Starter for Christmas Meal? Delicious suggestions please!

[dairymoo]

We are spending Christmas with the IL's this year and I have been asked to provide a starter for the main Christmas dinner. In my family, we normally have smoked salmon and bagels for brunch, and then launch in to the main event at about 4ish without a starter, so I'm a bit stuck for ideas.

I'm fairly competent in the kitchen but will be carrying all ingredients in the car with me so am slightly limited. I'd like to do something a bit special, but not too filling as I know everyone wants as much room for the roast as possible. Was thinking smoked salmon on homemade bread but thought it sounds a bit boring.

All suggestions welcome!

We have smoked salmon, just with a handful of leaves, lemon and a plate of nice bread should anyone want it.

Good timing. Have been perusing recipe books all afternoon looking for starter ideas (off sick).
That's what we do, Claire - I would also be interested in suggestions that aren't smoked salmon with leaves, though.

I wsa thinking platter of meats - proscutto, salami etc, a mozarrella, tomato, olive & basil salad & some bread. As we won't eat til 4 ish was planning on some pigs in blankets, sundried tom palmiers & prawns in filo pastry snackets earlier on.

What about leek & stilton tartletts?

good oldfashioned prawn cocktail?

How about homemade pate? That way you can make it before you go. I make chicken liver pate and/or mushroom pate. Both really easy but very yummy!

If you want, you can also 'ponce it up' by serving individually, with some rocket/salad leaves, onion marmalade and home made bread.

I made a nice blue cheese pear and walnut salad the other week. I think the key is "light"

Pate or salmon fishcakes? Or... my favourite, giant yorkshire puddings with gravy...

We dont do starters here either, as by the time we have breakfast we dont want 3 courses in the middle of the afternoon?

Wow - quick reponses! Just popping out now but will have a proper look later, thanks to all who have replied!

I love buffalo mozzerella sliced thinly with thin slices of large tomatoes and basil drizzled with a little olive oil. Lovely and light and yummy

Right, having given it a bit more thought, I am loving the idea of leek and stilton tartletts (do you have a recipe chocolateshoes?) but my SIL is pregnant. Stilton is ok if it's cooked, right? Also very keen on the pear, blue cheese and walnut salad. BonjourIvressedeNoel - do you use a dressing with it, and if so, what? Also, do you use any leaves or just let the pear provide the crunch?

Can anyone tell I have a slight fondness for blue cheese!

I love italian antipasti stuff normally and it's my usual starter standby but am not sure it goes with Christmas dinner, IYKWIM? But thanks for the suggestions.

Anyone else have an idea not yet mentioned?

I used a traditional french type dressing, olive oil, cider vinegar and mustard and seasoning. Only on the leaves though, not on the blue cheese and pear.

You'll need to ask your SIL about the blue cheese. Lots of people are ultra cautious.

bruschetta with picked white crab a la river cafe, yummy and super special

parma ham and figs with a few salad leaves

god am salivating at the thought of leek and stilton tartlets!

why do people have starters before the biggest meal of the year?

We always have salmon mouse.

Tesco recipe leek & stilton tarts

We eat around 2 o'clock so don't sit down for a proper starter, but normally have some sort of nibbles available for when we get back from church (we like Bhajis etc)

we always have oysters with a variety of sauces to spice them up

bigchris I'm totally with you but am towing the line as it's the IL's year with us, and I don't want to be difficult.

Mmm...picked white crab - might save that for NYE.

Liking the idea of the leek and stilton tarts - does anyone know if you could cook them ahead (like on Xmas eve), and then just pop them in the oven 5 mins to warm up?

Oysters ?
Scallops wrapped in bacon ?
Lobster salad ?

Ooh keen to know that too garcia. That would make life much easier. I guess you could make them in advance and freeze them, then pop in the oven while roasties are cooking? Or maybe not....?

I'd love scallops wrapped in bacon but think I might need something less fiddly at the last minute as the kitchen will be very busy. Wish I liked oysters as they do scream special.

You will have to watch the scallops with your SIL too. I make a very easy salmon pate with salmon offcuts, bit of philly, single cream, lots of chopped dill, lemon, s and P. Is yummy with some granary bread. Looks impressive - easy as pie. I would avoid anything that needed to go in the oven.