Here's the challenge .......................................

[woodpops]

We've got friends coming round for a meal in a fortnight. Thought I'd make peppered steak, roast spuds, veggies etc (not too testing) followed by lemon meringue pudding and barbados creams. Trouble is I'm a bit stuck on what to do for starters. Any ideas?? No fish or lamb!!!

garlic mushrooms

cleriac salad?

French onion soup or a consomme?

Does this mean you are eating proper food now WP??

avocado tomato and mozzarella salad.

aubergine fritters

houmous, tzaziki, olives and pitta

red onion tartlets with a balsamic dressing....

what are barbados creams? they sound yummy

I thought about garlic mushrooms but the ones I do are in a cream sauce which I thought would be a bit much with peppered steak.

MG, yep I have been eating normal food last week on hol but am going to go back onto abstenance till the meal with friends. I've not put any on but I want to prove to myself that I am able to go back onto abstenance. IYKWIM.

Barbados creams are yum. It's natural yog and cream mixed together then topped with muscavardo sugar. You then leave them in the fridge over night (at least) and they have this yummy juice at the bottom of the ramekin dish when you eat them. Really easy but really tasty.

Barbados cream is a Nigella recipe beachhead and is gorgeous. Mix a carton of whipped cream with a carton of greek yoghurt, put in a shallow dish and cover with a thick layer of dark muscavodo suger, leave in fridge for 24-48 hours and mix up before serving.

Crostini - with goats cheese and red pepper (use teh peppers from waitrose that come in oil rather than ones in brine) and/or a pack of bought blinis topped with creme fraiche and a smll bit of caviar (well lumpfish roe) or a scrap of smoked salmon. You can eat these over drinks before you sit down leaving you plenty of time for kitchen prep.

beachyhead, can you post the recipe for the red onion tartlets, they sound very yummy .