Would like to impress. Lambs shanks for main - what would you make

[WinkyWinkola]

for a starter?

The lamb will be served with roasted butternut squash, honey glazed carrots and spelt.

What for a starter? Light and contrasting - seafood? Soup is a bit of a cop out?

Actually, what about dessert too?

Give me some ideas PLEASE!

I find people often like bits to pick at for starters so I do platters with breads, crudites, dips, pates, marinated prawns, begetable crips, etc the options are endless. You can arrange them to look really impressive if you want. Passing stuff around can break the ice too if people don't know each other well

I agree - how about tapas bits and pieces including Nigellas Haloumi with Chilli.

I'm making Jamie Oliver's spicy lamb shanks on Saturday for a dinner party too - just trying to decide on the pudding!

Dessert maybe a Passionfruit pavlova - something light after Lamb. I think I'm going to try and do three small puddings that I can serve - haven't decided quite what yet though prob choc mousse, lemon tart and Passionfruit pavlova to suit all tastes (adults and kids!)

*vegetable crisps

Pudding. What about a pear and chocolate tart? www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/chocolate-pear-tart, pears are autumnal so kind of nice at this time of year

One of my favourite starter salads is halved red grapes, toasted walnuts and crumbled blue cheese served on baby greens with a balsamic or sherry vinegarette. Soup would be too filling for a starter and I'm not sure seafood & lamb go well together, but that might be just my taste. I'd vote for nice nibbly bits or an interesting salad which can be arranged beautifully on plates beforehand, then drizzled with dressing at the last minute.

Was thinking of the Jewish route for starter - blinis with chopped herring, chopped liver, red cabbage... but it all seems a bit bitty.

I second dairymoo. That is such a nice wintery salad. Can also do with pear slices instead of grapes, and can add some more bitter greens (raddichio) in salad for interest and colour.

I'd probably go for a light dessert as a contrast to the main course. Maybe Tarte au Citron, Creme brulee. Or chocolate mousse but in espresso cups. Something to give you taste of sweet to finish without being too much food.

My fail-safe started is a pear, walnut and mozerella salad.

You just quarter and roast the pears (for about 10 mins- don't want them too mushy), toast the walnuts, then melt sugar and salt in equal measures ina pan and toss the walnuts in it to give them a salt caramel coating.

Arrange on a plate with leaves (i use lambs lettuce - nothing too bitter) and torn up mozerella or, even better if you can find it, burrata. Then just blob balsamic glaze round the edge of the plate, and serve with nice crunchy bread/melba toast.

(mozzarella even...)