impressive but simple starters? help

[SchrodingersSexKitten]

Need a simple (little time + two children around) recipe that will be suitabky impressive for DH's birthday dinner next week, 3 friends coming for dinner and bereft of ideas.

Going shopping in the morning.

I like nibbles and lots of alcohol instead of starters. Cocktails are good - freeze some cranberries in your ice cube tray etc etc. There are some great ideas for nibbles in some of Jamie's early books - I do his grilled chilli and mozzarella salad on little crostini. Blows peoples heads off and gets them drinking.

Or if you'd rather do a sit down starter, how about an antipasti thing bought from a deli, prettified with basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil?

What are you having for a main course? Do you want things you can prepare in advance? Or just easy on the day?

My two standard starters are the Italian deli style mentioned below (selection of olives, mozzarella, dried meats) - which is easy but you need good ingredients OR little individual tarts. They sound a pain but are actually quite easy to make the day before and just pop in the oven, and they look impressive. I also often do smoked salmon with soda or rye bread - which is lovely with a glass of champagne and REALLY easy to do!
Have fun

doing duck confit, green beans and sauté potatoes for main

Try smoked salmon with a blue cheese spread on it, roll it up and cut it into little wheels. Put them on a bed of salad leaves, serve with pistachios and dressing.

Very simple and really nice. (I had it years ago in a very chic French lady's house and it always impresses).

blue cheese and fresh fig salad?

haha
has someone really said antipasti?!!!

I like penona's ideas. Also I like goats's cheese with honey. Get some reasonable slabs, drizzle with honey and bit of black pepper and sticj in oven for 5 mins. Served on some mixed leaves if you want to be posh.

Last week my friend made me a starter of thinly sliced fried aubergine, fried haloumi slices and sundried tomatoes held together with a cocktail stick. Now none of these would be a particular first choice for me, but OMG delicious salty yummy goodness! Defo recommend.

Portofino I love your idea, thanks. Goat's cheese with honey sounds fab. What dressing do you put on the leaves?

The other ideas are good, too. ggirl Are figs in season? Not sure if I will get them round here if not.

Joanie why do you mock antipasti?

if your guests (and you) will go for it you can't get simpler or more impressive than oysters. especially if you have a shucker dahling

little bit of balsamic vinegar on your mixed leaves!

OMG I am talking about goats cheese and balsamic vinegar on t'interweb! Does that mean I have I moved on from my council estate background and become middle class?....Or did I just get poncy in my old age.....

figs, mozzarella, rocket, mint leaves and dressing. Easy, can do in advance and tastes lovely.

Or smoked salmon, lots of it and maybe toast.

Oysters would be the no1 though if you can get them fresh enough.

More summery but I sometimes make a quick salad of rocket, parma ham, cucumber and sliced stawberries with balsamic vinegar. It looks so pretty. You can make it on small plates and serve each person their own one as a starter.

Home made bread (super easy if you have a bread maker) with olive oil and balsamic for dipping is really straight forward but always impresses people.

Last time I had friends for dinner I went retro and made prawn and avacado cocktail! If you get lovely prawns and make the cocktail sauce yourself it is a real crowd pleaser.

So what did you buy and what will it be?!

Oh, and I still don't know what was so funny about antipasti? Please enlighten me as I nearly made the same (apparent) faux pas!

re antipasti I suggested

I am guessing its sooooooooooo 2009.or maybe 1999? Personally I just eat what I and I think my guests would like.........

I'd do smoke salmon arranged on plate with large fresh prawns, salad leaves or

Goats cheese grilled/melted on top of roasted veg that could be done earlier in day

thai fish cakes...you can make them in advance and then just pan fry and serve with a side salad and thai chilli sauce

Goats cheese wrapped in filo pastry- get the round goats cheese, slice and wrap each circular slice in 2 offset squares of filo pastry, using melted butter to glaze. Bring edges of pastry up to the top, pinch and twist to secure.

Bake at gas mark 5 for about 10 mins; serve with leaves and some sort of raspberry or cranberry sauce.