easy starter?? no shell fish or pate - yes i'm pregnant

[madgirl]

hello, i'm cooking dinner for dh's friends colleagues tom night- am doing sausage and mushroom cassoulet folowed by lemon tart both of which will be done in advance and heated up when they get here. any suggestions plse for a starter which is mega mega easy- ie no cooking?!! and one that doesn't look too shop bought?! thank you. also- are the mumsnetter recipes threads archived? can't find any....

salad
garlic mushrooms (brought + dip) add chopped herbs to dip
cannot think of any more

Whizz up smoked mackerel with cream cheese(you can eat cream cheese)!

Brushetta

I slice up a couple of ciabatta breads, toast under grill. Pile on some tomato based pasta sauce and then sprinkle some rocket and parmasan on the top, drixzzle with olive oil. (Can also do with mozerrella and then flash under the grill before serving.)

This is very very quick to do and easy to serve - just pile them up on a big platter and let people help themselves!

thanks dino but really do need to do in advance - might have it for lunch today tho! gothicmama think salady thing good idea- basic caesar? mind you the smoked mackeral whizzed up with cream cheese sounds yum- but can you give me instructions for thicko cook motherinferior?

I know it needs cooking but veg kebabs are so easy just thread onto skewer and pop in oven for like 10 mins?

Get some nice tomtaotes and the vine, some mozarella and a couple of ripe avocadoes.

Slice the otmato relatively thinly and lay a few slices on each plate. Slice the mozarelly and lay the lices beside the tomato. lice the avocado (I did it lengthways on Friday, but cross ways might have been easier). If you are preparing it an advance, dress the avocado (coat lightly) with a simple dressing of lemon juice and good extra virgin olive oil. Lay the slices beside the mozarella (it'll look a bit like the italina flag!). Generously drizzle a dressing of EV olive oil and lemon juce (well seasoned with salt and pepper) over it all. Season again with some pepper. Shred a few basil leaves over the salads. Serve with a heated up ciabatta for people to tear into chunks.

Goes well with Lindemann's Bin 65 Chardonnay.

Very simple, summery - and tasty!

Madgirl, I don't exactly know the official quantities but I just take the skin off a couple of smoked mackerel fillets, break them up and put them in the blender, and add cream cheese/cottage cheese/a bit of greek yogurt. I'd start with a small amount and just keep going. HTH!

janZ you won't believe this but this is my fave starter ever and i did it at w/end for pil!! dh says please please please can we not have it again tom night!

Oops - lots of typos. Really should preview!

For "lice", read "Slice". Tomatoes are "ON the vine" (for extra flavour - Lidl sells all the ingredients really cheaply!). I think the rest are obvious!

MI- how should i serve that?

Toast fingers? Oatcakes?

And it's officially 'smoked mackerel pate', btw!

Rocket and parmesan salad is my favourite. With an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.
I add a squirt of lemon juice and a bit of black pepper to my smoked mackerel pate - and it is very yummy.

Oops - will need to think of one of my other "bankers".

Cold tomato salad soup: Make up a big tomato salad with loads of tomoatoes, a couple of cloves of thinly sliced garlic, some spring onions, shreeded basil and a dressing with a couple of tablespoons of vodka, a drop or two of tabasco, olive oil and a wee bit of balsamic vinegar. Dress the salad and leave to "marinade" for a couple of hours at room temperature. Blitz the whole load together in a food processor/blender and put in the fridge. Serve cold with olive oil drizzle over the top and a another couple of basil leaves. If you can be bothered (and they do make a difference) make some bruschetta - toast some slice of French bread, scrape a garlic clove over one side, and serve on top of the soup.

I forgot to add - at the blitzing stage, add some good quality tomato juice to get the right consistency.

Madgirl, Caesar dressing has raw egg, so maybe not such a good idea if pregnant. Guacamole with raw veg crudite? Smoked salmon on soda bread or with simple salad?

I do bruschettas, if you have olive oil spray you can just cut ciabatta into slices, spray and toast in toaster.

Favorite toppings, of course chopped tomatoes with basil and olive oil, salt and pepper

Prawns fried in garlic (really good)

Chopped roasted peppers (can buy pre done)

oh sorry are prawns no good when preg? Can't remember