Are you having a starter on Christmas Day and if so what?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Was going to do prawn cocktail but need to offer an alternative, come and inspire me

Nothing, because you can't really be there to join the eating as you need to be finishing the prep on the main course - unless you need to stretch out the volume of food in the main course in which case a robust soup - brocolli and stillton maybe? would be a good option.

my lot were asked and they all said "prawn cocktail!" so that is what it is.

We will have be having the same 4 choices we have every year, melon, prawns, pâté and soup probably lentil

Pink FOUR choices?

Like French, Egg Towers will provide canapés instead of a starter.

Have gone with prawn cocktail and m&s Christmas soup for DM. Really can't be bothered making soup for one extremely fussyperson.

Prawn cocktail, DD insists.

I'm making a layered smoked salmon terrine, there will be a choice of two though.

Dd sounds like my kind of girl, I just love retro. Sometimes DH sits down for supper and says, have you had the 70s cookbooks out again?

The smoked salmon and cream cheese roll that Gino made yesterday looked lovely and very easy but I'm not that keen on cheese.

Breaded camembert with cranberry sauce. Maybe a leaf or two

I'm with Nigella on this one - no need for a starter with such an elaborate and filling meal and I really cba!

Chicken Satay. But we're going out to a Thai restaurant at the unusual request of my 85 year old granddad.

Leek and potato soup. It's a tradition.

There will be an alternative..........

Quality Street while I am cooking

either melon with a sprinkle of creme de menthe over it or plain old pate and toast and for the non meateaters prawns.

at quality street.

Thai sounds fab!

Large mushrooms filled with crispy bacon bits and topped with blue stilton!

Sounded lovely till you mentioned the cheese, I'm sure you'll enjoy it though

Grilled scallops with butter (DD insists) on a nest of samphire with some quails' eggs (GDD's fave) and celery salt. I've never cooked samphire before so not sure what to expect and I might have to add to the thread about 'the foulest dish I have ever cooked'. Still it will look pretty.

Gawd! I've eaten half a box of Quality Street already and I don't even like milk chocolate.

Scallops sound lovely, you'll have to let us know about the samphire.

Confit duck salad with orange and cranberries, smoked thinly sliced goose breast and duck pate. Small portions of each. The DC will be having the pate only cut out with a christmas tree cuter and decorated with cranberries. On the table little olive oil toasts for the pate, butter and cranberry sauces (one alcoholic one not). Its all served cold, prep is in advance and so its a quick plate up job whilst the turkey rests.

My sil is doing the starter of Vodka Prawns....... Hic, hic, hic.....

Oh i love vodka prawns. Might have to do that for new years

Mmmm. I think we're going for rye toast and smoked fish selection (salmon, trout, mackerel). I am tempted to get a few oysters in on Christmas Eve too.