SO, you've got the turkey, the mince pies are baked, the stuffing's made, you've polished the glasses and planned the dinner...but how about giving it a little 'zing' while saving some time on the day, too?

By using smoked salmon in a stylish starter you still keep a traditional feel to this dish, but my little twist brings it bang up to date and looks delightful on the plate. It is a light, fresh way to start the Christmas dinner - and if you've still got some of your champagne aperitif in your glass, it will go well with that, too.

You can make it in advance to save you lots of hassle and leave you free to to join in all the present unwrapping and fun on the day.

Smoked Salmon and Sweet Pepper Tian

Serves four

200g (7oz) cottage cheese

1-2 tsp lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper to season

1 x 285g jar roasted skinned peppers

half a cucumber

1 bunch chives

1 x 125g pack (5oz) sliced smoked salmon

4 tbsp fromage frais

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

Turn the cottage cheese out into a bowl and season with the lemon juice and black pepper to taste. Dice the roasted peppers and add to the cheese.

De-seed and dice the cucumber, chop the chives (reserving a few for garnish) and stir them both into the cheese mix. Shred the smoked salmon and carefully fold into the mix, so it doesn't break up too much.

Carefully fill four 5cm (about 2-inch) diameter gateau rings with the mix, leaving about a 2cm (1-inch) gap at the top. If you don't have any gateau rings, small baked bean tins with both ends removed are just as good. With a spatula or flat knife, smooth the fromage frais over each gateau to produce a smooth top.

Whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Turn each gateau out onto a serving plate by loosening the edges with a small knife, and then slide the ring (or tin) carefully off the top. Drizzle the dressing around each and finish with a few chive stalks. Lovely!

* Observer chef Nick Haywood is the chef in Sainsbury's, London Colney, Now We're Cooking kitchen. For any Christmas cooking tips, recipes or menu planning, call in to see him in-store or email on chef.londoncolney@tao.sainsburys.co.uk

December 19, 2001 11:30