help, i need ideas for a starter for my dinner party

[noonar]

ok, it has got to be meat free and cheese free ( 2 of us dont eat meat, and we are having cheese fondue as main course).

any ideas for a quick but delicious starter?

Does everyone eat fish? You could do something with shellfish - maybe crab? If not, make some vegetarian soup or something mushroomy?

yes, we do eat fish, but i'm not v experienced at cooking shellfish.

not sure about soup. thought we might want a bit of texture to start with as fondue is gloopy.

maybe prawns, if anyone has a recipe?

what about a selection of canape-thingies, and just let people help them selves???

how about a prawn cocktail

Do you live near a good fish supplier? You could do sushi or oysters or something. Or you could marinate some prawns and grill them..? I am rubbish at this, sorry.

bruschetta? .. easy and yummy

boursin and smoked salmon on french bread?

Or if you're giving people a rich, cholesterol-y dinner like fondue, how about starting with a salad? Walnut oil in the dressing would be good if you are having cheese after.

Delia does a really good scallop and lentil starter, in one of her How to cook book, either 1 or 2 I think. It takes a bit of work, but is a real winner, I think it has a slightly spicy flavour to the lentils.
A really good prawn cocktail can be cooly retro and so very easy. Or saute 3 -4 king prawns in garlic butter (always a goes down well)

melon?

If you get lovely big uncooked tiger prawns in their shell you can do a simple starter by putting them in a baking tray and sprinkling them with cajun spices, knobs of butter and a splash of white wine.

Then just serve them with crusty bread and finger bowls as it can get messy.

this recipe is probably better for friends you know quite well due to the mess factor.

maybe prwn cocktail...but how do you make a 'good one' ?

Cheese fondue is really difficult to digest, so you probably want a vegetable/fibrous starter.

Don't serve fish. Fish and cheese is not a good combination.

How about a just-warm lentil salad? It is a hearty, rustic dish, like cheese fondue - so it's appropriate.

nice idea, anna. have you a recipe?

I'd take some Puy lentils and cook them in boiling salted water (they don't normally need pre-soaking). While doing that, I'd fry down (in lots of olive oil) some finely chopped onion, celery, some very finely diced carrot, some onion and some chopped pancetta until soft and the aromas rise. And then I'd mix the drained lentils and the vegetables together and garnish with some coriander. Serve about 15 minutes later.

You can leave out the pancetta for the non-meat eaters but it tastes better with the pancetta.

Agree that lentils would be a good starter if serving a fondue

is the pancetta really crucial??

It needs a good grinding of black pepper too.

x post

would you serve anything with the lentils?

You could add in some toasted pine nuts (add when you finished cooking), especially if you've left out the pancetta.

No, I wouldn't serve anything with it but you could serve it in a little bed of radicchio leaves - the red leaves make a pretty constrast with the green lentils. Maybe on a wooden plate / individual salad bowl if you have these.

anna, that sounds fab. there is a similar recipe in my river caf easy book, but with ricotta on top. do you think i could cook it in advance then warm it up slightly?

If you like salmon you could get some salmon fillets and place on top a mixture of grated orange zest,orange juice,breadcrumbs and chopped parsley.
Grill 10-12 mins untiol cooked through and the topping is crisp.

Serve on a butterbean mash .

Can of butterbeans
spinach
chopped garlic
knob of butter
creme fraiche
black pepper

Melt butter,add garlic 2 mins.
Add butterbeans and mash whilst cooking .
Season
Stir through creme fraiche 2-3 mins till warmed through then add spinach and stir to wilt.

Serve salmon on top of mash

We usually do the same starter wihen people come to dinner- ciabatta and antipasti with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dips. We serve it while we're having drinks before dinner and it can be as light or as filling as you want to make it.