Cold starters for Christmas dinner

[ImNotReallyHere]

I’m hosting Christmas dinner this year and struggling to think of cold starters for 2 people. The rest of us will all be having Prawn cocktails.

However DB is vegetarian.
DD is fussy and doesn’t like prawns (or pate or tomatoes). She will be happy to have a veggie starter though as is trying to cut down on meat.

Also don’t want it to be cheese based as we will be having a big cheeseboard.

Totally stumped. Any suggestions?

How about smoked salmon for non veggie or slice of melon and Parma ham and just melon for veggie. In old days thst would sometimes be in restaurants as a starter. Never had it tbh

Tomato and mozzarella, always lovely!

Sorry just re-read about the tomatoes!
How about some canapés more than starters, e.g posh quiche and vol-au-vents

No starter is worth the space in my stomach over Christmas dinner, and definitely nothing cold (vegetarian here).

Smoked salmon is easiest.
Melon with ginger is cheap and easy.
Pates with mushroom pate or hummus for vegetarians
Caesar salad
Asparagus tartlets
Pea and mint mousse

Why not make it easier and make the same starter for everyone?

Prawn cocktail without the prawns 🤷🏽‍♀️🤣

Hummus and pitta/crudités.

Bruschetta with whatever roasted veg they like and balsamic glaze (make ahead serve cold)

Poached pear & walnut salad (make ahead serve cold)

Spiced couscous and pomegranate salad maybe a little bit of feta if it's not on the cheese board (can probably buy something similar ready made from M&S)

Or just do a veg soup for everyone

We do prawn cocktail every year and the hater gets garlic mushrooms with the samr
salad - v v quick, fried in butter and fresh garlic and a bit of cream.

Mmm,poached pear and walnut yummy.

Don't do a starter at all !

Watercress soup.
Also delicious as a shot alongside a prawn starter.

I made a really nice mushroom pate for a new year party last year. I think it was the BBC good food one.

Second doing the veggie starter for everyone though!

Asparagus and hollandaise?
Gravadlax with beetroot for non veggie?

Melon. Easy to prepare in advance and not too filling. Toss in a couple of grapes and relive the 80's.

I'd do prawns and avocado in Mayo on little gem lettuce leaves with a slice of lemon, plated up in advance, cling filmed in the 'fridge or a very cold pantry they will be fine for a few hours.

Two plates, leave out the prawns and add extra avocado. Use halves of lime in stead of lemon to mark out the two vegi plates.

Avocado

Thanks. That’s given me a few ideas.

Anyone got a trusted poached pear and walnut recipe?

Also like the idea of a watercress soup shot glass - would that be hot or cold?

Or the garlic mushrooms for DB and think of something else for DD who is also a mushroom hater.

www.cookwithmands.com/recipes/caramelised-pear-goats-cheese-and-walnut-salad

Ready to roll puff pastry,smear of pesto, before had cook peppers,
,onions, yo soften.add to pastry with crumble feta and pine nuts.cook.slice.can be done ahead so served cold as little tartlets or slices.
Pea and mint crostini
Cauliflower fritters

I've done starters before and feel it gives me more to worry about and is too much food.
What I've done the past couple of years is have a few bowls dotted about.
Nice crisps.
Nice olives.
Nuts
And cocktail sausages with honey and mustard
Etc.

People can just graze. Less formal. Less work.
Not too filling.

We always have canapés and champagne before our Christmas lunch, so much better than a starter.

We often have little brie and cranberry parcels but hot
Cold could get mini quiche or salmon mousse