Entertaining is a difficult prospect for busy hosts. Keeping down a professional job while doing everything possible to give the impression of being a domestic goddess is impossible. These simple starters are all possible to make in ten minutes or less. They are cheap and simple to prepare, take little or no time to cook, and will be guaranteed to make a great impression on the people coming over for dinner.
Light French Onion Soup
This is a classic starter, light tasty and impressive. It makes the perfect first course for most menus, as it whets the palate without being overbearing, and does not conflict with any other ingredients which may be being served for the main course. It can be served simply, with crusty French bread, or jazzed up with a few more minutes if there is a little more time to spare.
Ingredients:
- One large onion
- One teaspoon of olive oil
- Two litres of light vegetable stock
- Salt, pepper, herbs and gravy browning to taste.
Method:
- Slice the onion into thin long pieces and fry gently in olive oil for five minutes in a large saucepan until translucent and floppy
- Pour over the vegetable stock and simmer lightly for five minutes until bubbling and the onions are completely soft
- Add in seasoning and fresh herbs if available.
- Serve.
It really is as simple as that! This starter can be improved by adding croutons and grated cheese to the mix when serving. A great alternative is to make large garlic bread croutons to float on top. Do this by cutting think slices of French bread into oval shapes (cut the loaf diagonally), rubbing garlic on the bread and scattering with grated cheese. Grill the cheese until soft and runny, then scatter with herbs and float on top of the soup.
This next starter is even more simple, yet never fails to impress guests as it looks and tastes as if a lot of thought has gone into it.
Jenny’s Pancetta Salad With Sundried Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- One packet of Pancetta
- Half a Jar of Sun Dried Tomatoes
- One Bag of Fresh Rocket
- Olive Oil for Drizzling
- Balsamic Vinegar, to taste
- Seasoning
Method:
- Grab a handful of rocket and place it on the plate. Rip the pancetta in to strips and throw it on top. Chuck over four or five pieces of sun Dried tomato.
- Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar into artistic drops on the plate
- Season with freshly ground black pepper
- Serve with fresh crusty bread.
This is a delicious starter that looks fresh and light on the plate, but takes no preparation beforehand. It truly is the most simple and easy course that can be made. For the ultra-organised host, the plates can be loaded with the ingredients and put on the table while the other courses are prepared.
Even less time? Try this!
Hot Fresh Bread and Dipping Bowls
Ingredients:
- Fresh warm bread (French or Ciabatta is best)
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
Method:
- Cut the bread into attractive chunks and lay on a wooden board
- In bowls, pour in a generous amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to make swirls in the mixture.
- Serve to the guests so they can dip the hot bread in to the bowls.
This is a favourite of tapas bars worldwide, but extremely easy to reproduce at home. Jazz this one up by adding bowls of green and black olives.
Have a wonderful night – you deserve it!
Jen Syrkiewicz - Jen is a writer based in York, UK. She has many years of experience in the communications field, and specialises in Blog Writing and Blog ...
