442 starter recipes

Spiced melon cocktail with honeydew balls, flaked crabmeat, and a tangy whipped cream-mayo dressing spiked with paprika, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. A retro dinner-party starter with coastal flair.

Chilled cream of cucumber soup with sour cream, fresh dill, and parsley. A cool, refreshing summer starter that's better made the day before. No fuss, no stove time after dinner.

Hungarian sour cherry soup (meggyleves): a chilled summer soup of cherries, sugar, cinnamon, dry red wine, and heavy cream. Served cold, sweet, and tangy as a starter or light dessert.

Citrus soup frappe: a chilled, lightly jellied dessert soup of orange, raspberry, and lemon juices laced with red wine, Sauterne, and kirsch. A vintage Continental starter or palate-cleansing finale.

Gazpacho blond: golden version of the classic cold soup made with yellow tomatoes, yellow bell peppers, and champagne vinegar. Stunning chilled summer starter with red tomato and black olive garnish.

Mussels oregano: steamed mussels on the half-shell topped with a garlic-butter oregano bread crumb crust, baked and broiled until crisp. Italian American steakhouse classic for starters at home.

Chez Melange gazpacho is a chilled tomato and tri-color pepper soup brightened with cucumber, dill, cilantro and a touch of beef stock for savory depth. No-cook summer starter.

Chilled Molokai sweet potato soup with fish: a silky Hawaiian chilled soup of purple Molokai sweet potato, leeks, and limu seaweed, topped with chilled poached snapper. An island-inspired starter.

Crayfish and poached quail egg salad pairs court-bouillon-poached crayfish with delicate soft quail eggs over greens, dressed in a truffle and dill vinaigrette. An elegant composed seafood starter.

Cucumber yogurt soup is a cool, no-cook summer starter blended with fresh dill, garlic, scallions, and tangy yogurt. Light, herbaceous, and ready in 10 minutes plus a chill. The answer to a sweltering afternoon.

Chilled cucumber soup, a creamy cold starter of cucumbers simmered with leek, celery, and sherry, thickened and enriched with light cream, then brightened with a splash of orange juice. Cool and elegant.

Refined split pea soup with fresh sorrel, ham hock, lemon, and cream, puréed silky smooth and strained. Serve it piping hot in winter or well chilled as an elegant summer starter.

Asparagus vichyssoise made in the microwave with fresh asparagus, potatoes, and skim milk. This light, low-fat cold soup is blended silky-smooth and chilled overnight for a refreshing make-ahead starter.

Rustic Italian yeast bread made with durum semolina flour and loaded with sautéed butternut squash, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and onions. Uses a biga starter for deep flavor and makes four golden loaves.

Chilled cantaloupe soup blended with fresh mint, white wine, and yogurt. A no-cook summer starter with just 5 ingredients that needs only a blender and a couple hours to chill.

A chilled Scandinavian-style fruit soup made with berries simmered in warm spices, thickened with cornstarch, and stirred into sour cream and milk. Served cold as a starter or light dessert.