Christmas dinner starter suggestions.....

[trackdemon]

Fed up with Prawn Cocktail, no matter how nice it is after years of practice

Current thinking is a tasty soup (pumpkin & parmesan), with a home made terrine (duck?) on a small toast. Also considered Foie Gras as a tasty bit of luxury to start off.

Any suggestions?

[Mobile Chicane]

How about you do lots of fishy canapés (with champagne / ice cold vodka shots) and then get stuck into the main event?

[trackdemon]

Mobile Chicane said:

How about you do lots of fishy canapés (with champagne / ice cold vodka shots) and then get stuck into the main event?

"Fed up with Prawn Cocktail"

Really fancy going for something small, meaty & tasty..... terrine seems to be a frontrunner!

[Miss Pitstop]

I'm doing 2 starters to keep everyone happy:

Goats cheese and cranberry tartlets - http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1602/goats-chee...

Crab and prawn filo tarts - http://www.netmums.com/food/Crab_amp;_prawn_filo_t...

I will also have some of Delia's stilton soup on standby, either for an extra starter or for Christmas supper - http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/so...

[trix-a-belle]

i'm doing roast red pepper & tomato soup or smoked salmon, salad & a chunk of fresh baked bread for starter on boxing day (am elsewhere on christmas day ) not sure which yet might do both & decide on the day what i don't want to share

i'm stuck on what to do for dessert though (have got roast gammon, roast veg & potato dauphinoise for main)

[bazking69]

Am I the only one who couldn't think of anything worse than a starter before the biggest meal of the year?

[trackdemon]

Its a reasonable point, but we always have a starter - it gets you ready! Anyway, that explains the small but tasty requirement.

[Le TVR]

bazking69 said:

a starter

Do you mean, like, only 1 ????

My plan:

Oysters
Deer and apple terrine
Monkfish in champagne sauce

and then the main event.

[bazking69]

Maybe you guys don't have a roast the size of mine then! The thought of a starter, or indeed a dessert, within 2 hours of the main course would make me sick.

[trackdemon]

Le TVR said:

bazking69 said:

a starter

Do you mean, like, only 1 ????

My plan:

Oysters
Deer and apple terrine
Monkfish in champagne sauce

and then the main event.

That sounds great, minus the oysters which probably only I would eat! Current thinking:

Pan fried foie gras on crispbread with home made sweet potato chutney
Parsnip & apple soup with parsnip crisps

or

Balsamic Duck & Onion vol-au-vonts
Duck & Mustard soup

[PaulHogan]

Black pudding with poached quails eggs

[LordGrover]

May not be very seasonal, but I've missed Bombay Duck as a starter.
Just googled it and it seems it's now legal again. Yay!
Click.

[RizzoTheRat]

Strips of filo pastry about 2" wide, dolop of salmon and creame cheese, fold the pastry around a few times to make a triangular samosa. Serve with a yoghurt and mango chutney dip.

[trackdemon]

Have gone for:

Sherry Duck Terrine on toast served with roasted duck skin & balsamic onion reduction
&
Spiced Parsnip soup with Parsnip crisps

Terrine ingredients are marinading now