text: Best Christmas starter recipes - Starters for Christmas Day - Red Online
  By Admin Posted on November 1, 2017
  Tantalising ideas to get your family ready for the main event
  Meatballs with a lot of Christmas spices are a lovely match for cranberry sauce: perfect to get your family in the mood for the coming festive feast.
  Try this meatballs with spiced cranberry sauce recipe
  Photo by Jonathan Gregson
  Bill Granger's gravlax
  This platter of smoked salmon, rye bread, and mustard dill is a simple put-together job, that still screams 'elegance.'
  Try Bill Granger's gravlax recipe
  This vegetarian dish looks impressive but is deceptively easy to make. Serve with a sprinkling of tangy goat's cheese and peppery rocket, to cut through the pastry's richness.
  Try our onion tart tartin recipe
  Raymond Blanc's ham hock terrine
  If you are really looking to impress your Christmas dinner guests then this ham hock terrine will leave them in awe as you slice into a burst of bright colours made up from vegetables, herbs and ham.
  Try Raymond Blanc's ham hock terrine with soused vegetables recipe
  Fay Ripley's baby toad-in-the-holes
  Nothing says warming comfort food like a toad in the hole, and these mini versions are perfect to start off your festive feast. Plus, they're ready in just 30 minutes, leaving you more time to concentrate on cooking up a feast (read: drink a glass of champagne).
  Try this toad in the hole recipe
  Gordon Ramsay's seared scallops with minted peas and beans
  Packed full of fresh flavours, the combination scallops with minted peas and beans is deliciously refreshing.
  Try Gordon Ramsay's seared scallops with minted peas and beans recipe
  Photo by Lisa Barber
  Raymond Blanc's comte cheese souffle
  Lose your fear of the souffle with this easy recipe from Raymond Blanc. Serve in individual pots if you want to stop your guests from filling up before the Christmas main dish comes out of the oven.
  Try Raymond Blanc's Comte cheese soufflé recipe
  Swap your traditional prawn cocktail this Christmas for these delicious potted shrimps. A cinch to make, they can also be prepared in advance – giving you more time to concentrate on the roast turkey.
  Try our potted shrimp recipe
  Nigel Slater's fig and goat's cheese focaccia
  The combination of sweet figs, melted goat's cheese and crisp bread in this delicious recipe from Nigel Slater is truly hard to beat.
  Try Nigel Slater's fig and goat's cheese focaccia recipe
  Fig, grapefruit and kale salad
  This nutritious salad from Maple & Fitz is the perfect starter; wholesome but not heavy enough that guests will spoil their appetite. Plus it will look pretty on your table, what's not to love?
  Try this salad recipe
  Lisa Faulkner's smoked salmon pate
  This super quick and easy salmon paté will make a great festive starter. Serve up with melba toasts for a charming retro feel.
  Try Lisa Faulkner's smoked salmon pate recipe
  Salmon and watercress quiche with pink peppercorns
  This impressive quiche will make the perfect starter centrepiece.
  Try Higgidy's salmon and watercress quiche recipe
  Jo Pratt's oysters
  Quick and easy, this beautiful oyster dish, served with two dressings, is the perfect celebratory starter served with a glass of bubbly.
  Try this oysters two ways recipe
  Broccoli and blue stilton soup
  A light Christmas starter option that is packed full of flavour.
  Try Tom Aitkens' broccoli blue stilton soup recipe
  A French classic that's a doddle to prepare.
  Try our steak tartare with mayonnaise recipe
  Salmon with grapefruit dressing
  A zingy, light start to the festive feast.
  Try Lisa Faulkner's salmon with cucumber chive and grapefruit dressing recipe
  Pork and apple are a match made in festive flavour heaven, and these rolls are perfect to keep your family's appetite at bay before the main feast.
  Try this sausage roll recipe
  Ham hock is very affordable, so this is a great recipe for feeding a crowd. You can also make the terrine in individual Kilner jars to serve too for that extra special feel.
  Try Donal Skehan's ham hock terrine recipe
  White stilton and red onion tart
  If you've got a vegetarian guest coming for Christmas, then this tasty twist on a cheese tart is the perfect option. Serve with some green leaves for a starter that is sure to go down well with everyone.
  Try Tom Aikens' white Stilton with apricot and red onion tart recipe
  This is a great soup, packed with festive flavours and perfect served with cheese straws. The Bramley apple is the secret, tempering the sweetness of the chestnuts and squash.
  Try this chestnut, roasted butternut squash and Bramley apple soup recipe
  When it comes to planning your Christmas dinner, one of the most important (and often overlooked) components is your starter. But luckily we've handpicked 20 very delicious Christmas starter recipes to help you start your feast in the best way possible.
  It's no secret that Christmas is all about the food. And yes, you're going to be eating lots of it, from roast turkey to the fruity richness of a classic Christmas pudding, but that doesn't mean you won't want a starter. We're thinking of them as an in-for-a-penny approach to dining, you might as well just create a proper banquet of a menu.
  They don't all have to be filling - in fact, it's better if they're not. We're talking a dab of terrine, a small bowl of soup, perhaps even a festive salad. (Yes, festive salads exist, and they provide just enough crunch and vitality to see you through the season.) It's just that if there's one thing that'll put the pressure on, it's knowing your guests are hungry (and the kids will no doubt make sure you're aware).
  Just whipping up a quick round of starters and appetisers before the main event will keep appetites at bay and keep the family's mouths watering for the next round. Whether it's a quick tart tatin, or some delicious mini toad-in-the-holes, you'll be wondering why you didn't serve up yuletide appetisers sooner.