Starters

Fay

Hi guys
I am cooking beef wellington on friday night and need a suitable starter or canapes to go with it. Probably canapes might be better as it's quite a heavy meal? I'm also doing a chocolate cheesecake for afters.

Any ideas what I can do? I'm at a complete loss as most canapes have pastry in them too :rolleyes:

moanymoany

How about the quick starter Nigella did this week. Spicy dipping sauce with unpeeled prawns. I wrote the recipe down and as it doesn't appear on the web site - glad I did!

Small jar of good quality mayonnaise
half a jar of harissa paste (they sell it in Tesco)- to taste
1 teaspoon of lime juice (out of a squirty like jif lemon - again T's sell it)
1 teaspoons honey

Mix paste into the mayo, add the lime juice and mix, add the honey and mix - put into a bowl. Put into the fridge until needed.

She served this with big prawns that were unpeeled (she gave finger bowls) but I thought it would go with lots of things, veg sticks and bits, breadsticks - whatever. It took her about 2 minutes.

Have a lovely dinner party

Fay

Ah, forgot to mention that we don't eat fish or sea food!

newlywed

Why not do a soup?

Sola

If it's a heavy meal, how about melon and Parma ham to start with?

Pink.

Hi Fay,

What about homemade soup, liver pate and melba toast, mushrooms with garlic mayonaise, tricolore (avocado, tomato, mozzarella, with some torn basil and drizzled with olive oil), etc...

For canapes smoked salmon on wheaten bread dusted with a little parsley is something most people like (although you say you don't like seafood, perhaps your guests do), otherwise pate on wheaten bread, crostini, stuffed olives, stuffed tomatoes, stuffed mushrooms, different homemade breads etc....

There are lots more ideas on this thread that may give you some inspiration:

Starters

Pink

celyn90

I did see at aparty a while back a set of canapes that had been made with cherry toms - she'd cut the tops off, scooped the middle out then filled them with all sorts of different things - effectively using them in the place of pastry. Some of the fillings were things like hummus and basil, brie and parma ham, some were rice based, some were egg mayo, some were prawns etc etc. She'd taken a small slice off the base so they didn't roll about. They looked great and really different.

I've also seen iced fruit on cocktail sticks - melon balls and pineapple shoved in freezer, quite pleasent but messy when they start to thaw. Or there is always sushi (you can make it without fish) or chicken satay.

Fay

Thanks guys, some good ideas. Keep em coming Also do you think that something like dauphinoise (sp? potatoes) or small roast ones with garlic will be better for with the beef wellington??

Pink.

Fay wrote: »

Thanks guys, some good ideas. Keep em coming Also do you think that something like dauphinoise (sp? potatoes) or small roast ones with garlic will be better for with the beef wellington??

Beef Wellington can be quite rich so personally I'd go for baby new potatoes tossed in some minted or garlic butter.

Pink

chocolatepennyfarthing

Having friends for dinner Saturday night, so there will be 4 adults 4 children (2 age 10 and 2 age 13. Am doing coq au vin for main, mixed fruit crumble for dessert (these are going to be prepared in advance so inot too much time spent in kitchen). I am stuck for easy starter ideas, cant do fish as they are not fis eaters, soup would be to heavy with this main and dessert......... cant do fruit as having a fruit pud......... Help, any ideas, would be great if its something I can prepare day before.