Dinner party starters

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...

Adapt these arancini rice balls to your liking: add fresh herbs, sundried tomatoes or chopped ham. You can also make the balls from leftover cold risotto

This festive make-ahead starter is perfect for a Christmas meal for two. Serve with crunchy toast and a scattering of dill for an impressive seafood dish

This light and refreshing cucumber salad also goes well with smoked salmon or pickled herrings

These South-east Asian grilled fishcakes make for a lovely, light dinner party starter, served with a chilli, cucumber and rice vinegar relish

Look for a buffalo mozzarella to use in this salad, if you can. With chickpeas, prosciutto and hazelnuts, it's a riot of colour and texture

Use crab to take your fishcakes to the next level. These are ideal for sharing and dunking in our tangy tartare sauce. If you can, use fresh crabmeat

Serve up a fibre-rich lunch or side dish with this beetroot, feta and green lentil salad. Bursting with colour, it's full of flavour and nutrients

Enjoy this speedy tomato and mozzarella salad as a side dish, or add some sliced avocado for a filling lunch. Top with basil leaves and crushed crostini for extra flavour and texture

Grow primroses from January to April and use the flowers to make a delicious topping for these sourdough tartines. They make a lovely light lunch, starter or canapé

Rustle up this miso, mushroom and tofu noodle soup with just six simple ingredients. Healthy and low in calories, it makes a tasty light lunch or supper

Quality produce makes this dish, Charentais melon, heirloom tomatoes and salty prosciutto marry beautifully. Ideal as a sharing platter starter for a summer dinner party

Make the most of dates with these Middle Eastern-inspired sweet and savoury filo pastries. Packed with feta, dates and spinach, they make a great side dish