140 starter recipes

Silky chilled fennel soup, fennel simmered with shallots and garlic, pureed with lemon and dill, then blended with cool yogurt. A light, tangy, anise-kissed soup served cold as a refreshing starter.

Sourdough bread made from starter batter mixed with flour, shortening, and baking soda. A quick-rise loaf brushed with milk for a golden crust, ready in under an hour.

Yeasted anise biscotti from Genoa, made with a sponge starter for a lighter, bread-like crumb. Twice-baked with butter and aniseed, these are nothing like ordinary biscotti.

Cold strawberry soup blended with buttermilk and a touch of sugar. Only 4 ingredients, no cooking required. A light, tangy summer starter or dessert, garnished with fresh mint.

A chilled Hungarian-style cherry soup made with Bing cherries, claret wine, cinnamon, and lemon, thickened with egg yolk. Served cold as an elegant starter or light meal.

Chilled strawberry soup blended from fresh strawberries, yogurt, orange juice, and honey. A no-cook, 5-minute cold fruit soup that doubles as dessert or a refreshing starter.

Traditional German rye sourdough starter (Sauerteig): a three-phase rye flour and water leaven built over 3 days for authentic German rye bread baking. Maintainable and long-keeping.

Savory honeydew melon tossed with rice vinegar, fresh chile strips, and torn cilantro. A four-ingredient cool fruit salad that turns sweet melon into a Thai-inspired brunch starter.

A retro Southern appetizer of boiled shrimp suspended in seasoned consommé aspic with lemon, green onion, and a kick of hot sauce. Unmold onto crackers for a showstopping starter.

Chilled berry buttermilk soup with blueberries or strawberries, orange zest, and tangy buttermilk blended until smooth. A cold fruit soup that works as a refreshing summer starter or light dessert.

Classic German Birnensuppe: fresh pears simmered with cinnamon and aniseed, blended silky smooth, stirred with sherry-plumped raisins and lemon. Served ice cold as a light starter or dessert.

Chilled orange mango soup with pureed ripe mangoes, buttermilk, fresh orange juice, honey, and orange zest. A creamy no-cook cold fruit soup served as an elegant summer starter.

Welsh mussel pate with herring roe, brandy, cream, and dill, baked in a bain-marie until set. A rich, briny seafood starter from the Menai Strait served on toast fingers.

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.

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.

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.