We took some simple vegetarian ingredients and turned them into a lovely starter or, in larger portions, our dal soup makes a great cheap and cheerful family dinner. And remember that because they are small, split in half and skinned, red lentils are the quickest cooking of all pulses. However, they tend to disintegrate – this makes them great for dals and soups, less so for salads or sides.
If you are having guests over and want to cook them a starter that will take you no longer than 20 minutes, we guarantee that they will go wild for this spinach, cream cheese and bacon flatbread. Because cheese and bacon!
Every home cook needs this ridiculously easy classic in their repertoire. The trick to that timeless earthy flavour is to cook your onions on a very low heat, slowly. This may take some time, but it will be worth it. Make sure they get some nice dark colour, just short of burning, for a perfectly rich French onion soup.
Make your name in the make-ahead-game with this simple and tasty recipe. Whip up a huge batch and freeze it, so that it’s ready to go when you don’t feel like making dinner. And this broccoli and cheddar soup also makes for an amazing starter for when you have people over for lunch or dinner.
These babies are fully loaded with all our favourite Mediterranean ingredients. For these stuffed mushrooms, we used portobellos because they are shaped like upside-down umbrellas, making them perfect for filling. But you can use any large flat mushroom.
We just love these! A blooming onion makes such a pretty statement on the plate and it’s a lovely earthy autumn treat.
If you are looking for a great appetiser the next time you have guests over, a cheesy focaccia always goes down well. We love it because people can grab a slice and walk around and mingle without needing a plate. And our meat-free roast veg and feta flatbread will be a hit all round.
Do you need a fancy starter in a flash, or just fancy something yummy and cheesy to snack on? Baby marrows, sun-dried tomatoes and ricotta are a combination you won’t want to miss.
Whatever you are munching on this weekend, you are going to want it with a side of our beer-battered onion rings. If you’d like to avoid the alcohol, simply substitute the beer for sparkling soda water.
This exclusively South African, trademarked little pepper is sweet, tangy with just a kiny kick. Serve these cheese-stuffed Peppadew bites as a delicious starter at your next dinner party