Three Easy Christmas Starter Recipe Ideas
The traditional Christmas Dinner main course is a huge meal
in itself, especially when followed by Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies. Then there will be the never-ending
rolling feast the rest of the day brings, with the succession of cheeses, the
sausage rolls, the cold cuts, the pickles, the Christmas cake, even the
first-of-the-season turkey and stuffing sandwiches around ten pm, after granny
has gone to bed, with just another glass of something. A starter may seem unnecessary, or even
greedy, but this is that once-a-year feast; one of those few occasions where we
can really celebrate at home with our family and friends. The right starter, light and easy to
prepare, sets the scene, gives us all a few moments with each other before the
Big Bird and the tureens of veg come to the table, and tickles the tastebuds
for the rest of the meal.
Here are three light and easy starters: one can be mostly
made ahead of time (and there is an acceptable cheat to make it even easier)
with a ten-minute reheat-and-cook while the turkey is resting, one can be
completely made earlier and simply plated with a little garnish just before
serving, and the other is just a simple assembly job that can be done in
minutes, as long as you do a little bit of prep at a convenient moment
beforehand.
Christmas Starter One: Apple and Celery Soup
Ingredients – serves four, multiply accordingly
Two medium-to-large sweet, crunchy eating apples
Two stalks of celery
A few celery leaves, shredded, and a little fresh parsley, chopped
fine, as garnishes
One pint/600ml good vegetable stock (this is the cheat, you
can buy this ready-made from a good deli or supermarket – but don’t make it up
from cubes or bouillon powder, it just won’t cut it as the stock is too
“exposed” in this recipe)
(Or, to make your own simple vegetable stock: this is REALLY
EASY!
2 carrots, I medium onion, two sticks celery, 2 bay leaves,
6-8 parsley stalks, 8-10 whole black peppercorns, 1 and a quarter pints/750ml
water.
Wash and peel the veg as necessary, then roughly chop, add
to the water in a pan with the other ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce
heat and simmer for twenty to thirty minutes. Strain out all the veg, herbs and peppercorns and discard
them, then bring liquid back to the boil and reduce to approximately 1 pint/600ml
in volume. Add salt as required,
then set aside until needed, refrigerating if necessary.)
Apple and Celery Soup: Method
Bring the store-bought or home-made stock to the boil. De-string the celery and chop it to a small dice. Add to the stock, bring
back to boil, and reduce to simmer.
Working quickly so the pieces don’t brown, cut the apples (unpeeled)
into small dice, discarding the core and pips, and add to the stock. The soup should be ready after two to
three minutes, but test a piece of celery and apple for done-ness. Serve into individual bowls, garnish
each with the shredded celery leaf and parsley – you can add a few croutons, or
serve with a very small piece of french bread.
Christmas Starter Two: Fruit Medley
Serving what is effectively a fruit salad as a starter may
seem strange, but it works well without being filling.
Christmas Fruit Medley Starter: Ingredients
A selection of fruit – either bite-sized, or cut into bite
sized pieces: depending on where you are in the world, and the season. Use what you like, and what’s good
locally to you. Suggestions:
physalis/cape gooseberry (loose leaves peeled back), grapes (red and green,
preferably seedless), cubes or small chunks of melon, strawberries halved or quartered
if large.
Lemon juice and/or balsamic or raspberry vinegar
A sprig or two of mint per plate
Christmas Fruit Medley Starter: Method
Whenever you have the time on Christmas Day, do any
necessary prep on the fruit; peeling/chopping etc – store in acidulated water
or lemon juice until ready to assemble.
Per person: make a small pile of the mixed fruit, just
off-centre of a (preferably) plain white plate. Drizzle with lemon juice/balsamic vinegar/raspberry
vinegar. Garnish with a sprig of
mint. Serve. Very light, very easy.
Christmas Starter Three: Smoked Salmon Pate
And this is my very own Christmas Cheat – I’m going to
direct you to a recipe that I wrote and posted earlier. The quantities I give
produce around a pound/half kilo of finished pate, so if served with a simple
salad garnish and perhaps a slice of toast, should provide eight or so
reasonable portions.