Christmas day starter ideas

[beneathhereyes]

Just as the title says really. Dsis and her family have turned veggie so will need to do something different from them. Apart from prawn cocktail and vegetable soup, any other ideas?

We often do a baked camembert.

loaded hummus
bruschetta
beetroot and walnut salad
tomato tarts

Soup is a good shout, can be prepped ahead too.

We never have starters, and I can't think of anything worse than soup before a christmas meal. We have canapes around 12 and lunch around 3.

My favourite starter is slices of grilled halloumi alternated with slices of watermelon.

Agreed, nothing should jeopardise dessert. Especially not soup.

Do a veggie and a seafood sharing board. easy to prep the day before and no need for individual plates

Unless you know they definitely eat fish I'd avoid anything seafood - true vegetarians don't eat fish. Pescatarians will so I'd definitely speak to your sister before planning your menu

Melon with Parma ham, utterly simple, simply delicious. For the vegetarians I would do melon with orange slice twists and some pomegranate seeds scattered over for a festive feel.

In this house, we also have soup - warming mildly spiced carrot soup with coriander and ginger, served with a blob of creme fraiche and some finely chopped chives. This works for vegetarians too.

Starter is to get people sitting at the table. Soup is to warm them through and let the chef get on with main course finishing touches.

There will be plenty for main course but no plate will be overloaded. Moderation is key. Dinner is to be enjoyed, not merely endured.

Then presents are exchanged and then hot drinks, a selection of desserts (pudding, something smothered in chocolate, mince pies, fruit salad) and a cheese board will follow as a lazy supper later on.

Baked Camembert sounds perfect here, perhaps with some prosciutto for the meat eaters and olives. Yum

I would do some canapés,
Melba toast, black olive tapenade (check is veggie some have anchovies), sundried tomato, pinenuts, basil
Melba toast, brie, caramelised onion
Stuffed dates with cream cheese and pecan nuts
Red pesto palmiers

MIL always likes to have smoked salmon as a starter but I hate this as I like to have it for breakfast on Christmas Day and then have Christmas lunch at about 2pm. I actually think a starter is unnecessary - I like canapés with a glass of fizz best & then there's room for the bloody pudding - also not my favourite but I have some because MIL usually makes it and brings it with her so it seems rude not to!

I bought some fresh lobster bisque last year from an online fishmonger and served it in tiny expresso cups with a Parmesan crisp. Super easy and really tasty. You could do something like that but get some red pepper bisque for the veggies?

Decided to forego the starter this year and have a seafood/charcuterie/fruit platter with lots of nice bread for brunch.

Thanks for all of the ideas, I'm taking note.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/smoked-salmon-prawns-horseradish-cream-lime-vinaigrette

Really tasty, simple and easy to throw together. Sits happily in the fridge so I make it early.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/twice-baked-goats-cheese-souffles-apple-walnut-salad

Make ahead and just heat. Very tasty. I up the goats cheese.

I did a trio of homemade pate’s last year - chicken liver, smoked salmon and ‘faux’ gras. You can leave the salmon out and have a second vegan pate as I make a vegan cream ‘cheese ‘spread before adding the salmon. I’m actually not going to bother with the liver pate this year - as the others were the first to disappear!

Soup would never jeopardise pudding as I find it less than filling!

We do a crudité platter with carrot sticks, celery, some cheese, etc. Everyone has usually been in the chocs all morning so it makes a nice palette cleanser before the main meal.

Twice baked mushroom soufflé is what I always make. A BBC good food recipe. Easy as can be made day before.
Halloumi and walnut salad with pomegranate?

I hate pate but would love the recipe for the faux gras if you have it please?

They do lovely vegetarian pate’s and terrine type things these days. I have serviced a mushroom one and also a red pepper on to vegetarians as an alternative to meat pate starter.

also I’ve done melon balls on a peach & Prosecco puree with a few bits of pomegranate scattered on

‘There will be plenty for main course but no plate will be overloaded. Moderation is key. Dinner is to be enjoyed, not merely endured.’

Oh I beg to differ! It’s not a Christmas dinner unless you stand up to leave the table rubbing your tummy and groaning with that exquisite pain of being full to the absolute brim 😉

I’m having a grazing Christmas Day I think this year with starter then an hour later a salmon thing then hour and a half main this will be being then later on chocolate mouse or lemon thing all made up but nice luxury things.

I tend to do a caramelised goats cheese tart with a beetroot and walnut salad