Christmas day starter and non-Christmas pud dessert?

[naranciata]

What are you making?

I'm looking for a change but nothing too exciting - the in laws couldn't take too much change from the norm but I am so sick of what we usually have - cream of tomato soup and white rolls with a trifle as the non-Christmas pud dessert.

Thank you dixie that's fantastic (and tomorrow's lunch sorted!).

Cartmel sticky toffee pudding - I was quite disappointed by it and think Co-op and Aldi ones are both nicer (and cheaper).

Not sure I'd have it as a choice with Christmas pudding and both very pudding-y, although it depends why you are having a choice - ie if you know some people don't like Christmas pudding but do like sticky toffee pudding

We don't have a starter but as a non-Christmassy pud, Eton Mess always goes down well here. Five out of the six of us had it last year and it's so quick to prepare.

We're having baked camembert with honey and thyme, petit pain and caramelised onion chutney for a starter. We have it every year but dh and ds protest loudly if I suggest anything else. I'm the only one in the house that doesn't like Christmas pudding so I sometimes make a cheesecake and have a slice of that but this year I'm slumming it and buying a Tesco salted caramel bombe, it serves two apparently

Starter will either be smoked salmon - straight with lemon, or as pâté or possible foie gras (we live in the area where it's produced)

Pudding will be sticky toffee pudding for DD at least as she doesn't like Christmas pudding.

For DH and me it will probably be the pudding from the Atora recipe book that belonged to my great aunt and dates from either the 30s or the 40s.

Pâté would normally be a winner but I'm pregnant so it's off the menu for a while, unfortunately. I am far too selfish to make pâté for everyone else and not eat it myself! Prawn cocktail is a good idea, and not too 'out there' for my v. conservative (small C!) in laws.

Some of the other soup suggestions sound lovely too.

I was wondering about a tarte au citron for non-dried fruit dessert, but Eton mess is also appealing.

Starter- Brie and cranberry parcels
Desert -chocolate m&s present cake

Mogloveseggs .... oooh I had forgotten how amazing cartmel puddings are......Mmmm mm for sure this is our Christmas pud!

My favorite starter.... ripe m&s camembert (or one with strong flavour), score the top...finely Chop garlic and press in gently. Chop fresh thyme....put on top of garlic... Smother that with good honey. Bake. About 15 mins. Until melted inside. Dip in veg or breadsticks. Pure cheesy heaven.

No starter here this year ( think that will probably shock the 'olds' though). Pudding is this m.tesco.com/mt/legacy.realfood.tesco.com/recipes/red-berry-meringue-roulade.html?un_jtt_redirect=sc

Could you have smoked mackerel pate when pregnant? Mine is just smoked mackerel, lemon juice and creme fraiche and is lovely. I'll be doing that and a chicken liver pate and hoping there's left overs for boxing day! Soup is nice and easy to make ahead, I like mushroom and a lettuce one my mum used to do. For pudding we're having a yule log this year but often have The Hairy Bikers Snow Queen dessert which is gorgeous- like a gingery home made ice cream.

I'm doing melon to start, possibly with Parma ham for those who want it.

Dessert I'm currently edging towards Jamie Oliver's salted chocolate tart. Or a lemon tart, undecided yet.

Spicy parsnip soup for starter. Pudding we are doing trifle but Nigella has a chocolate cake recipe instead of Christmas cake which looks really nice.
Oh actually I'll do a chocolate swiss roll log.

Yes I like the chocolate roulade that Saint Deels does in her original cookery course it's dead easy and always looks, and tastes A M AZING I'm still thinking about it.

Nickyeds...have you tried using sardines instead of mackeral? Just as easy and it's delicious. 2 x tins sardines in olive oil. Grated rind 1 lemon. Juice 1 lemon. Cream cheese (I've not tried creme fraiche) and half teaspoon cayenne. Blend. My 5 year old is mad for it!

I think sering cold soup in a bowel might put everyone off their Turkey!

Sorry, couldn't resist that! I have been laughing hard for about 5 minutes. It's really cheered me up, I've got dreadful toothache!

Delia's chocolate torte is excellent. An old recipe, but sometimes the old one are the best.

Or even serving.

Baked camembert starter... Always mint Vienetta for dessert 😁

We don't have a starter sitting at the table-but a succession of lovely bits handed round as we open presents etc-so things like smoked salmon blinis, sausages in bacon, prawns and cocktail sauce etc.
Very nice and I am famous for wildly misjudging turkey cooking time because I have been on the prosecco eating later than intended so we have a relaxed approach. No one misses the starter at the table. And always have profiteroles for pudding along side the christmas pudding

Smoked trout pâté
Smoked salmon/gravadlax
Spicy pumpkin soup

Tarte au citron/au chocolat
Choc mousse

I think my mum has asked DS to do the starter, so likely to be smoked salmon mousse and tuna pâté with home made soda bread and butter to.start, then a trifle or Christmas pud as nominal dessert which none of us will be able to eat until 9pm.

I meant mackerel pate not tuna. I don't know where I got tuna from.