Easy starter for 2

[milkmoustache]

DH is having his birthday meal at home this year, the menu so far is steak and chips followed by some bank-breaking cheese - we'll be eating birthday cake earlier with the kids so no pud requested. What can I do as a starter? I am fresh out of ideas for something fairly quick to assemble, impressive and not outrageously expensive - so not scallops!

You can sometimes get a good offer on 2 for one packets of raw prawns in the supermarket. Put some raw prawns, some slices of garlic, some chorizo and a splash of dry (must be dry) sherry in two smallish oven proof dishes and cook in a hot oven for 7 mins or til prawns are pink. Serve with crusty bread.

Or if you like offal, pan fry some little chicken livers in a pan with butter and garlic til they are still a little pink inside. Add in a splash of marsala or sweet sherry or port, bubble til nearly gone, add chopped parsley, season and serve on some really good toasted bread.

Or go old school and cook some mushrooms (any kind you can get at the supermarket but a mix is nice) the same way as the livers but add a splodge of cream after the marsala and before the parsley.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a lovely evening together.

oh, couldtryharder's suggestions are lovely.

Proper old-fashioned egg mayonnaise with halved just cooked eggs, home-made mayo topped with anchovy fillets and sprinkle of paprika.

Pepped-up prawn cocktail - spicy sauce of mayo, tomato ketchup, tabasco, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, lots of pepper. Use proper smallish prawns (half a small bag of frozen ones, cheap), little gem lettuce and a sliced avocado for the base.

Are you sensing I'm a child of the seventies here

One of the nicest starters I ate in a restaurant (rather than at home, which isusually better!) was good quality smoked salmon on a bed of rocket with a very lively vinaigrette with lots of Dijon mustard and lemon in it. Simple but perfect. Aldi smoked salmon is cheap but excellent.

Delia's Piedmont roasted peppers - I know this is more of a summer recipe I guess - but I love it anytime of year. I don't use the anchovies and tend to shave some parmesan over the top afterwards. Can be prepared earlier in the day and just bunged in the oven when you want to have it. here I sometimes use goats cheese rounds baked in the peppers too - but wouldn't go with your cheese for afters.

Pan fried prawns with lemon, garlic, parsley and a bit of chilli - my DH does this. Takes minutes and is very yum. And would be along the surf and turf idea with the steak main course.

I also do one that was GHI I think. Again out of season if you're bothered by that. But takes yum. Roasted asparagus with a balsalmic shallot dressing and parmesn. make the dressing the day before whisking 2tsp dijon + 2tbsp balsalmic. pinch of sugar and seasoning. Whisk in olive oil til thick (2-3tbsp). Add 12 tbsp water and 1-2 finely chopped shallots (raw). Roast asparagus sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt when you want to eat it - 200C for maybe 15min? (Also nice griddled, but you have to stand there then. Roasting much easier!). Arrange asparagus on plate shave off some parmesan and drizzle over the dressing.

Another thing that's quite nice and easy is to buy a roll of puffed pastry. Cut 2 rounds or squares out of it (one for each of you!) about 15cm in diameter. Mix a bit of mascarpone and pesto together and smear on the bottom, leaving a small border around the edge so the pastry will rise. Roast off some veg (peppers, mushrooms, courgette? - don't need much) and then add to top of pesto mix. Grate some parmesan and bung in oven for 20min or so 200C. Also seen similar thing with sliced tomatoes and basil on a mascarpone and pesto bottom. Something similar here - but for a starter I would cut into individual rounds or squares.