Christmas meal starters.

[Athlon]

What is your fave starter for the big meal? I really want to do something diffrent but still kind of traditional if you know what I mean?

Anyway, I throw open the floor to you all for ideas of tasty ideas!

[Parsnip]

Smoked mackerel pate + oatcakes

Dead simple and easy to do, but get decent fishies and it is the tastiest thing going.

[SVX]

For me, if it's going to be a very rich Christmas lunch, then you can do a lot worse than a thin broth style soup. Followed by a fish course, or course

[OnTheOverrun]

I like to keep Christmas dinner starter easy to make, light and fresh so I mix a little mango chutney with soured cream and lime juice, put some quality smoked salmon on a plate, some of the cream/mango mix on top and then sit some huge king prawns on top of that. Serve with a few blinies and a little dressed rocket.

[whirligig]

I prefer to do canapes to pass round while I am finishing off the meal then sit down straight to the main event. Easier to do with timings etc.

[zakelwe]

I'm not sure you should have starters for Christmas, it's not traditional. What is traditional is loads of snacks beforehand so when everyone gets to the actual meal, which is just main course and pudding, they feel completely stuffed before the pudding and the pudding finally is one stop away from feeling very uncomfortable indeed.

Having said that then something light but tasty would be great. Carpaccio of venison with a light salad would be my ideal. Not too filling but full of taste.

Which reminds me, are we going to have a Show us your Christmas Dinner thread? Nothing like taking photo's of the entire meal before a whole gaggle of relatives who think you are mad when you say "It's for pistonheads!"

Andy

[anonymous-user]

This year im doing canapes instead of a starter! Im doing mini yorkshire puds with half a pigeon breast with a horse radish creme fraiche, little sea trout gravadlax rolls, blinis with smoke duck pate, and slices of really crispy belly pork cooked in mince meat! cant wait Nom Nom Nom!!!

[zakelwe]

MonkeyMatt said:

This year im doing canapes instead of a starter! Im doing mini yorkshire puds with half a pigeon breast with a horse radish creme fraiche, little sea trout gravadlax rolls, blinis with smoke duck pate, and slices of really crispy belly pork cooked in mince meat! cant wait Nom Nom Nom!!!

You git, my invite hasn't arrived yet ! Sounds like a great idea, would compliment the Sound of Music with the Taste of Flavours.

Excellent choice.

Andy

[anonymous-user]

zakelwe said:

MonkeyMatt said:

This year im doing canapes instead of a starter! Im doing mini yorkshire puds with half a pigeon breast with a horse radish creme fraiche, little sea trout gravadlax rolls, blinis with smoke duck pate, and slices of really crispy belly pork cooked in mince meat! cant wait Nom Nom Nom!!!

You git, my invite hasn't arrived yet ! Sounds like a great idea, would compliment the Sound of Music with the Taste of Flavours.

Excellent choice.

Andy

I thought it would be a good idea as I can prepare it all in advance with the exception of the yorkshire puds! Got the idea as we have a Swede over and Ive researched that they traditionally have a Smorgosborde as the traditional meal! I may tweek the lineup though!!! by adding more

[Pferdestarke]

MonkeyMatt said:

This year im doing canapes instead of a starter! Im doing mini yorkshire puds with half a pigeon breast with a horse radish creme fraiche, little sea trout gravadlax rolls, blinis with smoke duck pate, and slices of really crispy belly pork cooked in mince meat! cant wait Nom Nom Nom!!!

I must say that sounds very good indeed. I have a mini muffin tin for making tiny Yorkshires. I stuffed them with rare roast beef and horseradish which were great!

Belly pork with sweet mince meat would be a delight and one that I may well 'borrow' for my own gatherings.

Pictures of the Smorgasbord please!

[Truckosaurus]

Truck's guide to festive eating:

1) eat all the chocolates in your stocking by 8am
2) feel unwell for the rest of the day.
3) that is all.

[Mobile Chicane]

I tend to do nibbles as well, but with a Scandinavian / Eastern European flavour:

Smoked salmon on brown toast topped with a blob of sour cream mixed with 'chrain' (Jewish beetroot-horseradish sauce) and some dill snipped over.

Sliced hard-boiled eggs on pumpernickel with an anchovy fillet on top.

Small pieces of rollmop (include the onion) on pumpernickel with dill snipped over.

Home-made liver paté on rye toast with chopped cornichons.

Blinis topped with sour cream and salmon roe.

All with ice-cold akvavit, vodka or champagne.

[anonymous-user]

Mobile Chicane said:

I tend to do nibbles as well, but with a Scandinavian / Eastern European flavour:

Smoked salmon on brown toast topped with a blob of sour cream mixed with 'chrain' (Jewish beetroot-horseradish sauce) and some dill snipped over.

Sliced hard-boiled eggs on pumpernickel with an anchovy fillet on top.

Small pieces of rollmop (include the onion) on pumpernickel with dill snipped over.

Home-made liver paté on rye toast with chopped cornichons.

Blinis topped with sour cream and salmon roe.

All with ice-cold akvavit, vodka or champagne.

Now ya talking! I think Id rather have that than the roast main course!

[bazking69]

A starter before XMAS dinner??? Are you lot joking....

Seriously, scrap the starter and go straight in on the biggest roast dinner of the year.

My only starter tends to be a few glasses of red wine...

[shirt]

mum usually makes game soup for starters which is simply amazing.

this year i am skint so have offered to buy and make xmas dinner as my gift to the family. starter suggestions most welcome!

[Nolar Dog]

Locally picked wild mushrooms fried in garlic butter and cracked black pepper.

[Penny-lope]

Streaky bacon, spread with whole grain mustard and then wrapped around a nice piece of strong cheddar.....bung in the oven

[calibrax]

We always have prawn cocktails. Lettuce, prawns, thousand island dressing.

For me, Christmas should always have a 1970s theme to be magical. Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody" should be played while having dinner for the same reason! I guess it's because my childhood was in the 1970s...

[smithjohnson]

How about, Salmon marinated with dill and Pernod. Sounds absolutely delicious and classy. And if there are some really chocolaty desserts, it would be perfect.

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London Caterers
Rhubarb
http://www.rhubarb.net/

[Glocko]

Going after the seasonal market are we SJ?