Driftwood Beach Appetizer (Printable Version)

Crisp crackers and smoked fish on creamy hummus, garnished with dill and lemon zest.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Crackers

01 - 3.5 oz pale, rustic-style crackers (water crackers, matzo, or lavash), broken into driftwood-like pieces

→ Fish

02 - 4.2 oz smoked white fish (smoked trout, mackerel, or haddock), flaked into bite-sized pieces

→ Hummus Shore

03 - 8.8 oz classic hummus
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

→ Garnish

07 - 1 tbsp fresh dill fronds
08 - Zest of 0.5 lemon
09 - 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
10 - Microgreens (optional)

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Evenly spread hummus in a thick layer on a large serving platter, shaping it into a gentle shoreline with a spatula or spoon.
02 - Drizzle olive oil over the hummus, dust lightly with smoked paprika, then sprinkle toasted sesame seeds to create a sandy effect.
03 - Place broken crackers along one edge of the hummus, resembling weathered driftwood.
04 - Scatter flaked smoked fish atop and around the crackers, varying piece sizes for a natural appearance.
05 - Top with fresh dill, lemon zest, capers, and optional microgreens to enhance freshness and visual appeal.
06 - Serve immediately, allowing guests to scoop fish and hummus with crackers.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in twenty minutes but looks like you spent hours in the kitchen plotting something special.
  • The combination of creamy, smoky, and briny flavors feels elegant but tastes like pure comfort.
  • You can make it entirely with your hands and a spreading knife—no cooking required, just assembly and vision.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the capers—I learned this the hard way when oversalted capers completely threw off the balance of the whole dish.
  • Smoked paprika is essential here because regular paprika gives you the color but not the complexity; the smokiness echoes the fish and makes the whole thing feel cohesive.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds fresh if you can, or store them in the freezer so they stay vibrant and don't turn rancid; they make an enormous difference in both flavor and appearance.
  • The secret to this feeling special instead of thrown-together is generosity—use more fish, more hummus, more of the garnishes than feels strictly necessary, because it creates abundance and that's what makes people feel celebrated.
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