Easy starter for a group?

[Wigeon]

Need an easy and fairly light starter for 6 adults / 2 children - I can only think of smoked salmon on bread! Don't want it to involve masses of cooking. DH has vetoed smoked fish pate; regular pate too rich.

Any ideas?

these cheddar souffles are much easier than they look and no last minute hassle. They're absolutely delicious & children tend to like them too.

Platter of cold meat/cheese/olives and let people help themselves

We usually do something like a charcuterie platter (lots of cured meats, mini gherkins, cornichons, nice bread) or a seafood platter with ready made bits - smoked salmon roulades or mousse, dressed crab, prawns, etc, with avocado, seafood sauce and tobasco. We like communal dishes to help yourself to but we don't tend to entertain people we don't know well. More formally you could do something like a really delicious soup (Gordon Ramsay has an amazing mushroom one) with a swirl of cream and olive oil and some chopped chives sprinkled on top. Or I like scallops with a purée and black pudding (or bacon) but it's all put together at the last minute so it's not ideal if you have guests.

Smoked salmon bellinis
Cured meats/cheese

packet of filo, packet of brie, jar of mango chutney.

cut the brie into chunks, cut the filo in 4 make a parcel with the brie and mango chutney inside the filo - bake for 10 mins.

Tub of philly type cheese, chopped fresh herbs - mix and serve with crust bread and a bit of salad - call it something fancy.

Or buy slices of ham and roll them round the philly (with or without herbs) in to a cigar.

Red salad - similar ide to green, red coloured lettuce, red onion, beetroot, pieces of orange/satsuma mix and add shop bought salad dressing.

fish cakes, buy ready smoked salmon pate mix with mashed potato and form in to 'cakes' oven for 20 mins.

Love charcuterie /cheese / cornichons, but main course is lasagne so that's basically cheese and meat too! Would definitely like to do those soufflés too but haven't got enough ramikins (think I've got only three).

Doing scallops / pea purée / crispy pancetta for NYE starter

Soup nice...

Hm....

Breaded Camembert with salad and a red onion relish? It's cheesy though...

I'd suggest something really light though as lasagne is quite a heavy main course.

prawns in garlic and bread
leek and potato soup
mini quiche lorraine tartlets - (maybe a bit carb heavy though)
I know your DH vetoed smoked fish pate, but could you do flaked smoked mackerel with beetroot

I actuallY really like prawn cocktail!

Prawn cocktail on a bed of honeydew melon? Then if the children don't want prawns they can make do with the melon.

I would go really light, are you doing garlic bread with the lasagne? If so bruschetta may be too similar if not I'd go with that. How about melon in prosciutto?
Or some kind of simple salad, tomato, basil and mozzarella is easy Italian kind of thing but again may be a bit like the main. How about rocket, pear, pancetta and pecan?

Ah, a little salad is a good idea. I wouldn't have thought of putting pecans with pears but can totally see that working. Although pears seem to go straight from rock solid to mush in my fruit bowl (and avocados)....