Starters - inspiration needed!

[JumpJockey]

Have got some mates coming over tomorrow who we've not seen in about 9 months, have got main and pud sorted but no idea about starter. They're quite foody, I'm up the duff, so no oysters/blue cheese etc. Any ideas? We've deliberately gone for fairly perpare-ahead other courses as they'll arrive, and then it will be one of us on bath/bed duty for dd, so something that could be put together while chatting would be nice.

Main; italian sausage, puy lentil and rosemary casserole with rosemary roasties and green beans (well, it looks a bit autumnal tomorrow!)

pud; lavender shortbread with strawberries and cream

Any ideas? I'm an ok cook, but not up to molecular gastronomy!

I'd go for crudites and dips - much easier to do and making ahead - hummus, guacamole, aioli, etc.

A pre-made starter means you are not so much of a slave to the kitchen, and can chat and catch up with your mates - that's what they're coming for after all!

btw the meal sounds lovely - can I come?

Thingy (some non-celeb)on masterchef the other night did twice-baked smoked salmon souffles which looked really easy but impressive.

I'd carry on your italian feel and go for delia's piedmont peppers. V v simple and tasty but fairly impressive.

You basically fill half red peppers with quarters of tomato and snipped anchovy and garlic and olive oil, pop them in the oven for 45 mins or so and voila.

Serve warm with nice bread to mop up lovely juices.

you can add some basil leaves if you want

Oooh the peppers sound rather good, DH absolutely detests anchovy though (we nearly got divorced the time I put some into a salsa verde without telling him) so might have to skip them in his. Crudities also tempting, can knock up a mean hummous and as you say greater nibble/chatability.

souffle sounds yum but not sure about the status of smoked salmon and preggie diet?

Gosh I hadn't thougt of that- we are ttc and i dont think I could live without smoked salmon for 9 months! I thought it was just shellfish- but as have never been pregnant you may want to check witha more reliable source!

You can have smoked salmon when pregnant ?

Mango salad?
roquet, mango strips, seasonned with lime, olive oil, pepper, fresh coriander, chilli if you like. you can add cooked prawns marinated in lime and olive oil (and chilli). If you are pregnant, I think cooked prawns are OK. (but I couldn't it made me sick)

it looks like sensible advices here www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/agesandstages/pregnancy/.
Cooked shellfish and smoked fishes are OK.

Have just checked and it seems smoked salmon is ok :)

I think we'll go for crudites since frankly the less effort while guests are actually here, the better

Thanks all!

For added inspiration, I recently had the vegetarian antipasto at carluccios second page on the left, which has things like preserved artichokes, sundried tomatoes, caponata, which all can either be bought or made in advance, so also rather lovely.

Easy but quite impressive is a warm asparagus and quails egg salad with rocket and parma ham could probably use posh Italian cooked ham if you're avoiding parma ham).

It's also worth remembering that with the exception of pate (too much vitamin A) pretty much all the forbidden pregnancy foods are OK as long as they're cooked well enough to kill any bacteria