Category Archives: Starters

Bean & Mint Salad

Holidays, Salads, Side Dishes, Starters, Vegetarian

  • 420g/1 tin butter beans
  • 175g feta cheese
  • Large bunch of mint
  • 175g baby plum tomatoes, halved
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 75g pecan nuts, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation time: 10 minutes

1. Drain the beans and crumble the cheese. Remove the stalks from the mint and chop the leaves.

2. Mix together all the ingredients and serve.

Serves 4

Camembert & Onion Parcels

Family Favourites, Starters, Vegetarian

  • 50g/2oz butter
  • 2 spanish onions, sliced
  • 2 tbsp light muscovado sugar
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 400g packet filo pastry
  • 1 Camembert cheeses, about 250g/9oz, cut into 6 pieces
  • 6 tsp cranberry sauce
  • Seasoning

1. Melt half of the butter in a pan, then add the onions, sugar and vinegar. Cook over a low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are carmelised.

2. Preheat the oven too 200C/400F/Gas 6. Melt the remaining butter. Cut the filo pastry into 24 15cm/6in squares. Layer four squares, one on top of the other, making a half turn each time to form a star shape. Brush each square with butter as you work; repeat with the remaining pastry to make five more stars.

3. Place a piece of cheese in the centre of each star, then top with the onions and a teaspoon of the cranberry sauce. Draw up the pastry to enclose the filling; pinch well to seal. Brush with melted butter, place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown; serve immediately.

Prawn & Papaya Salad

Fish, Hot & Spicy, Main Courses, Salads, Starters

  • 2 small red chillies
  • 30ml/2tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 45-60ml/3-4tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
  • 150ml/5fl oz olive oil
  • 30ml/2 level tbsp honey
  • salt and pepper
  • 350g/12oz cooked, peeled king prawns
  • 2-3 ripe papayas
  • grated lime rind to garnish

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: none

1. Finely chop the chillies, discarding seeds; reserve a little for garnish. place the remaining chillies in a blender or food processor with the vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, honey and seasoning. Blend until smooth. Stir in the prawns until coated.

2. Halve, then peel the papayas. Scoop out the black seeds and discard. Thinly slice the flesh and arrange on plates.

3. Carefully spoon prawn mixture over the papaya slices. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped chillies and lime rind.

Serves 6 as a starter
Serves 3 as a main course

Hot Crab Dip

Fish, Hot & Spicy, Karen's Recipes, Side Dishes, Starters

  • 2x8oz cream cheese
  • 4 teasp worcester sauce
  • 2x6oz cans crabmeat
  • 1/4 cup sliced spring onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • to garnish 1/4 cup flaked almonds

Mix all together and spread in china flan dish or similar.
scatter with flaked almonds.
Bake at 180 for 15 mins until heated through.
serve with corn chips for dipping

Parsnip Soup

Soups, Starters, Vegetarian

  • 2 tbls oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 garlic glove crushed
  • 1 tbls mild curry paste or powder
  • 450g / 1lb parsnips, cut into 21/2/1in chunks
  • 600ml/1pint chicken stock
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 tbls low-fat natural yoghurt
  • fresh chopped chives to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry until soft. Then add the curry paste or powder and cook for a few seconds, stirring constantly.

2. Add the parsnip chunks to the onion mixture. Pour in the chicken stock and stir well. Season with the salt and pepper, bring the soup to the boil, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the parsnips are tender.

3. Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Return to the pan, add more salt and pepper, if necessary, and reheat.

4. Pour the soup into serving bowls and top with a swirl of yoghurt. Garnish with the chopped chives and serve.

Serves 4