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arandale

Has anyone a tried and tested starter for the Christmas dinner (no soups please) thats not too time consuming and is easy to put together. Thanks

Guill

arandale wrote: »

Has anyone a tried and tested starter for the Christmas dinner (no soups please) thats not too time consuming and is easy to put together. Thanks

What do you like?
Are you looking for traditional or any style at all?

arandale

Will give anything a try

neuro-praxis

This is so, so quick and easy. Serves 4 so increase quantities as appropriate.

Smoked salmon paté

100g good quality smoked salmon
100g Philadelphia cream cheese (I made it once with Tesco cream cheese and another time with Lidl cream cheese and it failed both times!)
150g creme fraiche
Black pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Put the salmon and a couple of tablespoons of creme fraiche into the blender and pulse until well combined. Alternatively chop the smoked salmon very very finely.

Tip this into a bowl and using a spatula or wooden spoon, beat in the rest of the creme fraiche and cream cheese.

When well combined, season with black pepper and squeeze in fresh lemon juice to taste, and stir. Pop into individual ramekins in the fridge and leave to set.

Eat with crackers or crusty bread. Truly fab and takes 10 minutes.

ElleEm

arandale wrote: »

Has anyone a tried and tested starter for the Christmas dinner (no soups please) thats not too time consuming and is easy to put together. Thanks

i'm a huge fan of caramelised red onion and goat cheese tart. Easy and quick to prepare, and u can have the pastry ready in the fridge from the night before. All you have to do then is caramelise your onions,layer the goat's cheese on and cook. Lovely with a spiced chutney and some leaves

Guill

I love a good cheese board, chilli jam, pate, nice wine....yum yum yum.

dyer

prawn cocktails are quite easy to make..
this is a recipe i usually throw together for christmas myself

all you need is:

a bag of frozen prawns, defrosted (or bought fresh and cooked if you like)
lettuce
tomatoes
a few chopped scallions
avocado goes well with this recipe too..

some lemon or lime wedges

for the dressing - ketchup, mayonnaise and tobasco sauce..
some paprika to finish

wash and cut your lettuce up however you like.. or just put in whole leaves around a cocktail glass or bowl. arrange a few slices of tomato, or halved cherry tomatoes, then some scallions and avacado (if using). make the sauce by mixing up some ketchup, mayonnaise and a few drops of tobasco sauce.. just taste it as you go along until youre happy with it... you can also add a small drop of brandy if youre feeling adventurous!

put the prawns on top of the rest and spoon on some of the sauce.. add one or two lemon wedges and dust with paprika..

thats it.. all done

tfak85

Last year we got beautiful spice beef, sliced it very thin and served on brown bread with Philadelphia cheese, Ballymaloe (or homemade) relish and rocket. Very very tasty and can be put together in advance - beef doesn't need to be hot!

ElleEm

Chicken liver pate is gorgeous too. It can be prepared a day or two in advance too.

Poco90

I've made garlic crab claws the last few years. They have being a big hit. They are quick and easy. I use frozen crab claws that are all ready cooked, so all you are really doing is reheating them once defrosted. Fry your crab claws in garlic butter until heated. Serve with nice brown bread and salad of your choice and some lemon wedges.

Acoshla

We always have good old prawn cocktail, with salmon and crab claws. The salmon and prawns are all ready in advance, same with Marie Rose sauce, then quickly do the crab claws, chop the lettuce, done!

the beer revolu

For as long as I can remember we've had a seafood starter on Christmas day - always a good hour or more before the main.

Smoked salmon, poached fresh salmon, prawns and crab claws would usually feature with a little salad and the ubiquitous Marie Rose Sauce (not a fan, myself) and lemon wedges.
Think quality over quantity here!

foodaholic

I usually make a smoked salmon and trout terrine, it can be made a few days before hand and no-one has dared to complain yet

heres a link to the recipe http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=68365891

Miaireland

I normally do a smoked fish platter. Smoked salmon, smoked tuna, smoked mussels and smoked mackera, normailly with bilinies and some kind of dressing.

For the non fish eaters it is normally melon and parma ham or moxerralla, parma ham and tomato salad.

However I never do Trukey and Ham as mains so my suggestions may not suit your mains.

Deki

Usually have a veggie platter before the meal to snack on- big platter- cauliflower broccoli florettes, grape tomatoes, cheese slices. a hallowed out bread as bowl for a good spinach dip, pieces of the bread for dipping.celery and carrot sticks, cucumber. Not formal just to munch on till dinner really gets started.