Ideas for a fab starter, please

[Barmaid]

Throwing a dinner party on Saturday night. Main will be venison in port and guinness and sweet will be either bombe mexicaine or white chocolate amaretto terrine with plum coulis.

I would normally do a light fish starter, but one of my guests does not eat fish, so that's off. Soup has been suggested, but he had that last night. Ideally I would like something I can prepare in advance because by the time we get round to eating we will all be a bit the worse for drink!!!

Any ideas for something a bit classy yet simple and impressive? My guests are professional colleagues and used to dining in some fab places and their wives are all domestic goddesses (unlike me who is a domestic disaster!)

[ChuckFickens]

This worked for me..

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1331/hallou mi-stuffed-peppers

And tasted lovely (shocking as I cooked it :)) I didn't use garlic bread though, just some french bread with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil dip.

[Jan1957]

How about these Twice Baked Goats Cheese Souffles. I have tried them and you can prepare them the day before and then just bake 15 mins before you want them. If I can do them, anyone can!

[Jan1957]

Oops forgot the link. Same website as Chuck.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10784/twice baked-goats-cheese-souffls-with-apple-and-wal

[Barmaid]

Chuck, thanks. I quite like peppers but am not desperately keen on them.

Jan - sounds fab. Will have to ditch the walnuts though cos the main course has pickled walnuts in it!!!

[caththecrazy]

a terrine would look impressive and can be made in advance but take a look here

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Food-and-Drink/ Recipes/Question328866.html

or buy one from M & S

[pinktwink]

Antipasti are great.
I recently brought roasted squash (Jamie's recipe - butternut squash cut into inch wide slices, seasoned, roasted in oven) to a party, but had to work all afternoon - so I cut up and seasoned the squash in the morning and put it in the fridge on the baking tray. When I got up I just popped them in the oven for about 5 minutes more (as they were fridge cold), threw them in a bowl and off to the party I was.
Capri salad on a stick is also an easy one. Just get the small cocktail tomatoes and the little mozarella balls (or cube a big one). On tooth picks always put one tomato and a mozarella bit with a leave of basil in between. If you want sprinkle the whole lot with a little balsamico, olive oil and pepper.

[ELVIS68]

http://www.ginodacampo.com/recipes.php?/action /display/id/22/

[tamborine]

avocado - whets the appetite; no cooking!

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3303/avocad o-and-lime-cream

[angiealf]

Sushi. You can do them with fish for the majority of your guests and veg ones or even use chunky ham for those who don't like fish.
Many cook books will have recipes. Google it and you deffinately will find something.

[Mortartube]

chicken livers sauteed in a little butter, with just a little fresh thyme and served on a bed of wild rice are nice, easy and tasty.

[Jinglepot]

What about canteloupe balls with prosciutto ham, Squeeze of lime juice and mint leaves for decoration.

[pericat]

Ouefs en cocotte - ramekin dishes - grease slightly - crack an egg into dish add some chopped ham, cover with thin layer cream and then cover with grated cheese. Sprinkle paprika on top. Can be put aside till you ready to cook. Cook in bain marie which means put ramekins in deep dish and fill dish up to halfway up sides of ramekins with boiling water and cook in oven till set which takes around 20/25 mins at 200. It's delicious

[janbee]

I'd definitely go for cheese souffles. The mixture is made in advance then just stuck in the oven. They're light and very delicious. Then how about a champagne sorbet to follow?