Crimson Tide vibrant appetizer (Print Version)

Spicy chorizo, sweet cherries, and roasted peppers atop crisp crackers create a striking appetizer.

# What You'll Need:

→ Red Ingredients

01 - 4.2 oz cured chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
02 - 3.5 oz fresh cherries, pitted and halved
03 - 1 large roasted red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
04 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional, for garnish)

→ Crackers

05 - 32 plain white crackers (e.g., water crackers, rice crackers)

→ Dressing

06 - 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tsp balsamic glaze
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Arrange the crackers closely together on a large serving platter to form the base.
02 - Create an S-shaped curve over the crackers using overlapping slices of chorizo, roasted red pepper strips, and cherry halves, alternating for color and texture.
03 - Lightly drizzle extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze over the red ingredients.
04 - Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper to taste.
05 - Optionally garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours on it, but you pulled it off in under 30 minutes.
  • The salty-spicy-sweet balance keeps people reaching for more, even after they've said they're full.
  • You can make it entirely ahead and just arrange it when guests arrive, which is the dream for stressed hosts.
02 -
  • If you slice your chorizo too thick, it'll feel heavy and overwhelming; thin slices let the other flavors breathe.
  • This is best eaten within 20 minutes of assembly because the crackers will start absorbing moisture and lose that satisfying snap.
03 -
  • Buy your ingredients the day before but wait until the last possible moment to assemble so the crackers stay crisp and the colors stay vibrant.
  • If you're feeding a crowd, arrange it on two smaller platters instead of one large one so people can reach without leaning across.
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