Starters for Christmas

jam_mac_jam

What are you doing for starters? I would like to rob your ideas.


I am thinking maybe something light like a crab salad with lettuce cups just so it doesn’t fill up too much. I was going to have scallops and chorizo but would rather something that I can prepare a bit in advance or would be cold so I am not cooking it at the same time as the dinner.


Any suggestions, what do you usually have. Something very tasty but easy...
This is my first time in my life that I have cooked Christmas dinner, which at my age is a bit ridiculous.

Bombaby1974

We usually do a bit of a seafood free for all. Some crab meat, a few tempura prawns, bit of prawn cocktail and some scallops. All with a bit of salad and some brown bread for those who want it.
Normally spread out the starter and main to give a little time for crackers and so the chef (me) isn't under too much pressure to get stuff on the table.

The Nal

Lobster tails with thermidor butter.

Basically this recipe but with frozen lobster tails from Lidl. Easy.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lobster-thermidor-butter


Arancini also great and easy. Make ahead and just drop into a fryer for 5 mins and serve. Put whatever you want in there. Pistachios are nice, peas, blue cheese etc.

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/13416/arancini--risotto-balls-.aspx


Crab cakes also nice and easy and just take a few mins to cook.

JustMe,K

Always soup or salad.

CheerLouth

Melon or pate for the non fish eaters; prawn cocktail for the fish eaters

No pate for me this year

parttime

Ham hock terrine. Can do it 2 days early, slice and serve!

Im doing prawn cocktail this year. So quick and easy.

Mollyb60

My mum usually does chicken & mushroom vol au vents. I'll be having mini Christmas on Saturday and doing brie and cranberry tarts.

Staystrong32

This year we decided to do just prawn cocktails with lemon. Classic

phormium

Always prawn and salmon cocktail here and some pate for the couple of non fish eaters. All prepared beforehand so just assembly needed, not very exciting but a tradition at this stage in this house.

CoBo55

I just leave it ticking over outside...

SusieBlue

I'll be doing a sweet potato and chorizo soup, I think. Was tempted to scrap the starter this year in favour of doing party food in the evening instead (chicken wings, sausage rolls, mozzerella sticks, vol-au-vents, onion rings etc) but I was met great resistence by the family.

I didn't think they'd be able to put away a 3 course Christas dinner, cheese board and all that finger food but they've assured me they're up to the task :pac:

jam_mac_jam

Thanks, loads of lovely ideas there. I like the mixed seafood or the lobster.. sounds perfect.

beertons

CheerLouth wrote: »

Melon or pate for the non fish eaters; prawn cocktail for the fish eaters

No pate for me this year

Congratulations

jam_mac_jam

beertons wrote: »

Congratulations

I didn't get that at all. Can you not eat pate when you are pregnant?

Professor Genius

Foie gras on thin toasted broiche bread with raisin chutney.

SozBbz

Did crab salad last year, bought crabmeat in aldi and added mayo, lemon and some spices at home, served with lettuce etc.

also had smoked salmon, served as is with lemon to taste.

nice bread options, bought a nice brown bread and a sourdough from an artisan bakery -worth it.

Avocado salad for our resident vegetarian.

whomitconcerns

Pate with Melba toast and a winter berry coulis or caramelised onion chutney. 🤘

SozBbz

whomitconcerns wrote: »

Pate with Melba toast and a winter berry coulis or caramelised onion chutney. 🤘

oh yes, good point, I'd always have the fridge stocked wtih pate and nice cheeses etc (+nice crackers and chutneys) for picking at any time.

I think they key is something simple that can be served cold. Christmas cooking is enough wtihout having to worry about a hot starter. Keep it simple.

CheerLouth

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

I didn't get that at all. Can you not eat pate when you are pregnant?

Nope, too much vitamin A in it.

phormium

I like the old Cumberland sauce with the pate, bought the redcurrant jelly today to make some, good with the ham too.

akelly02

No starters in my house , posh feckers the lot of ye

Postgrad10

Same here. Homemade soup sometimes. But we all be starving for dinner because we have it in the evening.

SozBbz

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Same here. Homemade soup sometimes. But we all be starving for dinner because we have it in the evening.

Yeah to be fair the line between meals gets a bit blurred on Christmas day.

Lie in, late breakfast and then out with the dog.

Then "starters" around 2-3pm wiht the main probably not served til 5pm or thereabouts. Then Christmas pudding around 9

Postgrad10

9/10ish we’d get up and have our normal breakfast. Snacking the rest of the day on fruit until dinner at 6pm. I’d love to have it earlier but there’s no changing them.

Loveinapril

CheerLouth wrote: »

No pate for me this year

I was the same last year, I was afraid it would be a give away as I LOVE pate. The food is the only thing I like about christmas. We always go to my in laws, so i am making the pate this year, maybe goats cheese tartlets with caramalised red onion and last year I did Scotch eggs for the kids but were appreciated by the adults at supper time!

SlipperyPeople

we do a version of this https://www.lecreuset.co.za/recipes/potted-shrimp-au-gratin/

Lovely, spicy, not hugely christmassy but it's class. only at christmas for some reason too.

CheerLouth

Postgrad10 wrote: »

9/10ish we’d get up and have our normal breakfast. Snacking the rest of the day on fruit until dinner at 6pm. I’d love to have it earlier but there’s no changing them.

I think I would actually die if someone didn't let me have my Christmas dinner until 6pm :P I do be starving from about 11am on Christmas Day & just about manage to hold out until about 3ish.

Mollyb60

Yeah we don't have a big breakfast at all so our Christmas Dinner is at 1pm. There would be slaps thrown if anyone suggested a 6pm dinner. That's usually the time when the whole extended family comes into ours for drinks and games. We spend the afternoon making sammiches for them all.

Postgrad10

CheerLouth wrote: »

I think I would actually die if someone didn't let me have my Christmas dinner until 6pm :P I do be starving from about 11am on Christmas Day & just about manage to hold out until about 3ish.

It encourages unhealthy snacking too.

Posy

Postgrad10 wrote: »

It encourages unhealthy snacking too.

There's always a positive.

Scarinae

We used to eat Christmas dinner at around 8pm, but since my brother had kids we’ve had to do it earlier. We usually have melon as a starter, it’s quick to do and there’s plenty of food in the main course!

Princess Calla

Do selection boxes count as a starter?

We, as in I don't do a starter. Himself likes salmon so there's salmon and brown Bread there so grazing happens more so than an actual course.

beertons

I call my starter breakfast. Porridge, coffee, maybe toast. No point in filling up before big bird lands on the plate.

Day Lewin

Traditionally we do soup. Used to be tinned consommé for which I have a weakness :-)

More recently, smoked salmon makes a regular appearance. (No cooking! No pots!)

Can't be anything too filling or fussy sine a very good main course follows after.

deiseindublin

Late breakfast of Smoked Salmon & Brown Bread instead of a starter, pancakes with toppings bar for the kids, eat early/mid afternoon.

faceman

Either a homemade smoked salmon moose or scallops with chorizo. I fecking love scallops

TRS30

Similar to other, we do melon wrapped in Parma ham, salmon on brown bread and Blini canapés.

Basq

Been doing the same two nibbles she last few years and bring it to parents house.

Mother tends to follow up with veg soup (that brother in law makes) and prawn cocktail:

- Bacon Wrapped Cherries (wrap strands of good quality bacon around glace cherries, drizzle juice from glace cherries over them, throw in oven for about 8 minutes)
- Bacon & Cheese Pinwheels: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/cheese-recipes/cheese-bacon-pinwheels/

Both easy recipes and seem to go down well.

Bacon Wrapped Cherries sounds odd but is strangely satisfying.

Wesser

of course you cam have pate when your pregnant.
small bit if vitamin a do you no harm.