Spicy starter replaced by second-rate soup (6)
I believe the answer is:
bisque
'soup' is the definition.
(bisque is a kind of soup)
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
(Other definitions for bisque that I've seen before include "golf handicap" , "Rich shellfish soup - lobster is nice" , "Cream soup made with shellfish" , "pot?" , "Rich soup made from shellfish" .)