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Please recommend a 'starter' for Xmas Dinner |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London
Posts: 14,740
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Please recommend a 'starter' for Xmas Dinner
We are having a large family gathering this year and I have been asked to provide the 'starter' course. I don't think we will want anything too filling as it will be followed by a traditional turkey etc. I would appreciate ideas on what to cook/serve up and any recipes. Thanks.
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#2 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,743
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Chilli fried Halloumi cheese with a Cranberry Sauce dip.
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 164
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pates - a smoked mackerel one and a mushroom one. hopefully everyone would like one or t'other.
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Cornwall (ex-London)
Posts: 65,312
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How about a smoked salmon terrine?
Easy and light: http://www.greedygourmet.com/2009/06...almon-terrine/ |
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: East London
Posts: 14,258
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Fresh smoked salmon and large king prawns, very yummy and not filling.
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: around
Posts: 2,627
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Quote:
Fresh smoked salmon and large king prawns, very yummy and not filling.
I just have the bread and leaves though |
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,823
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i am making a pate for us this year
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Fens
Posts: 455
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Chicken liver and bacon pate, yum and very easy to make.
Or go all retro and have a prawn cocktail. mmmmmmmmm |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: ♀ Hampshire
Posts: 5,309
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Filo pastry parcels, filled with caramelised red onions, stilton and redcurrant jelly.
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Sunny Side Of The Street
Posts: 40,106
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I don't tend to bother with starters as you could make a meal out of a starter alone.
A light salad of olives and cucumber with some red onion would be my choice. |
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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We usually have a good old prawn cocktail.
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#12 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: lala land
Posts: 2,203
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Apologies for this starter, but I have been making this for Xmas Day for 40 years and my children won't let me stop now. I think they just like the nostalgia rather than the taste per se
![]() But here it is anyway: Half a ripe (and it must be ripe) avocado per person and half its weight of white crab meat (tinned or fresh). Mush up the avocado with a fork (does not matter if there are lumps, so long as they are not too big), season with lime or lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add chilli flakes/paprika if wanted. Break up crab meat and stir in. Pile on top of shredded lettuce on individual serving plates, plonk a large cooked prawn on top. Done.
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#13 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Northamptonshire
Posts: 606
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Quote:
Apologies for this starter, but I have been making this for Xmas Day for 40 years and my children won't let me stop now. I think they just like the nostalgia rather than the taste per se
![]() But here it is anyway: Half a ripe (and it must be ripe) avocado per person and half its weight of white crab meat (tinned or fresh). Mush up the avocado with a fork (does not matter if there are lumps, so long as they are not too big), season with lime or lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add chilli flakes/paprika if wanted. Break up crab meat and stir in. Pile on top of shredded lettuce on individual serving plates, plonk a large cooked prawn on top. Done. ![]() |
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#14 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Sitting at my PC
Posts: 9,434
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Starters we've had in the past are:
Prawn Cocktail (always a firm family favourite) Rollmops (slices of smoked salmon wrapped round prawns and covered in Rose Marie Sauce) Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup Baxters Tinned Lobster Soup served with a swirl of cream and a sprig of Parsley. It was on special offer that year - cheap, cheerful and Easy peasy! |
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: The Enchanted Wood
Posts: 878
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Our favourite Christmas dinner starter is long strips of smoked salmon mixed in with parpadelle strips of cucumber (not the outside as it's too bitter and not the core as it's too watery!) with a dressing of creme fraiche, lemon juice, lots of freshly ground pepper and plenty of fresh dill. Mmmm!
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London
Posts: 14,740
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Quote:
Chilli fried Halloumi cheese with a Cranberry Sauce dip.
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#17 |
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Guest
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 942
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Mini bruchetta tasters!
One with mozzerella and tomato, the other with parma ham and fig! served with a small side salad. We had it last year, got the taste buds going without being too filling!! |
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#18 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,743
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Quote:
They all sound delicious but I like the sound of this. How do you prepare the Halloumi?
Or olive oil with a bit of chopped chilli thrown in. It has to be served there and then though. Usually I'd serve it with lemon wedges to squeeze over. However, as this is festive, serve it with cranberry sauce. |
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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Quote:
Our favourite Christmas dinner starter is long strips of smoked salmon mixed in with parpadelle strips of cucumber (not the outside as it's too bitter and not the core as it's too watery!) with a dressing of creme fraiche, lemon juice, lots of freshly ground pepper and plenty of fresh dill. Mmmm!
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,562
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When I go to my parents I do the starter... I order a top notch side of smoked salmon or gravadlax from a good smoke house and bring the Irish soda bread.
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Doon the bottom o Scotland
Posts: 1,044
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Last year I done melon and prosciutto (?sp) skewers, and prawns with a mango chilli salsa thing. Both weree looovely and not filling at all!
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,607
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Go for the safe options - either pate or soup. Nothing too fancy if you have young children invited as most kids I've encountered won't eat anything that's too strongly flavoured or typically "grown up".
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#23 |
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Guest
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 13,792
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I'm doing Xmas dinner for friends and for a starter I'm doing a mezze type thing with home made dips, girdled halloumi and flatbread, it's great when there are a lot of people I think and makes a change from the usual.
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#24 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
Posts: 11,556
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Quote:
Filo pastry parcels, filled with caramelised red onions, stilton and redcurrant jelly.
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mole Bothering
Posts: 13,964
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We always have potted shrimps with crusty granary bread.
Then about a 2hr wait till the turkey is actually ready, rather than it's predicted time. |
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