Cherry tomatoes make quick appetizers

Summer tomato bins are crowded with cute, little grape tomatoes, the plums, the beefsteaks — so crowded you might forget the appeal of cherry tomatoes. They make a perfect one-bite wonder when stuffed with a savory filling (many ready-made at the supermarket), then served up with cocktails as a premeal nibble. Here's a five-step plan and five easy fillings:

1. CUT a small slice off each stem end of large, firm cherry tomatoes. (Save trimmings for soups or stews.)

2. SCOOP out seeds and ribs carefully; do not break the skin. (We tried a variety of implements: sharp knife, spoon with serrated tip, kitchen scissors — all worked fine.)

3. DRAIN, after lightly salting insides, cut end down, on paper towels. (Refrigerate until ready to fill.)

4. MIX UP fillings. "The Silver Palate Cookbook" suggests, among other things, a salmon mousse and taramasalata. You may buy them or make them from scratch. You'll need about 3/4 to 1 cup of filling for every 24 tomatoes.

5. FILL using a spoon with a narrow tip, a pastry bag with a tube tip or a resealable sandwich bag (spoon in a smooth filling, snip a bit off a corner of the bag, then squeeze to fill). Refrigerate, covered, until serving. Garnish with herbs or chopped nuts.

Try these fillings:

Hummus: Make a favorite recipe or purchase prepared vegetable hummus; garnish with a small pimento slice.

Guacamole: Mash ripe avocado pulp with lemon juice, a smidge of grated onion and a touch of hot pepper sauce; garnish with cilantro.

Olives: Prepare a favorite recipe or purchase prepared tapenade; garnish with chopped parsley.

Chicken liver pate: Soften slightly at room temperature a prepared pate; garnish with chopped pistachios.

BGT: Blend softened cream cheese with a teaspoon of mayonnaise, finely minced cooked bacon and finely minced green onion.

(c) 2009, Chicago Tribune.