sauce (skordalia) usually accompanies them.

Pythia

Qai ci or khai being is a traditional egg-based dish originating from Laos. This dish is notoriously labor-intensive, and although there are some variations, it's usually made with a combination of eggs, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, oyster sauce, scallions, and coriander. A hole is poked on top of each egg, and the contents are removed from the shells into a bowl. The salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a bit of oyster sauce are poured into the egg shells. The egg whites and yolks are mixed with diced scallions and coriander and blended. The mixture is poured into the seasoned egg shells, and the eggs are then baked in the oven over very low heat for about two hours. Once done, the eggs are peeled and enjoyed as they are. The word qai from the name of the dish means eggs, and the word ci means to bake.

Qai ci

Peru

Qapchi is a traditional appetizer originating from Ayacucho region. It is made with a combination of cheese (usually queso fresco), rocoto peppers, aji peppers, oil, onions, and milk. The combination is mixed into a sauce which is then served over boiled potatoes, with the addition of corn or yucca.

Qapchi

Albania

Qifqi is a traditional dish originating from Gjirokastra. These rice balls are usually made with a combination of rice, eggs, dried mint, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Cooked rice is mixed with beaten eggs, dried mint, salt, and black pepper. The mixture is divided into small balls that are fried in olive oil in a specially customized socket-bottomed frying pan. Once golden, the rice balls are usually accompanied by a green salad or ajvar relish on the side, and paired with a glass of dhall&agrave;, a drink based on yogurt, salt, and water.

Qifqi

What was once used as a garnish in haute cuisine is now its own dish, known as quenelle. Essentially, it is a tender dumpling that is filled with ground meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables, seasoned and combined with breadcrumbs, eggs, fat, flour, or cream. The dumpling is traditionally oval in shape and poached in water or stock. Today, it is served either as an appetizer or as a main course, although it can still be used as a garnish. Originally, quenelle was invented in Lyon in the 19th century, and it was made exclusively with the flesh of pike&ndash;a light white fish. Pike quenelles are usually served with sauce Nantua, a hearty sauce made with crayfish. Today, the term quenelle has another popular meaning in the culinary world, referring to an elegant scoop of ice cream, sorbet, mousse, or whipped cream, and it is used mostly in fine dining settings.

Quenelle

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Quenelles de brochet are a traditional French dish made from pike fish (brochet). These delicate dumplings are created by finely mincing the fish and combining it with a mixture known as a panade, which consists of milk, butter, flour, and eggs. Heavy cream is often added to enrich the mixture, resulting in a smooth and light consistency. The mixture is then seasoned with salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and sometimes herbs like chives or parsley. The preparation of quenelles de brochet begins with making the panade. This involves cooking flour in butter, adding milk to form a thick paste, and then incorporating eggs off the heat. The pike fish is finely minced or pureed and mixed with the panade and cream until smooth. The mixture is shaped into oval or egg-shaped dumplings using spoons or by hand. Cooking the quenelles involves gently poaching them in simmering water or stock until they puff up and float to the surface, indicating they are cooked through. After poaching, they can optionally be placed in a baking dish, covered with sauce, and briefly baked to finish. Quenelles de brochet are traditionally served with a rich, creamy sauce such as sauce Nantua, which is made with crayfish butter and cream. Other sauces like Mornay, a b&eacute;chamel with cheese, can also complement the dish. These quenelles are often enjoyed as an entr&eacute;e or a main course, typically accompanied by a garnish of fresh herbs.
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Quenelles de brochet

Queso fundido is a tasty Mexican comfort food dish that is typically served as an appetizer. It consists of pieces of chorizo, tomatoes, onions, poblano peppers, and gooey, stringy melted cheese. The dish is often prepared tableside in restaurants, where it is flamb&eacute;ed and presented bubbling hot in small casserole dishes. Queso fundido is traditionally spooned onto soft corn tortillas so that it could be eaten individually, as the dish is typically shared between groups of people, making it a great party food as well. It originated in northern Mexico, where it was originally prepared as a campfire dish. Nowadays, queso fundido is also popular in the United States, especially in El Paso.

Queso fundido

Queso fundido al tequila is a traditional dish that's usually served as an appetizer or a dip. It's made with a combination of chorizo, sweet onions, tequila, green chili peppers, flour, tomato salsa, and cheese such as Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or a sharp cheddar. The tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions are saut&eacute;ed in olive oil until soft, followed by the addition of tequila and cheese. The combination is simmered until the cheese fully melts, and the dish is then placed into a bowl and served garnished with chopped coriander. This dip is traditionally served with tortillas or tortilla chips on the side.