Seasons come and go -- not to mention food trends -- but one culinary rule of thumb remains the same: Little bites of seafood always make an excellent start to a party. Dive into our catch of 37 nautical nibbles, appetizers, and hors d'oeuvres that include the classic (shrimp cocktails, oysters on the half shell, crab cakes) and the casual (mini lobster rolls, spicy mussels with chorizo, prosciutto-wrapped scallops).

Mix grated Yukon gold potatoes and onion with dill and egg white to create bite-size, oven-crisped pancakes. Top each one with a thin slice of gravlax, a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream, and a tiny sprig of dill.

This recipe for shrimp cocktail is three times more delicious than ordinary versions of the classic appetizer, thanks to a trio of dipping sauces: a traditional tomato-horseradish sauce, a mango-basil sauce, and remoulade sauce. Leave the shrimp with their peels on for a bit of hands-on fun.

Prosciutto flavors these scallops as it becomes crisp on the grill in this crowd-pleasing appetizer. When purchasing scallops, look for a firm texture and a pearly, slightly peachy tone.

Dress sweet, tender chunks of lobster meat with mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, and a small amount of Old Bay seasoning to make the irresistble filling for these appetizer-size lobster rolls. Toast the buns in a buttered skillet just before filling them.

Choose sea scallops or yellowtail (hamachi) for this fresh, light appetizer. The juice of fresh Ruby Red grapefruit and limes "cooks" the seafood without heat, and serrano chile, red onion, and mint add bite to the seviche.

Jumbo lump crabmeat mixed with scallions, soy sauce, wasabi paste, and lime zest is formed into bite-size rounds and coated in breadcrumbs and sesame seeds before frying. Garnish each crab cake with small slices of cucumber, pickled ginger, and wasabi mayonnaise just before serving.

Fill rice-paper wrappers with rice vermicelli noodles, cooked shrimp, mint leaves, julienned carrots, and whole chives to create this cool Vietnamese appetizer. Serve the summer rolls with creamy peanut or spicy hoisin dipping sauces.

This pretty, multitiered sushi "cake" will be the toast of your cocktail party. You can assemble the layers of seasoned sushi rice, wasabi mayonnaise, toasted nori, and cooked shrimp and crabmeat up to a day ahead of time.

Begin making this Spanish-influenced appetizer by creating a spicy sauce of sauteed shallot and garlic, red-pepper flakes, white wine, crushed tomatoes, and dried chorizo. Add the mussels to the mixture, cover the pot, and steam just until their shells open.

"Fruits de mer" is the French term for seafood, and literally means "fruits of the sea." Boil a bounteous harvest of lobsters, crab legs, and shrimp in seasoned broth and serve them chilled, along with oysters, caviar, and a selection of sauces.

For an excellent appetizer, light lunch, or afternoon snack, toss together cannellini beans, shallot, parsley, celery, and olive oil-packed tuna in a zingy lemon-Dijon dressing. Pile on toasted baguette slices.

Cream cheese, cheddar, and half-and-half make this classic crab dip extra-rich. The bold flavors of Old Bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice add balance to the recipe.

A mixture of pureed and chopped shrimp, cilantro, chile oil, sesame oil, carrot, napa cabbage, scallions, and shallot make for a mouthwatering combination of tastes and textures in these dumplings. To achieve a perfectly crisped and browned exterior, use a well-seasoned cast-iron pan to cook the potstickers.

The filling of these bite-size twice-baked potatoes gets a rich, tangy flavor from creme fraiche. Top each with fruity American paddlefish caviar and a sprinkle of chives.

Add a kick to tuna tartare with Sriracha (a Thai chili-garlic sauce). Serve chilled on waffle-cut potato chips.

Mix together sweet peekytoe crab meat with fennel fronds and serrano chile, and serve on sourdough toast topped with aioli. This recipe comes from chef Dan Kluger.

Hand rolls are so called because they are assembled in the palm of your hand. Fill toasted nori sheets with seasoned sushi rice and your choice of ingredients including scallion, asparagus, and avocado; yellowtail, salmon, and shrimp; and even sausage, ham, and cheese.

In his recipe for a Southern specialty, chef Frank Stitt combines boiled shrimp and onions in a brine flavored with celery seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds. Refrigerate overnight to let the flavors combine, and serve as an appetizer.

Top your favorite crackers with spoonfuls of lemony tuna salad and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar, then broil just until the cheese is melted. These appetizers will be a hit with the kids!

To make this recipe from chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, coat your choice of shrimp, sea urchin, shelled king crab legs, hearts of palm, sweet potato slices, and shiitake mushrooms in a light tempura batter and fry until crisp and ethereal.

To make this exotic appetizer, chef Sue Torres layers guacamole, caramelized pineapple, and poached shrimp atop crispy tostadas made from rounds cut out of corn tortillas and deep fried. (For a shortcut, use store-bought tortilla chips.)

Combine breadcrumbs, mustard, parsley, and butter, and sprinkle the mixture over oysters on the half shell. Top each oyster with bacon and bake them until the topping is golden and crisp.

Arrange pink grapefruit wedges, avocado slices, and lobster meat in leaves of Belgian endive to create these cool appetizers. In place of the lobster, you can also use crab or shrimp.

Cut daikon radishes into cubes and scoop out with a melon baller to create the edible boxes for this appetizer. Mix lump crabmeat with diced cucumber, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard to make the filling.

What looks like a beautiful iced cake is actually a savory multilayered sandwich of pumpernickel bread, cream cheese, cucumbers, and smoked salmon. Decorate the top with rosy salmon roe and black caviar for the finishing touch.

Smoked haddock, known as "finnan haddie" after the Scottish fishing village of Findan, should be soaked in cold water for four hours before cooking in milk with garlic, thyme, and potato. Mash the cooked ingredients with cream and horseradish, and serve on toasted baguette slices.

Combine lump crabmeat with Parmesan-cream sauce, parsley, and lemon zest, and chill the mixture overnight so it's easy to handle. Coat balls of the crab filling with breadcrumbs and fry until golden.

Lighten up this shrimp dip by using reduced-fat sour cream and light mayonnaise. Lemon zest and lots of minced parsley intensify the flavor without racking up calories.

The addition of yeast and buttermilk to the batter makes these blini light and tender. Top the bite-size pancakes with dollops of creme fraiche and salmon or trout roe.

This crab salad gets crunch and flavor from celery, carrot, cumin, and coriander. Serve spoonfuls of it on baguette slices layered with mustard butter and roasted bell pepper.

Season the cooking water with lemon and bay leaves before cooking large shrimp for this classic appetizer. Serve the chilled shrimp with your choice of cocktail sauce or lemon aioli.

Make this Swedish delicacy from scratch by rubbing salmon fillets with salt, sugar, white peppercorns, and dill, and letting it cure in the refrigerator for 36 to 48 hours. Slice the fish as thinly as possible and serve with pumpernickel bread, cucumber, capers, sour cream, and sieved hard-cooked eggs.

Chef Curtis Stone cooks orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit segments with scallops and white wine on a hot grill pan to create a light and refreshing appetizer.

This recipe spices up creamy crab dip with chef Emeril Lagasse's trademark Original Essence, a mixture of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, oregano, and thyme.

Most ceviche "cooks" raw seafood in an acidic liquid, such as citrus juice. Here, you boil the shrimp, and, once cool, combine with diced avocado and other ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips for a refreshing appetizer.

Ginger, coconut milk, cilantro, and fresh jalapenos give tantalizing Southeast Asian flavor to these bite-size crab cakes. The cakes can be formed ahead of time and frozen until the night of your party.

Wrapped in cabbage leaves and cooked in a steamer, these shrimp rolls are a version of the standard Chinese takeout appetizer that's lighter but just as delicious. Serve with a tangy dipping sauce of orange juice, lime juice, ginger, and sesame oil.