Dinner party starters

This wonderfully light salad is packed with easy-to-find seasonal ingredients and makes a great Christmas starter

This is a twist on remoulade - served with flaked smoked fish and dressed leaves, it makes an easy starter

Try a lighter, modern version of this ever-popular retro starter

Serve this help-yourself platter while you get on with the rest of supper. In summer, add a few sliced fresh figs

Impress dinner guests with homemade port and chicken liver pâté, which takes just 30 minutes to make. Enjoy as a starter with our rosemary crackers

This smooth duck liver parfait with a hint of Grand Marnier and Morello cherry jam can be made ahead, ready for a dinner party. Serve on toast as a starter or canapé

Drizzle apple and horseradish dressing over oysters for a sophisticated seafood starter to share. Serve on a bed of ice or rock salt with sprigs of dill

Try a new twist on bruschetta, topped with burrata, broad beans, sugar snap peas, radish, mint and chilli. It makes a fab lunch or starter for a dinner party

Serve this broccoli and green romesco as a starter or side dish. Topped with almonds, it makes a healthy and tasty accompaniment to meat or veggie dishes

This roasted tomato and red pepper soup is livened up a spoonful of ricotta plus toppings. It's classic comfort food and also a low-calorie, healthy option

Make this classic Italian tricolore salad for a starter or side. It's incredibly simple but, when made with perfectly ripe tomatoes, is a real delight

After a tasty, healthy snack or a starter for entertaining? This avocado dish contributes two of your five-a-day and takes mere minutes to prepare

Look for Cornish, Devon or Jersey crab for the sweetest flesh to enhance these filo parcels inspired by the Tunisian dish brik. Serve with tomato salsa

Try these crunchy asparagus tips, coated in breadcrumbs and roasted to perfection. Serve with our smoky, creamy bacon mayonnaise for a spring starter

This easy Spring starter is perfect for the beginnings of an Easter feast. Thick slices of sourdough, crab and crunchy radishes make a fresh, zesty starter

Spears of fried broccoli make a brilliant vehicle for transporting moreish sriracha mayonnaise into your mouth. Any leftover mayo certainly won't go to waste

Barney Desmazery takes these simple crab cakes, seasoned with Thai spices and served with sweet chilli sauce, from the Soho club and into your dinner-party repertoire – best of all, they won't take long in the kitchen

This impressive and delicately-flavoured starter is perfect for dinner parties without splashing the cash. Make-ahead, easy-to-do and no cooking required

Milder and sweeter than grapefuit, pomelo is a citrus fruit that pairs beautifully with rock oysters in this stylish dinner party starter or canapé

A vibrant and substantial salad for two that's rich in calcium, fibre and 4 of your 5-a-day. With toasted cumin, honey and mustard it's rich in flavour too!

This festive seafood starter, finished with a garlicky basil dressing, can be prepared ahead - ideal for a fuss-free dinner for two

James Martin's classic seafood starter is best made the day before and left in the fridge overnight - perfect for a special Sunday lunch

This starter, with its quick pickled onion is impressive, but takes little time as it’s part of making the dressing. You can do it while the turkey is cooking

These crispy paella bites make the perfect canapé for a Spanish-style party. We predict they’re the new deep-fried mac 'n' cheese, watch this space...