Fennel & Salami Bites are an easy-to-prepare, three-ingredient appetizer that’s sure to impress. Thin sliced fennel is topped with salami and nutty parmesan cheese.
Who’s ready for the holidays? That question always seems to be answered by crickets.
Who’s ready for an easy to prepare, three-ingredient, delicious, and impressive holiday appetizer? ✋✋✋
Honestly – Holiday cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. I wouldn’t lie to you. Otherwise, Santa might get word, and then, you know, he might not bring me wine…
The key to creating something simple, yet delicious, is to start with high-quality, flavorful ingredients. It only takes three:
- Salami
- Fennel
- Parmesan Cheese
The sausage is a bit salty, and rich in texture. The fennel is crisp, refreshing and bright. The parmesan cheese is nutty and tangy. The whole thing together – Is perfection.
There’s no cooking involved – Just slicing and stacking. The fennel acts as your “cracker” in a sense. It sets the base, and is topped with a thin slice of salami and a flaking of parmesan cheese. As a bonus, those fennel fronds act as a beautiful garnish. I mean, how pretty is that?! To bump up the flavor factor a bit more, and, lets face it, to make it look even prettier – I drizzled on some extra virgin olive oil and coarsely cracked black pepper. Arrange these bites on a simple white platter, and you’re good to go, in 10 minutes flat (15 minutes max). You can even prepare these bites a few hours ahead of time. Just pop them in the fridge until ready to serve.
I love to keep salami and hard cheese on hand during the holidays. It makes it simple to throw together a quick “emergency” cheese platter should company stop by unexpected or should you just not feel like cooking dinner after wrapping one-hundred and one Christmas gifts.
How about you? Do you have a simple go-to dish that you love to serve during the holidays?
Appetizer Recipes:
- Pimento Cheese Arancini
- Filet Mignon Bites with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
- Short Rib Crostini with Cambozola Cheese and Cherry Jam
If you loved these Fennel & Salami Bites I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
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Full Recipe
Fennel & Salami Bites
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb (quartered and thinly sliced, fronds reserved for garnish)
- ½ package of Creminelli Finocchio salami (thinly sliced)
- 4 oz . parmesan cheese (thinly sliced)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coarsely cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Arrange the thinly sliced fennel on a platter, top each piece with a slice of salami and parmesan cheese.
- Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper, and garnish with fennel fronds.
Nutrition
Wine Pairings for Fennel & Salami Bites:
- It’s the holidays, why not celebrate with bubbles? Cava, Prosecco or Champagne will all pair nicely with the richness of the salami and the fresh bite of the fennel.
- For a red wine option, try a Mourvedre. It’s tannins are a good match for the hearty salami, and the herbaceous notes of the fennel.
- Sauvignon Blanc is a good white wine pairing. It’s grassy notes match really well with the greenness of the fennel and the nuttiness found in the parmesan cheese.
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