Ideas for Christmas starter????

[Steph]

My husband and I have never really done Christmas at home but now with the kiddies and the mother in law due the time has come...

I was thinking about a Smoked Salmon starter maybe with cream cheese and chives? Any better ideas? We are not the best cooks in the world but not bad either!

[kittysailing]

Hi I usually do a Jamie's salmon starter - dead easy and quick but really tasty. Basically smoked salmon on a bed of watercress with a horseradish, craime fraiche and lemon juice dressing. Served on a big platter with crusty bread and butter. Yum.

[The Nappy Lady]

Simple canapes to enjoy with some champagne in the sitting room, so you can all sit at the table with it looking perfect for the main course?

You can get ready made blinis and dress them with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and a little chopped dill, or some caviar, etc etc.

You can even buy ready made nibbles / canapes I think if you want to be really lazy.

I always think it is nicer to skip a full on starter as we all end up feeling so full anyway by the end of the meal!

[womanofdulwich]

whats wrong with orange juice as a starter - with champagne in- plus 2 things from your selection box/quality street tin? always works here.

[littleEDfamily]

This is my kind of thread... keep the suggestions coming!

PS the only kind of starter I need is an aperatif - this year prosecco with rose syrup. Seasons bloomin greetings!!!

[simonethebeaver]

My husband's family always has prawn cocktail!

We had some friends round last weekend for a pre-Christmas roast goose and made brussel sprouts soup... It was made with caramelised onions, and we sprinkled pancetta and stir-fried chesnuts in. Really yummy but it was a bit of an experiment.

[nylonmeals]

Two amazing starters that are delicious and easy and would be great for Christmas

This is by the founder of the food store Leon - its the most lovely creamy fennel soup, just incredibly tasty

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/nov/15/fennel-soup-anchovy-croutons

The second one builds on your salmon idea but people will be enormously impressed - basically you get a side of salmon and then cure it yourself in the fridge with beetroot and vodka. The vodka cures it and the beetroot gives it a great bright pink colour. Then you slice and serve with salad or brown bread. Really easy just leave in the fridge in cling-film for 3 days

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2725/dazzling-beetrootcured-salmon

[Steph]

Liking the Salmon/Vodka idea..might give this one ago. I could load the motherinlaws up with vodka ;-)

Was thinking of Jamies originally but my fella is not s fan of Horseradish. Loves Beetroot mind!

[nylonmeals]

I checked the Good Food one and funnily enough it doesn't seem to cure with vodka but I am sure that I used this recipe and I am sure that I used vodka (maybe I just drank it myself!)

Anyway, I found you another beetroot cured salmon recipe that does have vokda - not that you can taste it or anything obviously

http://www.houseandgarden.com.au/vodka-beetroot-cured-salmon.htm

It really is brilliant. Moxons will do you a side of salmon and I think take out any little bones that there might be and your in-laws will be dead impressed :-)

[mich]

I'm a really fussy eater but for my usual starter I usually have half a grapefruit, or brussel pate and some melba toast.

[littleEDfamily]

Prawn cocktail: vom vom vom. There is something very very wrong about mayo and tomato sauce.

Am very tempted to try the cured salmon suggestion....

[Belle]

I think I'm going to make sweet potato soup with honey, and then serve it in little coffee cups we have, as a sort of canape/starter thing. Then poss crostini (sp?) or blinis with smoked salmon, doesn't feel like christmas without smoked salmon, and parmesan crisps.

[Smiler]

Yay for old schhol prawn cocktail - the retro ketchup mayo combo on wet iceberg lettuce is fab! My mum's version always has lemon pips in!

[Ruth_Baldock]

Belle that sounds lovely! Num num nums as Seb would say! Husband's family always has prawn cocktail which I used to be repulsed by but it's grown on me over the past few years.

I once made a savoury smoked salmon cheesecake. It was fab but way too filling!

[LeilahB]

Oysters! Delicious, require no cooking and light enough not to fill you up before massive Christmas lunch.

[prdarling]

God I haven't heard of half a grapefruit for a starter since the 80's. Wonderfully nostalgic.

Thought prawn cocktail was retro...don't get me wrong, i love a prawn cocktail especially in half an avocado, but half a grapefuit I'd expect to be followed by a full English!

[prdarling]

God I haven't heard of half a grapefruit for a starter since the 80's. Wonderfully nostalgic.

Thought prawn cocktail was retro... but don't get me wrong, i love a prawn cocktail especially in half an avocado with a bit of cress sprinkled on top!

[Smiler]

Belle, any chance of the recipe for the sweet potato and honey soup? Sounds tasty!