Asked to make starter for 7 people, no oven - help please!

[Blackbird1234]

I've been asked to make a vegetarian starter for 7 people for Christmas day. Where I'm currently staying doesn't have an oven. Doesn't need to be anything fancy.

Any ideas?

I think quite a few people are overlooking the 'no oven' bit of the OP.

Or do you have a hob @Blackbird1234 ?

We're having bruscetta. No oven required.

-melon
-soup / gazpacho
-mozzarella, tomato and basil salad

Personally like a starter but not a big one so lm firing on all cylinders for the main
@elfycat yes about the orange juice thing. Fiancé and l were laughing about that the other week funnily enough!

Do you want something more snacky and grazing style or sit down at the table and eat off a plate

If you want something grazing, then veggie platter (or individual boards depending upon feelings about covid and sharing food) with lovely bread. You can get lovely dips and olives, spreads, cheese etc

If you want something plated then find out if you can access an oven for half an hour where you are serving. If yes, then stuffed roasted red peppers (you can prep it all at home before and put it in a baking tray with foil so its oven ready) with nice hot bread. If no oven space, then soup and use a microwave to heat it

If your vegetarians will eat fish: smoked wild salmon on good brown bread with plenty of salted butter. Assemble it when you get there.

If not: French onion soup. You can make the cheesy croutons in advance so you only need to heat up the soup on the day.

I think I'd definitely go down the route of big pot of soup.

Rocket, blue cheese and walnut salad is nice as long as veggie and not vegan

Sorry missed the pear out from that.

If there are kids maybe individual mini cheese and pineapple hedgehogs with satsuma or similar bodies.

Vegetarians don't eat fish. Without an oven I'd do bruschetta, or burrata with good tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar and some sourdough to toast. Maybe soup.

1 or 7 charcuterie boards, depending on 'rona worries. Can all be from packets, nothing even needs heating up. Buy some bread, cheese, etc from supermarket and lob them with some crackers and grapes onto a plate.

Salmon and cream cheese with tomatoes on crackers

Melon and berries

Pate in toast

Salad with pears, walnuts and blue cheese is a real treat

Jamie Oliver does a watermelon, cucumber and feta skewer. Made small on cocktail sticks and served in upturned little gem lettuce ‘boats’. So refreshing and not too filling.

@Sgtmajormummy

If your vegetarians will eat fish: smoked wild salmon on good brown bread with plenty of salted butter. Assemble it when you get there.

If not: French onion soup. You can make the cheesy croutons in advance so you only need to heat up the soup on the day.

. If they're vegetarian why would they eat fish?

Some people haven’t read the memo.
If you have a hob, spicy butternut squash soup would be quite a nice starter.

Veggie soup with individual rolls- you can buy part baked rolls and bake them on arrival, or buy fresh on Xmas Eve. Any veg sautéed down, add stock and boiling water and herbs, whizz in blender, done!

Salad leaves, slices of ripe pear, Stilton, sugared walnuts - and a honey, lemon, mustard vinaigrette. This is my favourite winter salad.

I think I'd want to know what the main course and pudding will be to avoid duplication.

If I was offered a salad with blue cheese I would have to refuse it. It's not to everyones taste. However a halloumi or feta type salad would be light and lovely.

I love blue cheese but hate feta or halloumi, you maybe best to get likes dislikes first or a choice.

Jar of dip, massive bag of Doritos

I was going to suggest the same as @Silkieschickens and @OfMinceAndMen - pear, blue cheese, walnut and salad leaves (endive is good), vinaigrette. No cooking required at all, it’s delicious, a bit Christmassy and manages to feel right for winter despite being completely cold. Also not too filling, which I think can be a problem with a hot soup.

Selection of melon balls would be nice, or a light basil and mozzarella salad.

disclaimer: I think starters for Christmas dinner are bizarre