Starters

It’s great if friends turn up unexpectedly and you can knock up a little starter without turning a hair. And, even if you want something really special, with a well-stocked larder, fridge and freezer you can create a whole repertoire using the wonderful cheats in this chapter. So get your guests’ taste buds tingling and makes something that will truly impress them. What’s more, the recipes are so easy you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy your pre-dinner drinks and chit chat with them!

Sautéed chicken livers with cumin-spiced borlotti beans

This delicious dish is made up of little mounds of delicately spiced borlotti beans, topped with chicken livers lightly sautéed in butter and port to add richness and depth. It also makes a tasty lunch dish served with a salad and crusty bread. You can use chick peas instead of the beans if you prefer.

Serves 6

200 g/7 oz frozen chicken livers, thawed

30 ml/2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 onion, very finely chopped

1 small garlic clove, crushed, or 2.5 ml/½ tsp garlic purée (paste)

15 ml/1 tbsp ground cumin

5 ml/1 tsp sweet paprika, plus extra for dusting

2 x 425 g/15 oz/large cans of borlotti beans, drained, rinsed and drained again

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A good pinch of caster (superfine) sugar

2.5 ml/½ tsp bottled lemon juice

15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter

60 ml/4 tbsp port

A little chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

1 Trim the chicken livers and cut into bite-sized pieces.

2 Heat half the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and stir over a gentle heat for about 3 minutes until soft but not brown.

3 Add the garlic, cumin and paprika and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

4 Add the beans and stir to coat. Season well with salt and pepper to taste and the sugar and lemon juice. Heat through.

5 In a separate pan, heat the remaining oil and the butter. Add the chicken livers and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until lightly browned but still soft and pink in the centre.

6 Add the port and a little salt and pepper and simmer for a further 2–3 minutes, stirring all the time, until most of the liquid has evaporated.

7 Spoon a sixth of the bean mixture into a ramekin dish (custard cup) and press down. Turn out on to a small warm serving plate. Repeat with the remaining beans. Spoon the chicken livers and their juices on top.

8 Sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top of each. Drizzle a little olive oil round the edge of each plate and dust with a little paprika. Serve straight away.

Thai-style crispy seafood sticks

Juicy, tender seafood sticks, flavoured with strips of spring onion and a little crushed lemon grass are here wrapped in golden filo pastry and served with a sweet chilli dipping sauce. You can buy prawns treated in this way but they are very expensive. This version is incredibly economical and takes no time to prepare.

Serves 6

1 bunch of spring onions (scallions)

3 sheets of filo pastry (paste)

Sunflower oil

30 ml/2 tbsp lemon grass paste from a jar

24 seafood sticks

Oil for deep-frying

1 bottle of sweet chilli dipping sauce

1 Take six of the spring onions and either cut them in diagonal slices for garnish or make spring onion flowers, if you want to be really impressive!. To do this, trim off the roots and trim the green part to leave the onions about 7.5 cm/3 in long. Using a sharp knife, make several cuts, about 2.5 cm/1 in long, in both ends of each onion. Place the onions in a bowl of cold water and chill to open out.

2 Trim the ends off the remaining onions and cut into very thin strips about the same length as the seafood sticks.

3 Lay a sheet of filo pastry on a board, keeping the remaining two covered with clingfilm (plastic wrap) or a damp cloth to prevent drying out. Brush with a little oil. Cut it in half lengthways, then cut each half into four smaller rectangles.

4 Spread the lemon grass sparingly over the centre of each rectangle. Take a third of the spring onion strips and lay an equal amount diagonally on each of the eight rectangles. Top each with a seafood stick, also diagonally. Fold in the ends, then roll up from one point of the rectangle to form parcels. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

5 Heat the oil for deep-frying to 190ºC/375ºF or until a cube of day-old bread browns in 30 seconds. Deep-fry the parcels in batches for about 3 minutes until golden brown, turning once. Drain on kitchen paper (paper towels) and keep warm while cooking the remainder.

6 Arrange on a platter with a bowl of chilli dipping sauce in the centre. Drain the spring onion flowers, if using, and arrange around for garnish or scatter the reserved slices over.

Prawns and artichoke hearts with caviare

Soft, almost creamy-textured artichoke hearts mingled with plump, succulent prawns in a delicate herb-flavoured marinade are topped with cool crème fraîche and opulent caviare. The whole thing looks and tastes terrific but takes no more than a few minutes to put together!

Serves 6

2 x 425 g/15 oz/large cans of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

225 g/8 oz frozen cooked, peeled prawns (shrimp), thawed

45 ml/3 tbsp olive oil

15 ml/1 tbsp bottled lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 ml/2 tsp snipped fresh or 5 ml/1 tsp dried chives

15 ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

90 ml/6 tbsp crème fraîche

1 x 50 g/2 oz/small jar of avruga caviare or Danish lumpfish roe

To serve

Very thin brown bread and butter or Melba Toast

1 Dry the artichokes on kitchen paper (paper towels) and place in a bowl. Dry the prawns on kitchen paper and add to the artichokes.

2 Whisk the oil, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a good grinding of pepper with the chives and parsley. Pour over the artichokes and prawns and toss gently with your hands to coat completely. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow the flavours to develop if time.

3 Spoon the mixture into six wine goblets or small serving bowls. Top each with 15 ml/1 tbsp of the crème fraîche, then some caviare. Serve with very thin brown bread and butter or Melba Toast.

Pear and mortadella crustades

For this dish, crisp, buttery bread cases are filled with tender mortadella and sweet pears bathed in a tangy blue cheese mayonnaise. If you are in a real hurry, forget the bread cases and just serve the pears laid in the centre of large slices of mortadella with a creamy blue cheese dressing spooned over the top.

Serves 6

6 slices of brown bread from a cut loaf, crusts removed

Butter

150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup bottled blue cheese dressing

30 ml/2 tbsp single (light) cream

Freshly ground black pepper

6 slices of mortadella

6 canned pear halves

Paprika and a few wild rocket leaves, to garnish

1 Spread the bread on both sides with butter. Press into six ramekin dishes (custard cups) or sections of a large muffin tin (pan). Bake in a preheated oven at 190˚C/375˚F/gas 5/fan oven 170˚C for about 25 minutes until golden and crisp. Leave to cool, then remove from the ramekins or tin.

2 Mix the dressing with the cream and season with pepper.

3 Line the bread cases with the slices of mortadella. Dry the pear halves on kitchen paper (paper towels), then lay one rounded-side up in each case. Spoon the dressing over.

4 Transfer the bread cases to small serving plates. Dust the tops with a little paprika and arrange a few wild rocket leaves to one side.

Chicken satay sticks with crispy seaweed

Sometimes it’s all about presentation. Here is everybody’s favourite little chicken kebabs nestling on a bed of crispy greens with a little bowl of spicy peanut sauce for dipping – perfect. The sauce uses all storecupboard standbys but you can use bought ready-made peanut sauce if you prefer.

Serves 6

120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup water

15 ml/1 tbsp dried chives

15 ml/1 tbsp dried minced onion

225 g/8 oz/1 cup smooth peanut butter

15 ml/1 tbsp clear honey

30 ml/2 tbsp soy sauce

A few drops of Tabasco sauce

36 ready-cooked chicken satay sticks

2 x 55g/2¼ oz packs of crispy seaweed

1 Put the water, chives and onion in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Blend in the peanut butter, honey and soy sauce and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat. Add a few drops of Tabasco sauce to taste.

2 When nearly ready to serve, heat the chicken satay sticks and seaweed according to the packet instructions. Reheat the sauce.

3 Spoon the sauce into six small ramekin dishes (custard cups). Place on one side of warm serving plates and spoon the seaweed alongside. Arrange the satay sticks attractively on top and serve.

Quails’ egg and pâté tartlets

A sumptuous mixture of pâté, tiny eggs and olives nestling in meltingly short pastry cases, this makes a very sophisticated starter. If you want to cook fresh quails’ eggs, put them in water, bring to the boil and cook for 3 minutes only. Drain and plunge immediately into cold water to prevent further cooking, then shell when cold.

Serves 6

½ chicken stock cube

150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup boiling water

10 ml/2 tsp powdered gelatine

225 g/8 oz frozen shortcrust pastry (basic pie crust), thawed

75 g/3 oz smooth liver pâté

75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup medium-fat soft cheese

15 ml/1 tbsp brandy

15 ml/1 tbsp milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 quails’ eggs in brine or vinegar, drained

6 black stoned (pitted) olives, halved

6 green stoned olives, halved

A few fresh chive stalks or coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to garnish

1 Stir the stock cube into the boiling water until dissolved. Stir in the gelatine until completely dissolved. Leave to cool, then chill until the consistency of egg white.

2 Meanwhile, roll out the pastry (paste) and use to line six individual flan rings set on a baking (cookie) sheet or in flan dishes.

3 Prick the bases with a fork, then fill with crumpled foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 200˚C/400˚F/gas 6/fan oven 180˚C for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for 5 minutes to dry out. Leave to cool.

4 Beat the pâté with the cheese, brandy and milk to form a soft consistency that still holds its shape. Season to taste. Spoon into the cases and level the surfaces.

5 Dry the eggs on kitchen paper (paper towels). Place one in the centre of each flan and two halves of black and two halves of green olive round each egg.

6 Spoon the jellied stock over each flan, then chill.

7 To serve, remove the flan rings if necessary. Place the flans on serving plates, lay a few chive stalks or a long sprig of coriander to one side of each plate and serve.

Grilled goats’ cheese with cranberry and walnut dressing

This is a combination of ever-popular flavours that creates a very easy but impressive starter worthy of your local bistro. The dressing takes about a minute to whisk together (most of it is ready-made after all!) and the cheese only a few minutes to melt slightly under the grill.

Serves 6

1 x 125 g/4½ oz/small packet of mixed salad leaves

50 g/2 oz/½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped

60 ml/4 tbsp cranberry sauce

120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup bottled French dressing

15 ml/1 tbsp walnut oil (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper

3 x 120 g/4½ oz small goats’ cheese rounds

A little oil for greasing

1 Pile the salad leaves on six small serving plates and scatter the walnuts over.

2 Whisk the cranberry sauce with the dressing, walnut oil, if using, and a good grinding of pepper. Spoon the dressing over and around the salads.

3 Pre-heat the grill (broiler). Cut the goats’ cheeses into halves and lay them on oiled foil on the grill rack. Grill (broil) for 2–3 minutes until they are beginning to melt and are lightly golden on top.

4 Quickly transfer to the salads and serve.

Crab and camembert parcels with avocado salsa

From the fabulous results and the taste, you wouldn’t believe these parcels take only minutes to put together. The salsa adds a nice fresh touch but, if you don’t want to be bothered with chopping an avocado, simply serve the parcels with a spoonful of bought guacamole instead.

Serves 6

6 sheets of filo pastry (paste)

Olive oil for brushing

2 x 200 g/7 oz/small cans of white crabmeat, drained

1 round Camembert, cut into 6 wedges

90 ml/6 tbsp crème fraîche

15 ml/1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salsa

1 ripe avocado

1 x 200 g/7 oz/small tub of fresh tomato salsa

6 stalks of fresh coriander (cilantro), to garnish

1 Brush the sheets of filo pastry with olive oil and fold in half widthways. Brush with a little more oil.

2 Spoon the crabmeat into the centres of each piece of folded pastry. Top with the Camembert, crème fraîche, Italian seasoning, a sprinkling of salt and a good grinding of pepper.

3 Fold the pastry over the filling to form neat parcels and transfer to an oiled baking (cookie) sheet. Brush with a little more oil.

4 To make the salsa, peel, halve, stone (pit) and finely dice the avocado. Put in a bowl. Add the tomato salsa and fold in gently. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

5 Thirty minutes before eating, bake the parcels in a preheated oven at 190˚C/375˚F/gas 5/fan oven 170˚C for about 15 minutes until golden.

6 Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to cool plates and spoon the salsa to one side of each. Lay a stalk of fresh coriander alongside each and serve while still warm.

Smoked salmon and cream cheese whirls

Cool green lettuce wrapped around smoked salmon filled with subtly flavoured soft white cheese. These are far more elegant than bought smoked salmon pinwheels but are created using instant ingredients. You may need to buy two round lettuces to get enough large leaves but the hearts will keep well in the salad drawer of your fridge.

Serves 6

12 large round lettuce leaves

6 large slices of smoked salmon

200 g/7 oz/scant 1 cup medium-fat soft cheese with chives

15 ml/1 tbsp milk

1.5 ml/¼ tsp cayenne

Freshly ground black pepper

1 small packet of mixed salad leaves, including some red ones

90 ml/6 tbsp bottled French dressing

30 ml/2 tbsp sliced stoned (pitted) black olives

1 lemon cut into six wedges, to garnish

1 Trim any thick stalks from the lettuce leaves. Rinse with cold water and pat dry on kitchen paper (paper towels).

2 Cut the smoked salmon slices in halves lengthways and lay on the lettuce leaves.

3 Mix the cheese with the milk, cayenne and a good grinding of pepper. Spread over the salmon. Fold in the sides of the lettuce, then roll up tightly. Place in a covered container in the fridge until ready to serve.

4 To serve, put two rolls on each of six serving plates and cut into thick slices. Arrange attractively, slightly overlapping, then pile the leaves to one side. Spoon the dressing over the salad and scatter the olive slices over. Garnish each plate with a wedge of lemon and serve.

Prawns newburg

This is not so much a cheat as a clever way to ensure the sauce works reliably without curdling, which it can do if you use the traditional cooking method. However, it is quick and easy to make with frozen seafood and most of the ingredients will already be in your storecupboard.

Serves 6

100 g/4 oz/½ cup wild rice

25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter

450 g/1 lb frozen cooked tiger prawns (shrimp), thawed

90 ml/6 tbsp medium-dry sherry

30 ml/2 tbsp bottled lemon juice

1 large egg

2.5 ml/½ tsp chilli powder

5 ml/1 tsp paprika

10 ml/2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup single (light) cream

30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh or a little dried parsley

1 Cook the wild rice according to the packet directions. Drain.

2 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan (skillet). Add the prawns, sherry and lemon juice and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.

3 Whisk together the remaining ingredients except the parsley and pour into the pan. Cook fairly gently, stirring, until bubbling, but do not allow to boil rapidly.

4 Spoon the wild rice into warm, shallow individual serving dishes. Spoon the prawns over, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

Warm asparagus mousse with fresh tarragon

Mousses normally involve separating eggs, delicate folding and complicated instructions. Not here – just canned asparagus puréed with eggs, cream and herbs and lightly cooked. The sauce is simply wine and cream! If you like, cook a small pack of fresh thin asparagus tips and lay a few stalks beside each mousse as a garnish.

Serves 4

1 x 410 g/14½ oz/large can of cut asparagus spears

3 eggs

5 ml/1 tsp dried tarragon

15 ml/1 tbsp snipped fresh or 5 ml/1 tsp dried chives

300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups single (light) cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A little butter or oil for greasing

150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup dry white wine

5 ml/1 tsp dried minced onion

150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup double (heavy) cream

Snipped fresh or dried chives, to garnish

1 Drain the asparagus, reserving the liquid. Tip the asparagus into a blender or food processor with the eggs, herbs and single cream. Blend until smooth, then season to taste.

2 Grease six ramekin dishes (custard cups) and pour in the asparagus mixture. Stand the dishes in a roasting tin (pan) with enough boiling water to come half way up the sides of the dishes. Cover the tin with foil.

3 Bake in a preheated oven at 160˚C/325˚F/gas 3/fan oven 145˚C for 1 hour or until the mousses are set.

4 Meanwhile, measure 150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup of the asparagus liquid into a saucepan. Add the wine and dried onion. Bring to the boil and boil for about 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add the double cream and boil for a further 5 minutes until thickened slightly. Season to taste.

5 Carefully loosen the mousses and turn out on to warm serving plates. Spoon the sauce around. Sprinkle the mousses with a few snipped fresh or dried chives and serve.

Creamy cannellini bean and chorizo sauté

This warm, creamy yet spicy concoction tastes divine when eaten wrapped in cool lettuce leaves for the perfect combination of textures and flavours. Chorizo sausage comes ready diced or sliced so, apart from chopping an onion and a garlic clove, you have very little to do. Use the lettuce hearts in a salad.

Serves 6–8

1 red onion, chopped

1 small garlic clove, chopped, or 2.5 ml/½ tsp garlic purée (paste)

30 ml/2 tbsp olive oil

100 g/4 oz ready diced or sliced chorizo sausage (quarter the slices if large)

2 x 425 g/15 oz/large cans of cannellini beans, drained, rinsed and drained again

60 ml/4 tbsp crème fraîche

30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh or frozen parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 ml/2 tsp dried chilli flakes

1–2 round lettuces, separated into leaves (except the hearts)

1 Fry (sauté) the onion and garlic in the oil for 2 minutes. Add the chorizo and continue to fry, tossing and stirring for 2 minutes.

2 Add the beans, crème fraîche and parsley. Heat through, stirring and turning gently. Season to taste.

3 Pile into small warm bowls and sprinkle with the chilli flakes. Serve with lettuce leaves to spoon the beans into, wrap and eat.

Antipasto platter

This colourful mixture of sweet and savoury delicacies – all pre-packaged and ready-prepared – makes the ideal starter for any occasion, especially if you are short of time or haven’t the inclination to cook. I like to drizzle it with just olive oil, but if you prefer you could use bottled French or honey and mustard dressing.

Serves 6

2 x 85g/3½ oz packets of mixed antipasto meats (salami, Parma ham, pancetta etc.)

1 x 410 g/14 oz/large can of melon balls, drained

2 small fresh Mozarella cheeses, drained and sliced

12 black olives

12 green olives

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

45 ml/3 tbsp olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

A few fresh basil leaves

To serve

Focaccia bread and unsalted (sweet) butter

1 Arrange all the ingredients, except the oil, pepper and basil, attractively on six individual serving plates or one large platter.

2 Drizzle the oil over, add a good grinding of pepper and scatter a few basil leaves over. Serve with focaccia bread and unsalted butter.

Grilled chicken goujons with cranberry dip

Choose best-quality chicken fillet fingers rather than ones made with minced poultry – I’m never quite sure what they contain when the meat has been minced up! With a little extra seasoning and served with a creamy cranberry dip, they are lifted from their once-humble beginnings into the dinner-party class.

Serves 4–6

450 g/1 lb frozen chicken fingers in breadcrumbs or batter

Bottled lemon juice

10 ml/2 tsp dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dip

150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup crème fraîche

45 ml/3 tbsp cranberry sauce

5 ml/1 tsp dried minced onion

Lemon wedges, to garnish

1 Lay the chicken fingers on foil on the grill (broiler) rack. Sprinkle each with a few drops of lemon juice, then sprinkle with half the thyme and a good grinding of pepper. Turn them over and repeat the seasoning.

2 Mix together all the dip ingredients and season to taste. Tip into a small bowl and chill until ready to serve. Preheat the grill.

3 Grill (broil) the chicken fingers, turning once or twice until crisp, golden and cooked through.

4 Put the dish of dip in the centre of a plate and arrange the goujons around. Garnish with wedges of lemon.