Oceanian Appetizers

Avocado toast is a dish consisting of a piece of toasted bread topped with a combination of mashed avocados, salt, pepper, and (sometimes) citrus juice. There are many varieties of this dish, so it can be enriched with ingredients such as salmon, ... READ MORE

Shrimp or prawn cocktail is a seafood dish consisting of cooked prawns served in a glass with cocktail sauce. The dish has vague origins, but most people claim that it was invented by a 19th-century miner from California who first used oysters in ... READ MORE

Whitebait fritters are considered a delicacy in New Zealand and they are the most popular way of preparing whitebait. The recipe is quite simple, which is in contrast to the rather pricey fish. The batter is made from eggs and flour, to which fry ... READ MORE

Kokoda is a traditional dish made with fresh, raw fish such as mahi-mahi or snapper that is marinated in a combination of coconut milk and citrus juices such as lemons and limes. The coconut milk is added in order to balance out the acid. Fijian v... READ MORE

Kelaguen is a group of Chamorro dishes that are traditionally served either as a main course, an appetizer, or a side dish. Seafood, fish, or meat are typically marinated in a combination of lemon juice, salt, and hot peppers, which were introduce... READ MORE

This unique Chamorro dish is typically served as an appetizer and consists of deep-fried shrimp and vegetables. It evolved from the classic American fritters, but today, it is a staple of various Chamorro festivities and celebrations, and sometime... READ MORE

The name of this Kiribati specialty is self-explanatory: lobster tails are roasted in the oven and accompanied by a coconut curry dipping sauce on the side. Lobster tails are usually just drizzled with oil and baked, while the creamy sauce is a co... READ MORE

Crab stuffed with crayfish is a New Caledonian dish that can be served either as an appetizer or as an entrée. The crab is first mixed with vegetables and fried, while the crayfish is cooked separately. Once they have cooled down, the crayf... READ MORE

Rye whiskey gravlax consists of thin slices of fish that have been cured in a rye whiskey-based marinade. Fresh fillets of brown trout, sea trout, or salmon with their pin bones removed are generously seasoned with salt, sugar, and freshly cracked... READ MORE

Chevrettes à la vanille et coco or shrimp in coconut-vanilla sauce is a dish specific for the Tahitian cuisine. This highly nutritious appetizer consists of peeled and deveined shrimps, oil, sliced Tahitian vanilla beans, coconut m... READ MORE

Vol-au-vent des fruits de mer is an inexpensive and easy to prepare New Caledonian dish. The vol-au-vent is filled with seafood and coated with a sauce. Shrimps and scallops are typically used as garnishes, while cream, garlic, and champagne or wh... READ MORE

Kaukau is a Papuan term that generally refers to a variety of sweet potatoes. The most popular dish made with these sweet potatoes is prepared by baking them, removing the skin, then mashing the sweet potatoes with ingredients such as coconut milk... READ MORE

Baigan valo is a traditional dish consisting of eggplants that are halved, stuffed with fish, then topped with coconut cream and steamed until ready for consumption. Although the final dish looks a bit messy, the combination of different textures ... READ MORE

This Tasmanian specialty uses Tasmanian cherries and free-range pork, and it consists of small pastry tarts with a sweet and savory cherry-pork filling. Pieces of pork shoulder are first cooked in a small amount of water with finely sliced onions ... READ MORE

This type of Chamorro kelaguen is made with chopped sardines, either fresh or canned. They are seasoned with lime or lemon juice, salt, lots of onions, and hot peppers. Optionally, grated coconut can also be added to the dish. Once the dish has be... READ MORE

This kelaguen variety is prepared by mixing baby clams with onions, lemon juice, salt, and hot peppers. Hot peppers are optional and the quantities depend on personal preferences, while the clams can be either fresh or canned. It is recommended to... READ MORE