HELP! I need a good starter for Christmas day? please suggest one that is not soup or a fish dish?

Answer 1

starting pistol - bang you're off into the turkey

Answer 2

Personally I think the key to a good Xmas day starter is the less preparation on the day the better! If it takes me a week to cook it - but the cooking is done a week in advance then I dont mind - but on the day I want to assemble and eat!

On that note, a good pate/terrine (try delia smith) is great - serve with salad, good bread or crackers and a nice relish. I made this last year and it was a total hit!

Alternatively, a shop bought pate can be "home made" the day before, by mashing with brandy, a splash of double cream, some thyme, a touch of orange juice and the rind of an orange - delicious home made taste!

Garlic mushrooms (not the breaded ones) can be prepared in advance and then heated before serving.

I wa planning on wrapping goats cheese in pancetta and frying it this year, but then I remembered my golden rule and decided to go for a seafood platter instead!

Answer 3

Be very traditional and do a prawn cocktail - it's not officially fish, it's shellfish. Alternatively, a goats cheese salad, home made pate and toast (may be a little heavy), melon and parma ham, asparagus (you can still get it) and hollandaise sauce...

The main and dessert are so heavy that I'd definitely go for something lighter. To be honest, I don't usually bother with a starter - I always feel slightly guilty about it, but I know there's no way we could get through all the grub otherwise.

Hope you have a wonderful meal and a wonderful Christmas.

Answer 4

"Spiced Citrus Cider" - 1 gallon

5 cups water
4 medium lemons; sliced
4 medium oranges; sliced
2 (3") cinnamon sticks
2 tsp. whole allspice
3 quarts apple cider
1 cup sugar

In large saucepan, bring water, lemons, oranges and spices to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour. Strain and discard fruit and spices. Transfer citrus mixture to large soup kettle. Stir in cider and sugar; heat through.


"Chicken Poppers" - 25-30 appetizers

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup ground fully cooked ham
25 to 30 cubes Cheddar cheese (1/2" cubes)
1 lb. sliced bacon
2 to 3 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Flatten chicken to 1/4" thickness; cut into 1 1/2"-wide strips. Spread each with 1 tsp. ham. Place a cheese cube on the end of each strip; roll up. Cut each slice of bacon in half widthwise; wrap each around a chicken roll-up and secure each with a toothpick.
In large skillet, cook roll-ups in oil until bacon is crispy, about 10 minutes. Add broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

Answer 5

I have two suggestions, both from what my Mum does at xmas! First one is Camembert cheese in breadcrumbs with cranberry sauce. The second idea (which my Dad loves) is a dish of tomatoes baked in the oven with a thick cheesy sauce! Merry Christmas!

Answer 6

Toasted baguettes heaped with caramelised onions or shallots, sweet fire roasted peppers and finished in the oven to make bubbly slices of goat cheese or a cheese of your choice!

All the prep can be done ahead of time (except toasting the bread), simply assemble and slip under a grill / broiler on the day;

First, caramelise the shallots or onions or a combo of both as follows;

Peel shallots and/or onions [if onions, slice into rings for easier cooking]. Place all into a heavy bottomed pan with a fair sized knob of butter over a medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until butter is melted and things start to simmer.

Add boiling water until all are covered and cover the pot. Adjust the heat to as low as possible and allow to simmer until all the water has evaporated.

Remove the cover and stir. Continue cooking to allow the mixture to take on it's final caramel colour and sweetness (to taste).

Fire roast your red peppers;
On a long handled fork (or under the broiler / grill) hold a pepper over an open flame. Toast all sides until it is completely black on the outside. Slip the pepper into a deep bowl and cover in cling film. Allow to steam for 20 minutes. Layer several thicknesses of kitchen towel; place the blackened pepper on top and using a dull knife, or other paper towelling, gently remove the blackened skin from the pepper. Remove to a cutting board and remove the stem, seeds and any ribs from within. Slice in nice thin strips to layer on top of the onions.


To assemble; On a heat proof surface, layer some thin crunchy rounds of baguette, (two or three per person). Mound with warm onions, add some strips of pepper and finish with fresh cracked pepper, some flaked sea salt and cheese. Slip everything under the broiler to make melt and bubbly and yummy.

This can also be made with slowly simmered, fresh mushrooms in place of the peppers.

Cheers & happy holidays!

Answer 7

Mushroom Dips

Ingredients

breaded garlic mushrooms
vegan mayonnaise
spring onions
crushed garlic (optional)

There is nothing nicer than breaded garlic mushrooms dipped in onion mayonnaise. I always cheat and buy frozen breaded mushrooms as it makes things much easier. You can usually either fry them or cook them in the oven. For a lower fat option cook them in the oven but frying them makes them a lot nicer.

For the dip whip up some vegan mayonnaise until it is smooth. Then add chopped spring onions. You can add garlic too if you like.

Answer 8

Melon > Pate on little squares of toast > Or try Grilled Grapefruit. For four people cut 2 grapefruit in half spoon on a teaspoon of sherry then put a knob of butter and a spoonful of sugar on top and grill 3-4 minutes!

Answer 9

Make spinach dip put it into a bread bowl, use the remaining pieces from carving out the bread bowl to dip into it, put out crackers, chips, vegies, could even put out a few different cheeses to go with it. (I use the recipe on the back of Knorr vegetable soup mix--its a green box and in the soup section at the store)

Answer 10

How about a tricolore salad - avocado, mozarella and basil - light before a big main meal, or garlic mushrooms (big, stuffed with breadcrumbs, garlic, butter adn parslet) or buy a big camembert, you'll have some cranberry jelly / sauce for next course, bung the cheese in the oven and let everyone tuck in themselves. (less washing up too)

Answer 11

Antipasto with green salad and cherry toms, something like artichoke hearts. You can get them in the Italian section of Asda, about a quid. Chop them up, add a few bits of feta or mozzarella. You don't want anything heavy. This gets your taste buds going without filling you up.