Christmas dinner starters

SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Always fish, usually prawn cocktail which this year Iā€™ve ordered from M&S. Iā€™ll have to pep up the flavour by adding a dash of brandy etc, not exactly taxing šŸ˜‚
But I couldnā€™t make my mind up starter wise so I decided to also order the little pots ā€˜Lobster, Smoked Salmon and Prawn Towersā€™ and a whole side of smoked salmon. The blurb even says they come in ā€œTable presentable packagingā€

The tradition seems to be I sort out the starter and about an hour before Iā€™m going to dish up everyone decides as breakfast was filling itā€™s too much and weā€™ll have the starter later.
Often on Boxing Day before the bubble n squeak and cold cuts.
Weā€™ve been doing that dance for years šŸ˜‚
The year I didnā€™t do a starter there were complaints that it didnā€™t feel like a proper Christmas without a prawn cocktail šŸ¤£

View attachment 121605
Too pretty not to give them a go. Itā€™s watercress mousse and garlic mousse in-between the layers.
They work out at Ā£6 each which I thinks not bad value for the amount of work thatā€™s gone into it.

Just had a look and the things Iā€™ve ordered are sold out already. I can only guess M&S shoppers sort their Christmas stuff out pretty early!
Click to expand...

:hungry:
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Always fish, usually prawn cocktail which this year Iā€™ve ordered from M&S. Iā€™ll have to pep up the flavour by adding a dash of brandy etc, not exactly taxing šŸ˜‚
But I couldnā€™t make my mind up starter wise so I decided to also order the little pots ā€˜Lobster, Smoked Salmon and Prawn Towersā€™ and a whole side of smoked salmon. The blurb even says they come in ā€œTable presentable packagingā€

The tradition seems to be I sort out the starter and about an hour before Iā€™m going to dish up everyone decides as breakfast was filling itā€™s too much and weā€™ll have the starter later.
Often on Boxing Day before the bubble n squeak and cold cuts.
Weā€™ve been doing that dance for years šŸ˜‚
The year I didnā€™t do a starter there were complaints that it didnā€™t feel like a proper Christmas without a prawn cocktail šŸ¤£

View attachment 121605
Too pretty not to give them a go. Itā€™s watercress mousse and garlic mousse in-between the layers.
They work out at Ā£6 each which I thinks not bad value for the amount of work thatā€™s gone into it.

Just had a look and the things Iā€™ve ordered are sold out already. I can only guess M&S shoppers sort their Christmas stuff out pretty early!
Click to expand...

I ordered this just for me on Christmas Eve. Plus some fresh oysters.
 
Windigo said:
It's quite possible to make pastry tart with beetroot and vegan nut based cheese instead. Beetroot simmered in red wine and thyme could be just as good and has the same aesthetics
Click to expand...
Itā€™s too many steps away from the real thing to hit the mark.
One component being slightly different is passable and sometimes undetectable but once youā€™ve ditched the onion, are using gluten free pastry and vegan cheese (no nut based ones due to the youngests nut allergy) youā€™re so far removed from a cheese and onion tart as you know it you donā€™t really enjoy it as much because itā€™s not really what you were hankering after.

But thankyou, I will bear it in mind next time Iā€™m loving on beetroot, which happens often!
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Itā€™s too many steps away from the real thing to hit the mark.
One component being slightly different is passable and sometimes undetectable but once youā€™ve ditched the onion, are using gluten free pastry and vegan cheese (no nut based ones due to the youngests nut allergy) youā€™re so far removed from a cheese and onion tart as you know it you donā€™t really enjoy it as much because itā€™s not really what you were hankering after.

But thankyou, I will bear it in mind next time Iā€™m loving on beetroot, which happens often!
Click to expand...
I mean it's just as good a dish, not that it's the same :wink:
 
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