ideas for a starter

[bubbles4920]

im serving fish for a special dinner with apple pie to follow, any ideas what i can serve for a starter, too hot for soup right now.

[lajohn]

Stuffed Squash

2 small squash, culinary, spaghetti or butternut
2 tsp olive oil
2 clove(s) garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, chopped
200 g button mushrooms, sliced
400 g ready-cooked butter beans
75 ml white wine or grape juice
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch(es) parsley, chopped

Heat the oven to 180�C/160�C Fan/Gas 4. Cut the squash in half and scoop out all the seeds.

Place on a non-stick baking tray, cover with foil and cook in the oven for 45-55 minutes, until soft all the way through.

Heat the olive oil in a pan on a gentle heat, add the garlic, chilli and mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Add the butter beans, white wine and seasoning. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chopped parsley.

Remove the squash halves from the oven and fill the holes with the bean and mushroom stuffing. Serve any extra on the side.

[joggerjayne]

Soup

[lajohn]

Gazpacho - A summer soup - refreshingly cold on a hot summer day

5 ripe tomatoes, peeled, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, seeded, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 clove(s) garlic, peeled, minced
2 tbsp chives, fresh, chopped
2 tbsp parsley (flat) fresh, chopped
60 ml olive oil, extra virgin
60 ml red wine vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
900 ml tomato juice
15 tsp teaspoons sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
5 drop(s) Tabasco sauce
salt to taste
pepper, ground , fresh , to taste

Combine all ingredients. Blend slightly to desired consistency.
Place in a bowl (not metal), cover and refrigerate overnight.

[ethandron]

traditionally, gazpacho also contains stale bread whizzed up with all the other ingredients.

[Jugglering]

Home made hummus or a tasty pat� would be a bit different - serve it with either wholemeal bread toasted or warm pitta breads. Another idea would be tempura vegetables (little chunks of veg dipped in batter and deep fried), served on a bed of shredded crisp lettuce leaves and wedges of lime.

[Eve]

A light mediterranean tartlet, very light pastry with some goats cheese and sundried tomatoes and some nice light leaves and balsamic vinger to set it off.

[Eve]

Slices of melon pre soaked in port.

[frankofile]

Pate stuffed tomatoes. Good because can be done well in advance, leaving you to concentrate on the other courses. Take some small ripe tomatoes, slice off the tops, scoop out seeds and flesh, turn upside down to drain. In a bowl mix equal amounts of smooth pate and horseradish with a fork. Stuff tomatoes, Garnish with parsley or fresh Coriandiar

[evedawn]

IT has to be cold cucumber soup - it's like "summer in a bowl" YUM

Cold Cucumber Soup


2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and grated with a box grater or food processor

1 finely minced garlic clove
a half-palmful of minced, fresh dill
2 big wooden spoonfuls each (roughly 2/3 cup each): (thick) sour cream and Greek whole-milk yogurt
1/2 box organic free-range chicken broth
salt and white pepper (if you have it, black if you don't) to taste
Combine all ingredients, stir to blend, and chill. Serve topped with any of the following (or combination thereof): chopped cucumber, fresh dill or mint, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, diced avocado, snipped chives or green onions. Serves four.

[Jugglering]

Can I come to this special dinner please ? I promise not to eat any of the fish main meal, I will be quite happy with Jenna's tartlet or melon and even some of Frankofile's pat� (so long as it was veggie).... I promise not to nibble at the apple pie too much either !

[Jugglering]

but Lajohn's stuffed squash might not be so easily rescued from me !

[delboy3]

Why too hot for soup? I eat it all year round - even had some yesterday.

[Barmaid]

What about fried halloumi with a toasted pine nut and sun dried tomato salad?

Toast a few pine nuts under the grill
Chop sun dried tomatoes and combine with a few salad leaves, mix with the pine nuts
Use the oil from the tomatoes jar to mix with some white wine vinegar for a dressing.
Dry some halloumi, fry it over a hot heat until golden brown.
Serve!

[funnygirl]

Melon and parma ham.

[bubbles4920]

thanks so much for all your wonderful ideas! you gave me food for thought, pardon the pun! going to do melon and parma ham bites, king prawn and chorizo skewers and maybe prunes wrapped in bacon. didnt want to do soup as 92F here in chicago.
btw, not sure about the skewers, if i should marinade the prawns, and if so, what in? what flavour goes well with chorizo?