Relish Tray
(The No-Recipe Recipe)
In case you’re not familiar with this old school dinner party staple, a relish tray is a bountiful platter of olives, pickles and cut up vegetables. Serve it alongside mini canapés, with grilled cheese sandwiches and a big pot of simmering soup, or with Deviled Eggs and sliders, as seen below! This retro appetizer is a classic for a reason: no recipe is required and it adds playful variety to any party spread. While a relish tray is exactly what you want it to be, here are few tips to get you started.
Servingware
I like to use an assortment of different sized jars for height and visual variety and then arrange them on a platter.
Offer fancy metal toothpicks or petite spoons and forks for your guests to pick up olives or pickles.
Place some cocktail napkins or small plates close by.
Food
As I mentioned above, a relish tray can have whatever you want on it. For the most beautiful tray, pick things that come in a variety of colors, sizes and shapes – I like to place spears of cucumber, celery and carrots in jars for some added height. If you’re serving your relish tray with sliders, then add some condiments. Here are a few ideas:
Cut up crudités (Carrot sticks, radishes, celery, cucumber spears, sliced fennel, endive leaves)
Pickled vegetables (peppers, cauliflower, pearl onions, beets, string beans, mushrooms, cornichons, bread and butter pickle chips)
Olives (pick 1 or 2 varieties! If they’re not pitted, then include a small bowl for pits)
Condiments (mustards, chutney, pimento cheese, remoulade, aioli)
Miscellaneous (This is where you can have some fun! Add pickled shrimp, a cheese ball and crackers, halved soft-boiled eggs)