Christmas Dinner - Soup Starter?

[ParadiseLaundry]

T'is that time... I've got my Christmas folder out and am planning my Christmas menu.

I've got 11 in total and usually make prawn cocktail but fancy making a soup this year to cut down on the preparation and faff on the day, preferably one I can make the day before and reheat and serve on the day. PIL are a bit plain in their tastes so I have been told that broccoli and Stilton is out!

Does anyone have any lovely, wintery soup recipes they would be kind enough to share with me?

[MrsMotherHen]

your doing exactly what I am doing Prawn cocktails and soup.
I swear by this recipe its absolutely beautiful!

allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/29686/simple-lentil-and-bacon-soup.aspx

For christmas day I make it the day before and blend it, then reheat in a jug in the micro and serve. I don't serve with crusty bread or anything to save room for dinner.

[Ricekrispie22]

Last year I made minestrone and gave it a festive touch by using the mini stars pasta from Sainsbury's. www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/farfalle--shapes---shells-44/sainsburys-stars-500g
Not sure what flavour I'll do this year, but I like the idea of decorating it with homemade croutons made from a small star shaped biscuit cutter.

[Ecadia]

We have mushroom soup

[tootiredtothink]

No suggestions for you.....but I'm most jealous of a Christmas folder .

Is it homemade or bought ?

[troodiedoo]

Leek and potato is always a winner, but you might not want potatoes for starter as they feature heavily in the main!

Spiced cauliflower also goes down well. French onion?

[Whisky2014]

I'm exactly the same as you op. We did prawn cocktail last year and I said to my partner a few days ago I'd like to do a soup instead and make it the day before.

I was thinking some kind of butternut squash soup or tomato and red pepper.
Broccoli and Stilton I absolutely love though! I'm not sure my grandparents would eat it. :(

Maybe French onion actually! I'm just concerned about people being too full before the main event!

[RaininSummer]

I made fresh tomato soup one year. It was love!y and quite light. Can do it the day before.

[Crumbs1]

Always smoked salmon and crisps/cheese straws at friends with drinks after Church (all our guests invited), so no starter.

Just very traditional Christmas lunch except I've been persuaded to Yorkshire puddings despite not having beef. Then obviously Christmas pudding, mince pies, brandy butter and Christmas ice cream for the little ones and fussy ones.

[Trashcanoracle]

Can I suggest celeriac and pancetta soup? It tastes really Christmassy and it's light as a starter.
Fry snipped up flat pancetta. Set aside. In the pancetta fat, lightly cook a diced celeriac and diced onion for 10 mins along with couple of twigs of thyme. Add chicken stock and simmer half hourish.
Fish out thyme, blend soup and add double cream. For extra smoothness, pass through sieve. Serve with the set aside pancetta and some thyme leaves. Keeps well in fridge and freezes well (looks a bit split on thawing but perfect again when heated).

[tistheseason2bjolly]

Chicken soup and dumplings!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Ooh no to soup here as a starter , its more a lunch or 'in between Christmas&New Year when you want something simple ' type food.

We are vegetarian (apart from Non Soup Eating DS)

Either lentil (onion, potato, swede/turnip, carrot all sweated off or roasted , add veg stock and lentils then simmer)
or Carrot& Coriander (leek, carrot, crushed coriander seeds, stock, simmer, liquidise and if you want to -single cream but I don't)

[schoolgaterebel]

I want a Christmas folder 🎄

[Butterymuffin]

Nigella's pea and pesto soup. Incredibly easy to do and everyone including kids likes it.

[ParadiseLaundry]

Thanks so much for all of your great ideas!

[oldlaundbooth]

Can we have a pic of the folder?

[ParadiseLaundry]

Whoops, sorry, got a bit enthusiastic there...

@MrsMotherHen lentil and bacon sounds great, I'm putting that on my list 

@Ricekrispie22 not so keen on the idea of minestrone at Xmas but am definitely doing star croutons!

@Ecadia DH and I live mushroom soup but the PIL hate mushrooms so that's out sadly

@tootiredtothink I just bought it from the Pound Shop, I keep my recipes and ideas in it so they don't get lost, it's just plain but I'm planning of sticking little snowflake stickers on 

@troodiedoo I think you're right, there will be a lot of potato going on in the main so might avoid in the starter. Nice winter warmer though. Cauliflower is the only veg I don't like sadly!

@Whisky2014 I've done a lot of butternut squash recently so might go for something else, love the idea of tomato though as reheats really well and is quite light for before a big meal. Going on the list!

@Crumbs1 I'm also doing Xmas ice cream this year, Orange and star anise!

@Trashcanoracle absolutely love this, I think DH will need some convincing though, might do a test run.

@tistheseason2bjolly I think that may be a little heavy also we are having chicken instead of turkey this year

[ParadiseLaundry]

I'm so sorry if it doesn't live up to everyone's expectations, it's a lot more exciting than it sounds 😔

I'm going to get some silver snowflakes to decorate it with.

It's mainly recipe books and lists of lists I need to make at the minute

[Crumbs1]

Orange and star anise beats my vanilla with Christmas sprinkles! Might be tempted now there are no tiny ones.

[ParadiseLaundry]

Christmas sprinkles sound good though! What are they?

[CiderwithBuda]

Orange and star anise ice cream? Sounds lovely! Do you have a recipe?

We don't bother with a starter - just do nice nibbley bits with some fizz.

Liking some of the soup ideas though - esp the celeriac one.

I think I need a Xmas folder. I currently have one of those plastic pockets somewhere! A folder sounds much nicer. And is an excuse to go stationery shopping.

[Crumbs1]

Edible glitter or white chocolate 'snow' or cake hundreds and thousands in Christmas colours or shapes (from Lakeland).
Little ones get bowl of ice cream with a snowman or reindeer biscuit and can choose their sprinkles. Unless they want Christmas pudding or mince pies (which mine never did). Some still want Christmas ice cream and we're cross the year I decided they were too old for sprinkles.

[Crumbs1]

The recipe for orange and star anise would be good.

[WeeM]

Parsnip and Apple is nice but that might be parsnip overload if you're having that with main too.

[WeeM]

But orange and star anise ice cream sounds amazing!

[December11]

Had this soup yesterday evening in my aunt's house. Onion and thyme, was a big hit with everyone and I'm probably going to make it for Christmas day