Get lunch off to a celebratory start with a reimagined prawn cocktail or an elegant pear & goat’s cheese salad – and if you’re really looking to impress, try our crab crumpets
Smoked salmon coddled eggs
Make this in ramekins or a large sharing dish. The ingredients are adjustable, too – depending on how many people you’re serving, the minimum amounts in this recipe make six starters, while the larger amounts are for eight. If you’re not a Christmas starters sort of family, it’s also great for breakfast or brunch over the holidays.
SERVES 6-8 PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins EASY
25-40g butter, melted 6-8 eggs 75-100ml double cream 3-4 tsp capers, drained and rinsed 150-200g hot smoked salmon, flaked 75-100g gruyère cheese, grated 6-8 slices sourdough
1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush the insides of six or eight ramekins (depending on how many you’re serving) or one 25 x 30cm ceramic pie dish with the melted butter. Crack one egg into each ramekin (or all into the dish), being careful not to break the yolks. Drizzle over the cream. Season. Scatter over the capers, salmon and cheese. (To serve six, use the minimum stated amounts.)
2 If using ramekins, put on a baking tray. Bake for 10 mins (or 12 mins if using a large dish) until the eggs are just cooked but the yolks still runny. Meanwhile, toast or grill the bread and cut into soldiers. Remove the eggs from the oven and serve with the soldiers for dipping.
PER SERVING (8) 453 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 11g • carbs 35g • sugars 3g • fibre 2g • protein 24g • salt 2.4g
Griddled pears with goat’s cheese & hazelnut dressing
Impress guests with this deceptively simple starter made with pears, goat’s cheese, watercress and hazelnuts. It’s ready in just 15 minutes, which is just what you need when you’re busy cooking the main event.
SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V
40g toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped or crushed 3 tbsp olive oil pinch of sea salt flakes 1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar 2 pears, cored handful of watercress, to serve 100g goat’s cheese, crumbled (ensure vegetarian, if needed)
1 Combine the hazelnuts with the oil, vinegar and salt. Slice each pear into six wedges.
2 Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and griddle the pear wedges until slightly charred. Arrange three in a line on each plate. Tuck some watercress around the pears, then crumble over the goat’s cheese. Dot over the hazelnut dressing.
PER SERVING 261 kcals • fat 21g • saturates 6g • carbs 9g • sugars 9g • fibre 3g • protein 7g •
