How to make seven easy no-cook hors d'oeuvres

As the summer heats up, so do the seasonal parties and BBQs. If you're hosting, the last thing you want is to spend the day in a warm kitchen, working over ovens and stovetops. As a guest, cool, refreshing food is always appreciated.

These no-cook hors d'oeuvres will keep both host and guests cool and satiated. They combine great flavours with simple methods, allowing you to spend less time in the kitchen, and more time reclining on the deck. Here's how to make them:

Smoked Salmon Crisps

Pick through a large bag of kettle chips and select the largest chips. Lay chips on a platter. Stir 1 cup sour cream with 2 tbsp finely chopped chives and 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon a scant teaspoon sour cream mixture onto each chip. Working with 150-g package of smoked salmon, fold a small piece of salmon onto each chip. Garnish with more herbs and cracked black pepper and serve at once.

Spicy Crab on Cucumber

Drain and rinse 1 120-g can of crab meat. Pat dry. Stir crab meat in a medium bowl with 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1/2 tsp sriracha and 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice 10 1/3-in.-thick slices from a cucumber and transfer to a platter. Scoop 2 tsp crab mixture onto each cucumber slice. Garnish with a few toasted black and white sesame seeds.

Curried Golden Dew Soup

Peel and seed one golden dew melon. Chop into large chunks, you will have about 6 cups. In two batches, purée melon with 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a blender, scraping down as needed. Return all the purée back into the blender (there will be about 31/2 cups) and add 1 tsp curry paste and 1 tsp lime zest. Season with salt and pepper. Blend to combine. Taste for seasoning, adding more curry paste if desired. Chill, covered until very cold, about 2 hours. Pour hors d'oeuvres portions into small glasses or shot glasses. Top with a small dollop of Greek-style yogurt and a cilantro leaf.

Stuffed Pickled Cherry Peppers

  Stir 1/2 cup ricotta with 1 tbsp chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon ricotta mixture into a small resealable bag and squeeze into one corner, forming a piping bag. Trim off a small corner of the bag. Fill 12 pickled cherry peppers (available in the deli-section) with ricotta mixture. Chill until ready to serve. Top with a small basil leaf.

Apricot and Prosciutto on Baguette

  Slice two ripe apricots in half and remove the pit. Slice each half into 5 thin slices. Cut 10 1/2-in.-thick slices of baguette. Fold 1/2 slice prosciutto onto each baguette slice, and top with two slices of apricot. Drizzle 1/4 tsp honey over each baguette.

Feta Watermelon Bites

  Cut 12 3/4-in. cubes of watermelon and place on a platter. Top each with a pitted Kalamata olive. Lay a small basil leaf or piece of torn basil on top of the olive. Gently thread a tooth pick through a 1/2-in. cube of feta then pierce through basil, olive and watermelon stack. Repeat. Chill until ready to serve.

Oysters on ice

  A 'no recipe' recipe, but oysters truly are the ultimate no cook hors d'ouvres. Serve shucked oysters over ice with a fresh lemon slices and a horseradish root. Let guests great fresh horseradish onto their oysters as desired.

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