5 Easy Christmas Starter Recipes

Use these 5 easy Christmas starter recipes to simplify your entertaining schedule during the holiday season. December is busy enough without adding complicated starter recipes to your to do list. Enjoy time with your guests with five easy Christmas starter recipes that maintain your reputation as a gourmet chef but leave you free to relax and visit at your own party rather than being stuck in the kitchen during the festivities.

1. Shrimp Fritters

Ingredients:

• 1/2C.water
• 1/4C. butter
• 1/2C. flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 c. cooked shrimp, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• Cooking oil
• Cherry tomatoes
• Italian cheeses, grated

1. Boil water, add butter, and stir until melted. Pour in flour and stir constantly. Remove from heat when mixture forms a ball. Cool for a few minutes.
2. Add eggs and stir well between each one.
3. Blend shrimp into flour mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.
4. Heat a pot of oil or deep fryer. Drop tablespoonfuls into hot oil and fry until golden brown.
5. Garnish with cherry tomato halves or grated Italian cheeses. Arrange on platter for serving.

2. Creamy Shrimp Crostini

Ingredients:

• 40 baguette slices
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Topping
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 8-ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ C. mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 C. minced green onions
• 1 ½ T chopped dill
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• salt and pepper

1. Blend topping ingredients.
2. Cover shrimp topping and refrigerate to chill. Mince garlic.
3. Cut 1/2-inch baguette slices. Brush with oil mixture and toast under broiler.
4. Spoon a dollop of shrimp mixture on each toast. Broil for one to two minutes.

3. Prawn Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. prawns
• Salad
• 1 cup iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, chopped
• Squeeze of lime
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Cocktail sauce:

• 1C. mayonnaise
• 4T. ketchup
• Dash of Tabasco
• Splash of whisky or brandy
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

1. Combine salad ingredients.
2. Mix together sauce ingredients. Stir in the prawns.
3. Alternate layers of salad mix and shrimp mix in a tall cocktail glass. Begin and end with lettuce.
4. Top with a dollop of cocktail sauce and a few prawns.

4. Prawn and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

• 10 x 1/4- inch slices French bread
• 1T olive oil
• 10 slices pancetta or prosciutto
• 2 baby cos lettuces, leaves separated
• 2 avocados, halved, pit removed, peeled, thinly sliced
• 4.5 lbs cooked prawns, peeled with tails on, deveined

Lime Aioli:

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1C. olive oil
• 2 tsp finely grated lime rind
• 2T. fresh lime juice

Lemon Aioli:

1. Combine egg yolks, garlic, and mustard. Continue mixing; pour oil in a thin stream until mixture thickens.
2. Add lime rind and juice, and mix well.
3. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Refrigerate to chill.

Salad:

1. Brush oil on bread and broil until toasted light golden brown.
2. Toast pancetta or prosciutto until crispy.
3. Line each plate with lettuce and toasted bread covered with a slice of pancetta or prosciutto. Top with three or four prawns and some avocado slices.
4. Drizzle lime aioli over each salad and serve.

5. Prawn and Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches asparagus, trim ends
• 2.25 lbs. cooked prawns, peeled leaving tails on, deveined
• 3 Lebanese cucumbers, peeled into ribbons
• 2 ozs. snow pea sprouts, ends trimmed

Dressing:

• 1C. dijonnaise
• 1/4 C. sour cream
• 1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
• 4 drained anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 1/2 small garlic clove, crushed
• 1T. chopped fresh chives

1. Boil asparagus until tender crisp. Run under cold water.
2. Blend dressing ingredients until mixture has a smooth consistency.
3. Stir together vegetables, sprouts, and prawns. Line plates with mixture.
4. Drizzle dijonnaise dressing on top and serve.