Appetizer

Croatia

Bećarska satrica is a Croatian salad originating from the region of Slavonija and Baranja. It consists of fresh cheese, sour cream, scallions, parsley, salt, and sweet paprika. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should simply be stirred together, then served with a pinch of sweet paprika sprinkled on top. Bećarska satrica is usually served as an appetizer, either on its own, with bread, or with a traditional meat product called kulen.

Satrica

Sausage rolls are traditional British snacks consisting of British sausage meat that's wrapped in puff pastry and baked. Before they're baked, the sausage rolls are often brushed with eggs or milk. Once done, they can be served hot or cold. In the past, they were made from shortcrust pastry, but nowadays, the puff pastry versions are sold at numerous bakeries and supermarkets across the country. Sausage rolls can be served as appetizers or snacks, usually when made at home. It's recommended to serve them as they are or with a few tasty dips on the side.

Sausage Rolls

Italy

Scaldatelli, also called scaldatelle or scallat&igrave;ll' are a traditional agricultural product from the Apulian province of Foggia. Similar to taralli, but bigger in size, they are made with flour, extra virgin olive oil, wine, salt, and fennel seeds. They are sometimes additionally flavored with chilli, black pepper, or black olives. Once shaped, scaldatelli are shortly cooked in the boiling water, and then baked in the oven until their crust turns golden and crispy. They are best enjoyed on their own, as an appetizer or a light snack, but they can also be paired with cheese and cold cuts.

Scaldatelli

Scampi in saor is a traditional dish originating from Veneto. The dish is made with a technique called in saor, where fish or seafood is marinated in a mixture of onions, pine nuts, raisins, olive oil, white wine, and vinegar. Although sardines are the most common choice for saor, in this case the technique is used on large prawns. They are deveined, washed, dried, rolled in flour, fried in olive oil, and added to the onion sauce. The prawns are then covered and left in the fridge to marinate for at least 24 hours before consumption so that it soaks up the flavors. The dish is typically served as an appetizer.

Scampi in saor

These irregularly-shaped buckwheat fritters are a traditional delicacy of the Valtellina valley, where buckwheat has been used since the 1600s. They are prepared with a thick batter that employs buckwheat, beer, and a splash of grappa, while the final addition is diced cheese, preferably the local Valtellina Casera. It is believed that they were named sciatt, denoting a toad in the local dialect, because of their unusual shape and dark color. They are traditionally served on a bed of fresh seasonal salads and are enjoyed as an appetizer or a snack.

Sciatt

Carpaccio is a traditional dish consisting of finely sliced raw meat. Over time, the dish evolved, so seafood can be used for carpaccio as well. Tuna, swordfish, octopus, prawns, scallops, salmon, and sea bass are among the most common type of seafood used for this type of carpaccio. The ingredients are often partially frozen so that they can be sliced more easily. Once sliced, the chosen seafood is elevated by additional ingredients such as olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper, chives, honey, pine nuts, parsley, capers, rocket, basil, or dill. These elegant dishes are traditionally served as appetizers.

Seafood Carpaccio

Sfogi in saor is a traditional dish originating from Veneto. The dish is made with a technique called in saor, where fish or seafood is marinated in a mixture of onions, pine nuts, raisins, olive oil, white wine, and vinegar. Although sardines are the most common choice for saor, in this case the technique is used on sole (sfogi) fish. The sole is fried and macerated for at least 24 hours in a marinade of browned onions, olive oil, vinegar or white wine, pine nuts, and raisins. It's recommended to take the dish out of the fridge a few hours before serving so that it reaches room temperature. Sfogi in saor is typically served as an appetizer.

Sfogi in saor

Sformato di melanzane is a traditional custard-like dish. There are many types of sformato, which can be sweet or savory, but in this case it's savory and made with eggplants as the key ingredient. The name of the dish is derived from the word sformare, meaning to unmold. The eggplant sformato is made with a combination of eggplants, eggs, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, garlic, parsley, olive oil, and b&eacute;chamel. The cooked eggplants are mixed with b&eacute;chamel, then combined with eggs, basil, breadcrumbs, and grated cheese. The mixture is placed in small ramekins and baked. Once done, this eggplant flan is usually served hot on top of a sauce consisting of onions, carrots, celery, and olive oil.

Sformato di melanzane

In Italy, pumpkin flan is an autumnal dish most often enjoyed as a starter or appetizer. The name comes from the Italian sformare, meaning to unmold, though it doesn't have to necessarily be unmolded as it can also be served in ramekins or any other dish that it was baked in. Sformato di zucca usually starts with a base of b&eacute;chamel sauce that is enriched with eggs and mashed pumpkin, and it is typically flavored with parmesan and nutmeg. Lastly, the flan is topped with grated scamorza or some other cheese that melts well. In Friuli, the dish is known as flan di zucca.

Sformato di zucca

Often compared to a frittata, an open-faced omelet, or even a souffl&eacute;, sfougato is a traditional egg-based dish that may also be described as a crustless quiche. This savory specialty is typically made by combining beaten eggs with grated cheese and plenty of fresh herbs and vegetables. There are numerous versions of this dish across Greece, but some of the most common ingredients used for its preparation apart from the eggs include fresh onions, zucchinis, mint, dill, soft feta cheese and hard cheese such as Kefatolyri, breadcrumbs or salty crackers, milk, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Some versions also add ground beef or grated potatoes to the combination, and the whole thing is usually baked in a shallow baking dish until set. The name of this dish is believed to derive from the Greek word sfougari, meaning sponge, probably a reference to the resemblance of the cooked dish to a sponge. Sfougato can be enjoyed warm or chilled, and it makes for an excellent meze dish accompanied by a glass of ouzo on the side.

Sfougato

Sgombri con le cipolle is a traditional dish originating from eastern Liguria. It's usually made with a combination of mackerel fillets, sliced onions, white wine and white wine vinegar, thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries, salt, and pepper. The fish is layered in an ovenproof dish with the sliced onions, wine, vinegar, salt, pepper, and juniper berries. The dish is baked, then left to cool and chilled for a day. A few hours before serving, sgombri con le cipolle is taken out of the fridge and brought back to room temperature before it's enjoyed.

Sgombri con le cipolle

India

Shami kebab is a variety of kebab made by combining minced lamb, mutton, beef or chicken with split bengal grams, onions, chilis, ginger, garlic, and various herbs and spices such as cumin, red chili flakes, garam masala, and mint leaves. The meat mixture is then seasoned with salt and pepper and shaped into round patties, which are then coated with beaten eggs and pan-fried until their exterior becomes crispy, but the patties remain silky and tender on the inside. These kebabs are commonly enjoyed in India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and make for an excellent snack, appetizer, or an accompaniment to the main course. Believed to have originated in Lucknow, shami kebabs pair well with onions, lime or lemon wedges, roti or naan, and various chutneys on the side.

Shami kebab

China

Shogo khatsa is a traditional dish originating from Tibet. The dish is usually made with a combination of potatoes, hot peppers, garlic, oil, and salt. The potatoes are partly boiled and chopped into chunks. The hot peppers and garlic are mashed into a paste, mixed with a bit of water, and fried in oil. Chopped potatoes are added to the pan, and they&rsquo;re stir-fried with the chili sauce until they&rsquo;re tender. Once done, shogo khatsa is typically served as an appetizer or a side dish.

Shogo khatsa

United States

Shrimp or prawn cocktail is a seafood dish consisting of cooked prawns served in a glass with cocktail sauce. The dish has vague origins, but most people claim that it was invented by a 19th-century miner from California who first used oysters in a glass with a sauce, but the Golden Gate Hotel in Las Vegas was the first to offer a 50-cent shrimp cocktail in 1959. It was served in a tulip glass with cocktail sauce. The cocktail sauce usually consists of ketchup and horseradish or ketchup and mayonnaise. This iconic dish was especially popular from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Shrimp Cocktail

The garlic and sherry flavored shrimp DeJonghe is a casserole dish made with whole peeled shrimps blanketed in herbed breadcrumbs which are broiled until golden brown. This dish is often said to be the oldest specialty of Chicagoan cuisine, having been created in the 1920s at DeJonghe's hotel and restaurant on Chicago's Monroe Street. The recipe has been attributed either to the owners, Belgian immigrants Henri, Pierre, and Charles DeJonghe, or to their chef, Emil Zehr. Today, shrimp DeJonghe can be found at a variety of Chicagoan restaurants, ranging from casual taverns and eateries to seafood spots and even steakhouses.

Shrimp DeJonghe

Shrimp remoulade is a traditional dish originating from Louisiana. The dish features fresh shrimp served with a creamy remoulade sauce over crispy iceberg lettuce. The ingredients for red Creole remoulade (the French one is white and based on mayonnaise) include scallions, celery, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, garlic, cayenne pepper, paprika, ketchup, and wine vinegar. The sauce is chilled, then combined with the shrimp and the dish is traditionally served as a cold appetizer in numerous Louisiana restaurants.

Shrimp Remoulade

Shuba or herring under a fur coat is a unique Russian salad consisting of three distinctive layers: salted herring, potatoes, and beets. The salad often has more than three layers, mostly consisting of apples, onions, or hard-boiled eggs. Most people believe that it was invented by a tavern owner named Anastas Bogomilov at the beginning of the 20th century. The red color of the beets symbolizes the red flag, and potatoes symbolize the staple food of peasants and workers. Today, the salad is a well-known staple at Russian New Year celebrations.

Shuba

Shukto is a traditional dish originating from West Bengal. Although this slightly bitter dish is typically made with vegetables, it has many variations and can be prepared in different ways. The most popular type of shukto is a mild stew packed with vegetables such as bitter melon, green bananas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, papaya, eggplants, and flat beans (sheem). The vegetables are typically fried and boiled with additional ingredients such as ginger, garlic, oil, milk, salt, sugar, ghee, and grated coconut. Once done, shukto is traditionally served as an appetizer that's eaten before dal (lentils), and it's often served with rice on the side. It is believed that the dish stimulates the appetite and prepares one for the oncoming spicy courses. Shukto is also popular at weddings and similar festive events.

Shukto

The cylindrical sigara b&ouml;reği is a famous Turkish deep-fried pastry. These small, crispy rolls of thin dough are stuffed with a creamy mixture of cheese and parsley. They are traditionally made with sheets of thin yufka dough, a common ingredient in many boregi varieties, or with a thicker phyllo dough. Mixed with fresh parsley and (sometimes) eggs, the cheese is spread on the triangle-shaped dough, which is then shaped into a cigar. After it is fried, sigara b&ouml;reği turns into a satisfying delicacy, with a crispy outer layer and a velvety filling. The combination of cheese and parsley is the most traditional choice for the filling, but there are numerous other varieties available, featuring feta cheese, potatoes, leeks, spinach, and fresh herbs such as mint or dill. Just like other boregi varieties, this small, tube-shaped delicacy is usually enjoyed as street food, and can be found in many specialized boregi shops or restaurants.

Sigara böreği

Greece

A quintessential seafood delicacy of the Greek island of Symi, simiako garidaki or Symi shrimp is a unique variety of tiny shrimps that inhabit the sea around the island. Bright red, delicate, and sweet, the small crustaceans are packed with flavor, which has made them famous throughout the whole country and beyond. The most common way to enjoy these tiny crustaceans is crispy-fried in olive oil and garlic, typically seasoned with nothing else than salt and pepper. Due to their delicate nature, the fried shrimps are usually eaten whole, including tails, shells, and heads. Sometimes they can be coated in flour and cornstarch before frying, and they&rsquo;re commonly not enhanced with any other flavorings or sauces, except for an optional squeeze of lemon. Fried Symi shrimps make for an excellent meze dish alongside a glass of Greek ouzo or local raki. On Symi Island, a festival day has been dedicated to these special shrimps, celebrated every year in August.