For special occasions, a starter is a fantastic way to treat your guests — and yourself — to an extra dish, one which gets the appetite going for the evening ahead. So, to start you off in planning your evening, here are a few tips!

Tips for making starters:
  1. If you’re feeling the pressure of cooking on a particular occasion — like Christmas dinner — choose something that can be prepared a day or two ahead of time, such as cauliflower soup or garlic mushrooms.
  2. Showcase local or classic ingredients, like this stunning seared scallop and black pudding combination.
  3. Keep serving sizes for starters on the small side. The purpose of a starter is just to get your appetite going, but it’s important to make sure everyone will have room left for the main event.
  4. If there’s at least one vegetarian in your party, consider making a veggie-friendly starter for everyone rather than two separate options.
  5. To save on washing up, ask your guests to keep their cutlery after the starter. If it’s only close friends and/or family, they shouldn’t mind!