Have you decided what you are having for Christmas day starter?

[ilikemincepie]

Or did MN decide it was unnecessary? Inspiration needed, nothing too complicated as it's complicated enough already!

What else is in saffron soup Lolipop ?

I used to serve Bloody Mary Soup with homemade rosemary & garlic rolls. Utterly delicious - a good spritely, spicy start to proceedings. However I dropped the starter from the menu 4 years ago & nobody seems to miss it.

No starter here, we just get wired into the main course

I do the obligatory smoked salmon starter about an hour before dinner.

I'd go without it to be honest, but family moan if I dont make it. Just smoked salmon on triangles of soda bread or black bread with a dill/creme fraiche sauce and wedge of lemon.

Pringles for the kiddos

Cadbury's selection box....

Melon balls with a glace cherry on top. A la 1983.

smoked salmon never seems as good as when served on christmas day with some asparagus and a wedge of lemon, simple bliss.

this year, I have been won over to have parma ham, honey dew melon, with manchego cheese drizzled with honey...

Seduced by marks and Spencer in store chef thing, we'll be having pear wrapped in Parma ham with rocket and black pepper. Easy no cook, and the little people can have the pear :)

Always smoked salmon on a few leaves, black pepper, wedge of lemon and glass of fizz. I doubt this will ever change and I love it.

Oh that sounds nice misty, is this pre bought all ready?

Rhubarb, I have to admit, the salmon, the fizz...is my xmas too.... maybe i shouldnt change it...

Stick with youe Parma ham ZeVite it will be fab! You can always have SS on New Year's Day.

I like the sound os the pear and Parma ham too, what type of pear is it?

Concorde pear; not pre made but even i can wrap a piece of pear and rocket, so fool proof It tasted divine in the shop and the rocket added a lovely peppery taste.

I'm certainly going to give that a try soon, and I like rocket, as you say nice and peppery, I might do a Caesar dressing with it.

With some garlic bread it would be a lovely summer lunch too.

Thank you!

I prefer pear to melon....I may pinch this tooo!

A selection box

Well, pear and cheese are a good combination, just swap the melon for the pear?

No starter. Fill a plate with plenty of meat and veg and lashings of HM rice pudding for dessert.

Thanks for sharing these ideas, I love reading about food!

ilikemincepie - the soup is stock, potatoes, cream and onions (maybe garlic too?) blended up with a big pinch of saffron strands in it. I think that's about it! Nothing fancy at all apart from the saffron.

It's a Covent Garden Soup recipe.

There is nothing to decide in our house. We go to my mums for Christmas, but if there weren't going to be prawns, we wouldn't be going. I am a stickler for tradition and that means prawns for a starter. Mum doesn't mind, she loves them as much as I do!

That soup sounds nice Lolipop , but I think I'd find it a bit filling (prob would scoff too much!).

I think I'm going to have to serve small portions aren't I! I'm curious to see what it turns out like - last year I made chestnut and sage soup and I was the only one who liked it so hopefully this will be more successful

Well, pear and cheese are a good combination, just swap the melon for the pear?

I got both pear and honeydew to try...some lovely anti pasto...manchego...etc etc its all waiting to go, delicous cant wait!

We always have prawns, salmon and crayfish cocktail. Boring as fuck. I may not bother this year.