Christmas starter

I always do canapes with fizz when we open the presents around midday or 1pm. Sometimes it is antipasti with crusty bread, other times party food from M&S or Sainsburys. We have the Christmas dinner late afternoon.
There's enough to do without cooking and serving a formal starter. Puddings are all from M&S or Sainsburys as well. None of the family like Christmas pudding.

We have twelve coming to us on for lunch on Christmas day. As I am acting as "Head Chef" I have decided on a starters choice of pate' with thin triangles toast, or prawn cocktail on a light salad bed.

You can get some excellent pate' in lovely china dishes in supermarkets which can be placed on the table, and the toast can be made and cut in to triangles well in advance as being dry it does not need to be hot.

The prawns can be mixed with the sauce well in advance and just spooned onto the salad base as they are served.

The above I did last year, and as we always ask all the quests to arrive at least an hour in advance of the start of the lunch for "mingling" and a couple of glasses of fizz, by the time they all sit down they are merry enough to not notice or care if my starters or anything else served up is not perfect. ?

This year I found a recipe for sweet potato and red lentil soup on the BBC food pages which is absolutely amazing. It tastes very different to every other soup I have made and by omitting the milk is even suitable for vegans.
Do give it a try, if not for Christmas then sometime soon.
P.S. No need to grate the veg. as it is being blended once cooked.

Back in the 1960's my parents always gave us tinned grapefruit and tinned mandarins with a cherry in the middle for christmas starter. Very easy to do, little prep. and quite light before christmas dinner. When I took over family christmas I followed this for some years, then started to try other things, one year prawn cocktail (at request of one of my g.children). Also had chopped liver (homemade). or smoked salmon.
No problems these days, always go to one of my children for Xmas dinner (and Boxing day), and I am usually pretty easy and will eat happily whatever is put in front o fme

I would love to know which one of our ideas you choose Newatthis ?

My must have stater for Christmas meal is seafood bonbons.
Prawns (shrimp) and scallops poached for a minute or so and then marinaded in cream, garlic, salt and pepper. Place about a tablespoon of the mix onto a phillo pastry sheet, that has been folded in half , and roll up. Tie the ends with chives softened by putting in hot water for a few seconds. Bake in a hot oven for about 10-15 minutes. Serve with a lemon sauce made with lemon, egg yolks, cream and some stock from the prawns and scallops. Add some chopped chives and season with salt and pepper.
The bonbons can be made ahead and frozen then bake for when needed.
You can substitute the seafood for chicken or when my DI was pregnant I made them with salmon.

This is the must have for our Christmas meal and the AC's would happily forgo any other food and have only these.

Apparently some cheese harbour Listeria bacteria which can cause miscarriage or birth defects and some cured meats can cause Toxoplasma which is also dangerous for an unborn child and can be fatal also. I know when I had mine in the 80's we were warned against smoking and alcohol. Thank you so much for all the suggestions. Canapes and Fizz in the living room sounds great.

I'm another who never does a sit-down starter - light canapes & champagne suffices!

or even simpler, houmous for those who don't want smoked salmon.

I am amazed by comments of pregnant women who 'can't eat this or that, or the other' !?!

rule number one in our house for Xmas, is keep it simple so everyone can enjoy it - so it is always best quality smoked salmond with thin toast and butter- and soup for others, if required.

For two years running I was so fussed up and sweating that I realised after the pudding/sweet that the starter was still in the fridge we had it later in the evening watching television as a light supper. The family now tell me that they prefer it that way.( however they do rather enjoy telling others I’m getting old and forgetful and telling others about it) I think I’ve started a new tradition in the family. In my defence there were 11 people. There’s only 6 or 7 this year but this thread has made me do a head count and I’ve just realised that there’ll be 15 on Boxing Day. Best stop grandnetting and get organised.

Another vote for canapes here! You can prep-ahead the toppings the evening before, then dollop them onto whatever bases (blinis/crostini/cucumber/pear slices) your using just before everyone arrives. Alternatively, parsnip, sage & white bean soup, or broccoli & stilton soup. Or you could make little individual savoury tartlets (roasted tomato & feta/red onion & goats cheese) freeze them, then re-heat and serve on a bed of rocket.

Soup is a bit heavy before a Christmas roast IMHO

Newatthis I think canapés and fizz in the living room, before going to the table sounds lovely.

If you intend to do a test run, checking the canapés for deliciousness and the fizz for fizziness, I am available for quality control consultancy ...

Parsnip soup. Either parsnip and apple, or spicy roast parsnip soup. Both can be made ahead and frozen.

Devils on Horseback and Angels for the un-pregnant people.

Mini vol au vents, filled at the last moment with whatever you decide: creamy mushroom/prawn sauce; mixed, diced fruit and creme fraiche; tomato, avocado and capsicum with hummus; pate with finely chopped water chestnuts.

The pregnant ladies may avoid the pate and even the creme fraiche but the others will like them.

Hummus with crudites and crostini.
Mini spring rolls.
Mini rice parcels filled with julienne vegies, with a dipping sauce of soy and lemon.

Beetroot, venison or ham and avocado kebabs.

Nairn's Oatcakes, the whole range, with toppings people can choose for themselves.

I admit it, I love oatcakes and prefer my own choice from a variety of salady accompaniments - the perfect DIY starters.

BTW what is 'fizz'? Not that I buy fizzy drinks, other than the very occasional sugar-free ginger beer.....

Halloumi cheese with Galia melon on cocktail sticks. The warm salty halloumi with sweet cold melon cubes is fab. Fry or grill the cheese in advance then warm.
An espresso coffee cup filled with homemade soup.
Little croustade shells. filled with haggis and topped with scrambled egg.
( vegetarian haggis is wonderful)
Mini toasts topped with pesto and a thin slice of tomato.
The above are some of the canapés I serve as a starter alternative.

Sliced mozzarella and tomatoes layered. Drizzle f lemon oil and balsamic. Chopped basil. Serve with some garlic bread. You cant freeze it, just takes about 10 minutes to prepare on the day...and sit the mozzarella in a sieve to drip extra fluid off before slicing.

Alternatively how about mushrooms simmered in white wine and herbs. (a bit of miso added gives extra flavour). Serve with nice bread to soak up juices.

A lovely dressing I should have written ?

What about half an avocado, sliced with a lovely drizzled over and salad garnish , maybe with melba toast?

Soup. Simple.

If you want them to sit down to it, you could prepare simple plates of lamb's Lettuce, chopped walnut and pomegranate seeds. Dress before eating, or just stand the cruet on the table. Goat's cheese or blue cheese or slivers of parmesan optional for those who can/will eat it.

Yes, agree with the canapes and fizz. For the last couple of years I have not provided a starter and bought several canapes from M and S instead (I made them myself the 1st year, then thought, b*g*er that, M and S is much easier!) it really made life much easier.

Portions of honeydew melon, sprinkled with ground ginger and a squirt of lime juice.

Canapés are good. Smoked salmon maybe if you want a sit down starter