Ideas for a starter
Discussion
Thought I'd put this out there for you lot to see if you can provide a bit of inspiration before I throw myself into a cookbook reading frenzy.
We've got a couple of good friends coming over for a meal on Sunday, for the main I'm doing roast duck leg, gratin dauphinoise & asparagus again. When I made this last week we had a simple smoked salmon, lemon juice, granary bread & butter starter. It was simple, worked well and was very tasty. However, one of our mates isn't a smoked salmon person. So, what would you suggest as a starter? I'm a reasonable cook but don't want to be getting into anything too elaborate as I prefer spending time with the guests as opposed to slaving and stressing over dinner. Plus, if all goes to plan, i'll probably be a bit tiddly.
The floor is yours.
We've got a couple of good friends coming over for a meal on Sunday, for the main I'm doing roast duck leg, gratin dauphinoise & asparagus again. When I made this last week we had a simple smoked salmon, lemon juice, granary bread & butter starter. It was simple, worked well and was very tasty. However, one of our mates isn't a smoked salmon person. So, what would you suggest as a starter? I'm a reasonable cook but don't want to be getting into anything too elaborate as I prefer spending time with the guests as opposed to slaving and stressing over dinner. Plus, if all goes to plan, i'll probably be a bit tiddly.
The floor is yours.
Could do a goats cheese style starter?
4 small individual goats cheese.
blend a bag of walnuts up to a crumb, then coat the cheeses all round in the walnuts. whack in the oven for 10-12 mins, should be melting in the middle but not collapsing.
salad leaves with fried cubed warm chorizo and sharp lemony mustardy dressing.
Simple enough, dress the plates in advance, fry the chorizo and keep warm, all you'd have to do is warm the goats cheese in the oven dress the salad and put on the plate.
Its really just a posh deep fried camembert, but dont let on.........
4 small individual goats cheese.
blend a bag of walnuts up to a crumb, then coat the cheeses all round in the walnuts. whack in the oven for 10-12 mins, should be melting in the middle but not collapsing.
salad leaves with fried cubed warm chorizo and sharp lemony mustardy dressing.
Simple enough, dress the plates in advance, fry the chorizo and keep warm, all you'd have to do is warm the goats cheese in the oven dress the salad and put on the plate.
Its really just a posh deep fried camembert, but dont let on.........
Smoked mackerel pate.
Flake some smoked mackerel into a blender, add some cream until you get the right consistency, add a squeeze of lemon, some cracked peper and you're done.
Shove into some ramekins and serve with some toast and cornichons and Bob's your uncle.
V simple, incredibly tasty and you can make everything well in advance.
OR
Just buy some duck pate, serve with toast, cornichons, some quince paste (or other simialr) and a cold, swlightly sweet Reisling (chilled Vouvray or Montbazillac also go very well). Actually, you could also go with a semi-sweet bubbly, come to think of it!
Flake some smoked mackerel into a blender, add some cream until you get the right consistency, add a squeeze of lemon, some cracked peper and you're done.
Shove into some ramekins and serve with some toast and cornichons and Bob's your uncle.
V simple, incredibly tasty and you can make everything well in advance.
OR
Just buy some duck pate, serve with toast, cornichons, some quince paste (or other simialr) and a cold, swlightly sweet Reisling (chilled Vouvray or Montbazillac also go very well). Actually, you could also go with a semi-sweet bubbly, come to think of it!
This is easy as pie: mushrooms in garlic and parsley
- Heat a good lug of olive oil in a large heavy based frying pan
- When hot throw in all your mushrooms: recomment s
take, porchini, chanterelle
- Cook for a few minutes and then throw in a couple of cloves of finely chopped garlic
- Season well - good Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- When cooked (don't overcook or the muchrooms will have no "bite", add a generous quantity of chopped parsley and a good knob of butter stir well without breaking up the mushrooms
- Serve on slices of hot toasted baguette
As a variation add sherry and cream at the end if you want something a bit richer/heavier. As always, it's the quality of the ingredients that count - get some top quality 'shrooms from your fave deli and this'll taste great.
Edited: Ha ha - the filter caught me out as I can't spell Shiitake!!
- Heat a good lug of olive oil in a large heavy based frying pan
- When hot throw in all your mushrooms: recomment s
take, porchini, chanterelle- Cook for a few minutes and then throw in a couple of cloves of finely chopped garlic
- Season well - good Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- When cooked (don't overcook or the muchrooms will have no "bite", add a generous quantity of chopped parsley and a good knob of butter stir well without breaking up the mushrooms
- Serve on slices of hot toasted baguette
As a variation add sherry and cream at the end if you want something a bit richer/heavier. As always, it's the quality of the ingredients that count - get some top quality 'shrooms from your fave deli and this'll taste great.
Edited: Ha ha - the filter caught me out as I can't spell Shiitake!!
Edited by Dapster on Thursday 26th November 11:24
Taking the mushrooms as a component, how about making it into a smoked bacon and mushroom dish. Dice and fry off some chopped bacon, and then putting it on a little circle/square/diamond/crescent of puff pastry, and baking it in the oven? Individual smoked bacon, mushroom and garlic tartlet's, served with a bit of greenery.
Edited by jep on Thursday 26th November 12:11
scallops are a top idea.
otherwise, just buy some puff pastry, roll out and cut into squares. put a slice of goats cheese in the middle of each square, a sprig of thyme, and salt+pepper. Fold the corners of the pastry over the cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes until puffed and crispy.
Instant goats cheese tart, which people for some reason assume takes ages to make.
otherwise, just buy some puff pastry, roll out and cut into squares. put a slice of goats cheese in the middle of each square, a sprig of thyme, and salt+pepper. Fold the corners of the pastry over the cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes until puffed and crispy.
Instant goats cheese tart, which people for some reason assume takes ages to make.
Cactussed said:
Oh, and there is no such thing as a cheese overload!
Get thee behind me, Satan!
I'm with him. Get a camenbert, take it out of the plastic and put it back in it's wooden box, make some holes in the top skin big enough to push some garlic and rosemary though, shove in the over for 10 mins or so, then slice the top skin open and everyone dives in with buts of crusty bread. Heaven.Get thee behind me, Satan!
Wadeski said:
scallops are a top idea.
otherwise, just buy some puff pastry, roll out and cut into squares. put a slice of goats cheese in the middle of each square, a sprig of thyme, and salt+pepper. Fold the corners of the pastry over the cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes until puffed and crispy.
Instant goats cheese tart, which people for some reason assume takes ages to make.
If you've got a bit extra time...otherwise, just buy some puff pastry, roll out and cut into squares. put a slice of goats cheese in the middle of each square, a sprig of thyme, and salt+pepper. Fold the corners of the pastry over the cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes until puffed and crispy.
Instant goats cheese tart, which people for some reason assume takes ages to make.
some cannelini beans, chopped onion, garlic and chilli + a few anchovys (they practically vapourise leaving only the taste), add a bit of alcohol (wine or brandy or sherry anything really)
Soften it all, then mash it up into a paste
Wazz your scallops on
Throw a few bits of rocket on a plate, dollop of your paste scatter a few scallops
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