Idea's for a simple starter please...

[Squirrel3]

DP has invited a couple of friends over for dinner Friday and I am a rubish cook.

What is making it worse is that we have been to theirs for dinner a few times and this woman is a fantastic cook, makes everything from scratch, and makes it look effortless!!

For the main course I thought of doing; Lamb shanks with a redcurrant sauce, garlic and rosmary potatoes with steamed vegtables.

For dessert I thought a fresh fruit salad, (nice and easy, no cooking required)

Usually I don't think I would bother with a starter but when we have been there she always makes her own soup and her own fresh bread (served warm, straight from the oven) bloody domestic goodess!

I wish I could be like her but, alas I am far from it...

Help!!!

Smoked Salmon? Very easy and my fave, although I can't have it as I am pg!

filo parcels with brie and cranberry inside

crudites with salmon and cream cheese

antipasta platter, grapes, olives, cheeses, crackers, olives, salami, sundried tomatoes

I would go the finger food route, much easier to cover different tastes this way,

hth, will post more if I can think of them

fried haloumi cheese with a little salad?
Really easy and very delicious.

Really lovely ideas but dp doen't like cheese (love it myself)

What about smoked salmom or parma ham with melon?

Would that be ok?

smoked salmon always looks nice and is dead easy.

A simple but yummy and quite sophisticated one is one my lovely MIL makes sometimes.

It's just a little salad (herby, rocket type bag of leaves) with a bit of dressing on, then on top she puts parma ham, halved hard boiled quail's eggs and shaved parmesan.

You can prepare in advance (without the dressing) and keep it in the fridge.

You can leave the parmesan off for DH!

I've also had at a restaurant prawn cocktail but served in a hollowed out beef tomato. That was yummy too, although I think the tomato had been skinned.

Goats cheese tartlets? Dead easy and you can make the in advance and cook them just before serving. Get some ready rolled puff pastry and cut out either one circle or square for each person (circles look nicer but squares require even less effort!). Score another circle/square around the edge about 1cm in, and brush with a bit of milk.

Then caramelise some red onions with a bit of balsamic vinegar over a low heat until they are soft (maybe add a bit of brown sugar to help them along). Spoon the onions inside the scored pastry, and put a piece of goats cheese on top (the discs are best, but you could crumble it). Stick in oven for 20 mins at whatever temperature is suggested for the pastry.

They are good on a bed of a few salad leaves and a drizzle of walnut oil.

Doh! Started posting before the cheese comment! Well, you could always make them with artichoke hearts from a jar, or sundried tomatoes or something...

Calicopie, I am very tempted to go with your mil's idea, sounds nice and simple, even I couldn't muck that up, could I?

How are you suposed to do the dinner party thing and look relaxed?

The 'domestic goddess' thats coming even makes her own ice-cream to go with the elaborate desserts that she makes!!!

Mind you she doesn't drink, and I'll be a bit 'tiddly' by the time dessert comes so hopefully I'll be a bit more relaxed and I might not notice the look of horror at my 'easy, simple' fresh fruit salad!

Might even have a glass before they arrive!

ooh delia mushrooms and garlic butter
you can do it all ahead and then bung itn ehe oevn every one LOVES it

What about a soup - they are really easy to make and you can do it the day before. Roasted pepper and tomato soup - chop up some red and yellow peppers and some onions and place them in a roasting tray.

Add some peeled garlic, some tomatoes, some rosemary and some thyme. Add a slug of balsamic vinegar, some olive oil and some salt and pepper. Roast the lot for about 20 mins or until they are soft and slightly caramelised.

Transfer the veg into a liquidizer and add some warm stock. Liquidize until it is smooth - if you want you could sieve it at this stage to make it really smooth. Serve the soup with a dollop of creme fraiche and some fresh basil.

smoked mackeral or trout pate - just whizz up with some cream cheese, lemon juice, pepper, a bit of tabasco...So easy, serve with toast.

yes

You are all making me hungry now...

Hi Squirrel, if you like fish, mussels in garlic / white wine always work for me, very quick (get them in a pack ready to cook), taste great and look impressive! x

FANC, lol, you are talking to a woman who's hobbies include deep sea fishing and trout fishing!!!!

and while we are talking about fish, any recipes for Skate, Cod, Pollock, Mackerel, trout, infact any kind of fish? lol

Bear in mind that Dom god you talk about has pre-prepared everything!! Ice cream (with an icecream maker) is easy (honest!) and soup is preprepared etc.

I like the idea of the salad with quails eggs. Personally I would do a simple anti-pasti type thing with fab quality ingredients. That is the key tbh. No cheap salami!!

What's the Delia garlic mushroom recipe Cod?

This is my favourite easy starter - everyone always loves it!

Warm Goat's Cheese Salad

Arrange a selection of salad leaves on individual plates.
Whisk together the following to make dressing - 1tsp llight soft brown sugar, 1tsp Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 135ml walnut oil, 2 tbsp cider vinegar. Cover and leave in the fridge until required.

You need 1/2 a round goats cheese per person - cut in half horizontally and grill under a fairly high heat, cut side up until melting and just golden.

Arrange on the salad leaves and at the last minute add 1 tbsp shelled walnuts finely chopped & 1 tbsp sage leaves to the dressing and drizzle over to serve.
p

PMSL @ Squirrel, soz didnt realise you were such a fish conneseur (sorry cant spell today)! My DP does a great Seabass baked with garlic, with dauphine potatoes and peas, hmmmmm gorgeous!

Damn- just read that your dp doesn't like cheese!! Ho hum...