starter ideas

[idshagphilspencer]

Friends coming for dinner tomorrow night, I want to do a starter. Main course is chicken based, so any ideas?
TIA

Quails eggs always seem to go down well around here. Basically, hard-boil them, peel, and serve three/four p.p. on a bed of lettuce leaves (little gem) cut in half and sprinkled with salt and cumin. I usually have an individual sized bowl of mayonnaise on each plate too.
As the eggs can be cooked & peeled well ahead of time, it's an easy one to do. Alternatively, you could go the parma ham and melon route?

As it's winter, a little home-made soup with some fancy bread can be a nice way to kick off. Can also be prepped in advance and heated through for the table. Something colourful like Roasted Red Pepper perhaps with a swirl of fresh yoghurt to serve.

filo parcels

I've done them with the following fillings

mushroom and creme fresh
salmon and creme fresh
brie and mango chutney
spinach and ricotta

If you are doing mushroom or onion filling cook the filling first, otherwise just make the parcels and put in the oven for 10 mins.

Chicken liver pate - either in a big tin or individual ramekins.

1 pot chicken livers (sold frozen)
one small onion or half a large
1 packet of butter
salt/pepper/herbs (dried or fresh) glug of brandy all to taste

fry the onions in some of the butter, add the defrosted livers and other ingredients and fry until the livers are cooked.

blend the contents of the pan - it will look like the contents of the nappy from hell - and put into a dish or dishes - cool then put in the fridge to chill.

Baked Camembert. Buy the ones in the box, stab with a fork, smear crushed garlic across the top, and pour some white wine on. Cover with tin foil and bake for 15 mins, then uncover and return to oven for 15 minutes. Serve with crusty bread and crudités for dipping.

Lazy, but lovely!

Pear, brie and walnut salad

Beetroot & goats cheese salad, yum!