The Christmas day starter can be a tricky thing to balance - on the one hand, you want to kick off your Christmas feast with a bang, but on the other, you don't want to over-do it before the roast has even been taken out of the oven.

This collection of Christmas starter recipes holds some brilliant ideas for the big day, including warming soups, such as Marcello Tully's celeriac and blue cheese soup, and elegant salads like Paul Foster's Stilton and chicory salad. For more adventurous cooks, try Nathan Outlaw's beetroot-cured salmon and salmon pâté - a visually stunning starter that will be sure to impress your guests.