Make ahead Christmas starter

[Oscarmac]

As per title really.

We have 8 for Christmas lunch this year. I’m not a big fan of turkey so the main course is likely to be a rib of beef.

Any suggestions for starters that can be made ahead that will not suffer of even benefit from this?

Thanks in advance.

[21TonyK]

A week ahead you could make a really decent ham hock terrine. Hocks are dirt cheap and plentiful around Christmas and it will keep in the fridge or you could even make it now, slice into portions and freeze between greaseproof paper.

Just that with some pickles or piccalilli and grilled bread.

[Oscarmac]

21TonyK said:

A week ahead you could make a really decent ham hock terrine. Hocks are dirt cheap and plentiful around Christmas and it will keep in the fridge or you could even make it now, slice into portions and freeze between greaseproof paper.

Just that with some pickles or piccalilli and grilled bread.

That sounds promising! I made some achar pickle from Rick Stein’s book over the weekend which were great>

[48k]

http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/collections/mak...

[ladderino]

Gravadlax - I've used this recipe in the past and it made a delicious starter - can also be frozen:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/95...

[J8 SVG]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mary-Berrys-Christmas-Col...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jamie-Olivers-Christmas-C...

These are the books I'm using for this year (Can be found cheaper elsewhere), so many good looking recipes and plenty that can be made ahead

[55palfers]

Using the very last of the greenhouse produce, I am in the middle of making some spicy tomato and red pepper soup.

It'll be a lovely festive colour if nothing else.

[Gaz3376]

Favourite of mine is Smoked duck breast. sliced thinly and served with a celeriac coleslaw and a redcurrant balsamic reduction.

Coleslaw is Celeriac cut into fine strips mixed with lightly whipped double cream, garlic and wholegrain mustard.

[Lozw86]

Not much cooking involved but easy and delicious.. a very good quality Foie Gras makes a great festive starter, served with good crusty bread, a home made chutney and a well paired red

[Gaz3376]

Lozw86 said:

Not much cooking involved but easy and delicious.. a very good quality Foie Gras makes a great festive starter, served with good crusty bread, a home made chutney and a well paired red

I've always wanted to try Foie Gras, is there any online you'd recommend?

[loafer123]

Smoked mackerel pate can be done in advance or in about 2 mins on the day.

Recipe;

Whizz smoked mackrel in a blender with creme fraiche and horseradish, black pepper, salt and lemon juice to taste.

Serve on toasted sourdough.

The toast takes longer to prepare than the pate!

[Steve Campbell]

We always have smoked salmon / prawns / thick cocktail sauce as our starter as requires little prep.

We make the cocktail sauce, then it's just prep, with prawns rolled in the sauce and rolled in the salmon to make "pancakes" of salmon filled with the prawn / sauce mixture. We often get 2 types of prawn, smaller ones for inside then something like tiger prawns for garnishing over the top.
Some fresh lettuce / lemon and fresh brown bread buttered and that's it. I love it.

[cbmotorsport]

Get some miniature pudding moulds/ramekins and brush them thinly with oil. Use smoked salmon slices to line the moulds with plenty of excess flopped over the edges of the moulds to fold over later. Don't leave any gaps.

Blend more smoked salmon in your blender to a paste. Add cream very slowly until you get a thick mousse consistency.

Peel, deseed, and very finely dice a cucumber, finely chop a bunch of chives and juice a lemon. Fold all this into your mousse, with plenty of black pepper.

Spoon the mousse into the ramekins and make sure theyr'e filled. Fold the salmon over to seal the mousse in, trim off excess and chill until ready to serve, remove from fridge a bit in advance of serving.

Turn out onto individual small plates, dead centre, add more chives as a garnish on top, serve with a wedge of lemon and some toast.

[sgtBerbatov]

Two words:

Prawn. Cocktail.

[Steve Campbell]

cbmotorsport said:

Get some miniature pudding moulds/ramekins and brush them thinly with oil. Use smoked salmon slices to line the moulds with plenty of excess flopped over the edges of the moulds to fold over later. Don't leave any gaps.

Blend more smoked salmon in your blender to a paste. Add cream very slowly until you get a thick mousse consistency.

Peel, deseed, and very finely dice a cucumber, finely chop a bunch of chives and juice a lemon. Fold all this into your mousse, with plenty of black pepper.

Spoon the mousse into the ramekins and make sure theyr'e filled. Fold the salmon over to seal the mousse in, trim off excess and chill until ready to serve, remove from fridge a bit in advance of serving.

Turn out onto individual small plates, dead centre, add more chives as a garnish on top, serve with a wedge of lemon and some toast.

I'm going to do this for my suggestion above. Good idea with the ramekins.

[cbmotorsport]

Steve Campbell said:

cbmotorsport said:

Get some miniature pudding moulds/ramekins and brush them thinly with oil. Use smoked salmon slices to line the moulds with plenty of excess flopped over the edges of the moulds to fold over later. Don't leave any gaps.

Blend more smoked salmon in your blender to a paste. Add cream very slowly until you get a thick mousse consistency.

Peel, deseed, and very finely dice a cucumber, finely chop a bunch of chives and juice a lemon. Fold all this into your mousse, with plenty of black pepper.

Spoon the mousse into the ramekins and make sure theyr'e filled. Fold the salmon over to seal the mousse in, trim off excess and chill until ready to serve, remove from fridge a bit in advance of serving.

Turn out onto individual small plates, dead centre, add more chives as a garnish on top, serve with a wedge of lemon and some toast.

I'm going to do this for my suggestion above. Good idea with the ramekins.

The mousse holds the mould shape Steve, if your filling is whole prawns and sauce, it may well collapse when turning out.

Edited by cbmotorsport on Wednesday 8th November 09:17

[cbmotorsport]

Potted Shrimp:

80g brown shrimps
150g unsalted butter
Zest of half a lemon
2 shallots finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 good pinch ground mace
Season well with salt & black and white pepper

Soften shallots in 50gm of the butter with salt, pepper and mace.
Add the remaining butter and allow to melt but not to become hot.
Leave mix to cool to room temperature.
Add rest of ingredients and mix.
Put mix into individual serving pots and place in a fridge to set.
Remove from fridge about half an hour before eating to soften slightly.
Eat with extra lemon, toast and a few bitter leaves.

So Easy.

[Lozw86]

Gaz3376 said:

I've always wanted to try Foie Gras, is there any online you'd recommend?

Fortnum and mason do a small but delicious selection

I would recommend this one as a starting point:

https://www.fortnumandmason.com/products/goose-foi...

[mrsshpub]

This: http://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/meat-and-poul...

or this: http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/salmon-...