37 Last-Minute Christmas Starters That'll Taste Like You Have Everything Under Control

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Don't let the pressure of feeding a crowd stress you out this Christmas. Even if you leave the starter to the very end, you can still throw together a last-minute starter that will actually make it look like you have a grand plan. From Sesame Prawn Toasts, to Baked Brie, these will give you plenty of time to chill with a glass of fizz.

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Fried Ravioli

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 160°C. While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.

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Antipasti of Parmesan-Battered Tenderstem Broccoli with Salsa Rossa

Grill the pepper whole on all sides until the skin is blackened, leave to cool for about 5 minutes. With a knife, cut the pepper in half and half again. Remove the seeds from the pepper and scrape away the blackened skin, chop finely and set aside.

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Antipasto Skewers

Special equipment: four 12-inch skewersPrepare a grill for medium-high heat. Push 1 lemon piece to the bottom of a skewer. Lay 2 slices of salami on top of each other, fold in half, then push onto the skewer snugly against the lemon. Wrap a basil lea

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Cheesy Stuffed Taco Meatballs

The secret ingredient in these apps is a link of fresh chorizo-the spicy Mexican pork sausage.

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Sesame Prawn Toasts

Enjoy a Chinese dim sum favorite with your party guests. Look for very thinly sliced white bread in the shops - if you can't find it, regular sliced bread can be thinned out with a quick pass of a rolling pin!

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Stuffed-Mushroom Skewers

Special equipment: four 12-inch skewers Prepare a griddle pan for medium-high heat. Process the mushroom stems and half the parsley in a food processor until nearly pureed, about 20 seconds; transfer to a medium bowl. Add the sausage, breadcrum

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Christmas Parma Ham Salad with Pomegranate, Mint, Almonds and White Stilton

Whisk together dressing ingredients and season to taste. Arrange the salad leaves on serving plates with chunks of White Stilton, toasted almonds, mint leaves and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with a little dressing and then serve with slices of Parma

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Baked Brie

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.2) Place the brie on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper and drizzle with the honey. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it starts to ooze but not melt.3) Serve with cheese biscuits.

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Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Parmigiano Reggiano Sauce

This dish can be an indulgent brunch or a light starter.

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Fried Avocado Bites

Creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside, these tempura-fried avocado bites are the perfect starter for your next get-together.

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Pizza Skewers

Special equipment: eight 12-inch wooden skewersSoak eight 12-inch wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. Prepare a grill for medium heat. Cut a 12-inch-square piece of aluminum foil.Stir together the oil, Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt in a l

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Mushroom, Leek and Prosciutto Pizza

1. Preheat the oven to its highest setting - 220°C. Preheat a cast-iron grill pan to medium heat. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute for about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for another 2 min

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Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Bundles

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lay the asparagus on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Roast until cooked and starting to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and tra

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Spinach and Feta Puff Pastry Bites

2 cloves garlic, pressedPreheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Thaw frozen spinach in microwave according to package directions or by running under warm water. Drain spinach, squeezing the excess liquid from it. In a bowl, mix the spinach, feta, garl

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Quick Pizzette with Gorgonzola, Tomato and Basil

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Roll out the pizza dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2 to 2 1/2-inch diameter cookie cutter, cut out 18 circles from the dough. Arrange the circles on a heavy large baking sheet. Sprinkle the Gorgonzola cheese over the c

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Grilled Shrimp with Garlic (Gambas al Ajillo)

Heat the grill to medium. Whisk together 1/4 cup of the oil, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, ancho powder and chopped garlic in a small bowl. Skewer the shrimp and brush with marinade. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of the oil in a small saucepan, a

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Tenderstem, Scottish Smoked Salmon and Toasted Seed Salad with Lemon Dressing

Make the dressing by whisking together the rapeseed oil and lemon juice to taste. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Set aside. Steam or boil the Tenderstem for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender but with a little bite. While the T

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Crab Louis

A light and refreshing starter or main course in under 20 minutes.

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Cheese Fondue

As an appetizer or main dish, this cheese fondue is a fun and interactive meal your little ones can help with.

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Waldorf Chicken Boats

Introduce the kids to salad with this one that's fun to assemble and eat.

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Baked Tofu Nuggets

These tofu tenders are crisp on the outside and creamy inside. Serve with the sweet and spicy sauce in this recipe.

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Bruschetta with sauteed mushrooms

These gorgeously garlicky mushroom toasts are perfect for parties.

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Tenderstem, Beetroot and Toasted Seed Salad with Lemon Dressing

Make the dressing by whisking together the rapeseed oil and lemon juice to taste. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Set aside. Steam or boil the Tenderstem for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender but with a little bite. While the T

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Tuna, White Bean and Olive Flatbread Pittas

Pulse the beans, 4 of the sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 2 tablespoons water, vinegar, granulated garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until blended and semi-smooth. Thinly slice the 2 remaining sun-dried tomatoes. Gentl

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Thai Salmon Cakes with Dipping Sauce

“In my job I constantly meet people concerned about how their food is produced. Labels such as the RSPCA Approved logo help us to identify products from farms approved to higher welfare standards, providing that all-important assurance about the orig

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Gorgonzola Antipasto Platter

Serve a selection of cheeses with fresh fruit and crackers to start.

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Fresh Ricotta Crostini

Lay three layers of cheesecloth over a colander. Add the milk to a large heavy pot and place over medium-high heat. Stir in the lemon juice and salt and heat until an instant-read thermometer reaches 80°C. The milk will begin to just bubble and s

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Baked Coconut Prawns

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.To make the dipping sauce: Toast the curry and red pepper flakes in a saucepan over medium heat, about 1 minute. Add the honey, vinegar and orange juice and zest. Bring to a sim

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Mozzarella in Corrozza

Slice the mozzarella and divide among 4 slices of bread. Top with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Whisk the eggs with the milk in a small casserole dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the flour to a casserole dish. Dust the sandwiches

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Mini Frittatas

Serve up a platter of these Italian-inspired frittatas by Giada De Laurentiis.

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White Bean and Rosemary Crostini

Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil to the saucepan. Add the pancetta and render some of its fat. Add the rosemary and garlic, and saute until fragrant. Stir in the beans, lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Mash the beans wi

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Pea Pesto Crostini

1) For the pea pesto: Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, one teaspoon of salt and quarter teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about one to two minutes. Season with ad

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Sun-Dried Tomato and Rosemary Palmiers

1. Put the puff pastry on a well-floured surface and bash it up with a rolling pin. Usually we need to be quite delicate with puff pastry as it needs to puff up a lot, but for palmiers it only needs to puff up a little. 2. Roll the pastry out into a

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Polenta Pizza Bites

Preheat the grill to high. Brush the polenta with the olive oil on both sides and place the disks on a broiler pan covered with foil. Grill until the tops begin to turn golden, about 1 minute (watch closely as broiler heat varies).Flip the polenta d

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Caprese Tartlets

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Remove the crusts from the bread and using a large spoon or rolling pin, gently press the slices of bread down flat until they are thin and almost doughy. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil. Press the slices i

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Bruschetta

In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute, removing before the garlic gets too brown (it can be golden). Pour the garlic and oil into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.Ad

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Tenderstem Chilli and Chickpea Bites

Steam the Tenderstem for a few minutes until it is just tender. Remove from the heat and keep to one side. Heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onion, garlic and chilli, if using, until the onion has softened but not co