Sorbet as a starter ?

Honestly, I think that serving a starter for a larger group is a mug's game! It means that your main course, so lovingly prepared, has to wait for the slowest eater, and there's a people fill up on it and don't finish the mains. I would just put a few nibbles on the table, eg. olives, while people assemble, or perhaps a Bloody Mary/tomato juice.

I thought sorbet was meant as a pallette cleanser, between courses? Or even as a lighter desert? Never heard of it as a starter though 🤔

I always serve starters, have many favourites - sorbet is not on my list, but no real reason OP couldn't serve sorbet if she desires.

How about tomato jam bruschetta?

Hummus olives and feta with small slices of pitta bread is my go to - or bruschetta. Would agree with others that sorbet is more for in between courses or to finish a meal.

We had a tomato sorbet once it was lovely

Definately not sorbet before steak and kidney pudding!

Quite the wrong taste.

But then I wouldn't serve anything before steak and kidney pudding, but something like trifle after it!

How about half a hard-boiled egg with 6 chopped black olives per person?

What did you eventually decide. I thought it odd that a New Year meal on 1st didn’t start with soup. That’s traditional and as you spoke about steak pie the trad cock-a- leekie with prunes would keep to tradition.
Please give us an update on the New Year meal. (Lang may your lum reek)

I have made some nice soups in the past. Roasted Butternut squash with chilli's, Broccoli and Stilton, Watercress. All easy to make and very delicious!

I was given a cucumber sorbet with my first course salad at a little restaurant in France. It was wonderful and they described how easy it was to make. I was impressed and found lots of recipes online, but I have never made it.

Sadly, vegetable sorbets like cucumber or tomato (or bloody mary, or gazpacho) have fallen out of favour here — but you can still see them in french restaurants sometimes — i had a delicious cucumber and ginger one a year or two ago. They are quite different from the fruit ones served as a palate cleanser like lemon with vodka or apple with Calva. They are not sweet at all and can be light and very refreshing.

Floradora
I'm curious; how do you make a trifle without the jelly. What would you use instead?

For a starter I would say melon balls with a sprinkle of cinnamon - or a splash of lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt to bring out the flavour of the melon.

Of course you can make trifle without jelly
I never include jelly.
Sponge fingers, raspberries, slosh of booze, REAL (not Birds) custard, --not over--whipped cream (never piped) and sprinkled with lightly toasted flaked almonds.
Melon balls while pleasingly retro don't grab me on a cold wet Hogmanay night.
A tiny (coffee) cup of Cullen skink on the othervhand would be perfect.

RosiesMaw - perfect trifle recipe!

I sometimes use a raspberry jam Swiss roll

RosiesMaw

Of course you can make trifle without jelly
I never include jelly.
Sponge fingers, raspberries, slosh of booze, REAL (not Birds) custard, --not over--whipped cream (never piped) and sprinkled with lightly toasted flaked almonds.
Melon balls while pleasingly retro don't grab me on a cold wet Hogmanay night.
A tiny (coffee) cup of Cullen skink on the othervhand would be perfect.

I include jelly because all the family seems to like it made that way but yes, proper grownup trifles don't contain jelly.

Stuffed olives / selection of cheeses /preserved meats / grapes /nuts.

Spanish dates amazing

It was always kale broth made with mutton stock for a starter, steak pie then trifle and the trifle always had jelly and raspberries (probably tinned as where would fresh raspberries come from 70 years ago) in it in my Scottish abode. Bruschetta would be my choice for a starter, easy to prepare and can be dressed up with whater you fancy for the different tastes.

There are some very iffy suggestions for starters here when the OP is clearly after something light.
'Grazing' boards are huge and look terrible after people have started messing about trying to cut up or portion ham or cheese.
Baked Camembert with bread is very heavy to serve as a starter before a steak pie or roast lamb. Even bruschettas can be rather filling.

Any constructive suggestions for next New Year, SiobhanSharpe?

I’ve never eaten a starter nor understood why anybody ever would want something before the main course. Doesn’t it hold everything up and take away your appetite?
I want the meal which has been prepared while it’s hot and fresh, not kept around while people eat something else.
How do you fit in a delicious pudding if you’ve already eaten two platesful of food?

I thought a sorbet was given in between courses to neutralise the flavours of the previous course. I may be wrong

Somewhere I remember bring told that a sorbet should follow the meat dish to wash away the bloody juices before the next course.

Sorbet is served in some restaurants as a palate cleanser in between starter and main course so it should be acceptable as a starter. Pear or apple sorbet are not too sweet. Melon is another option.

grandtanteJE65

Definately not sorbet before steak and kidney pudding!

Quite the wrong taste.

But then I wouldn't serve anything before steak and kidney pudding, but something like trifle after it!

How about half a hard-boiled egg with 6 chopped black olives per person?

Not pudding pie we never eat steak pudding and never eat kidneys.