Looking to jazz things up without overdoing the menu? Prepare this gorgeous Christmas wreath that needs no more than the ingredients for your typical garden salad. All you need is the patience to assemble the greens on a nice platter!
Food
Christmas Wreath Salad
December 16, 2020
Yield
Serves 8
Prep Time
40mins
Cook Time
5mins
Difficulty Level
3 / 5
Ingredients
DRESSING
- 2 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsps grated parmesan
- 75 mm extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp finely chopped shallot
- 3 tbsp white wine verjuice
SALAD
- 2 baby cos lettuces, trimmed and broken apart into leaves
- 200 g baby rocket leaves, trimmed
- Handful baby sorrel leaves
- 2 witloof, trimmed and broken apart into leaves
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 slice grainy toast-thickness bread, crusts removed, cut into small cubes
- Flaky sea salt
- 350 g cherry tomatoes
- 2 small lebanese cucumbers, washed, dried and thinly sliced
- ½ cup small basil leaves
- 2 tbsps snipped chives
- 2 tbsps chopped parsley
- 2 ripe avocados
Steps
01.
To make the dressing, crush the garlic and salt together with a knife. Transfer to a bowl and add parmesan. Slowly whisk in oil. Add shallot and verjuice. The dressing can be made several hours ahead; give it a good whisk before serving.
02.
Prepare all the salad leaves, wash and spin-dry the cos, rocket and sorrel if using (there’s no need to wash witloof, just peel off outer leaves; it is better kept dry). Transfer to plastic bags lined with paper towels and refrigerate until needed.
03.
Heat olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat and when hot, add bread cubes. Fry quickly until golden. Scoop out of pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. The croutons can be prepared a few hours ahead, but cover loosely with paper towels, or you’ll find every time someone goes past them, they’ll steal a few!
04.
When ready to assemble the salad, tear salad leaves into smaller pieces and remove thick stems from sorrel. Arrange in a circle on a very large platter with the witloof. Halve the tomatoes and add to the platter with the croutons and cucumber. Scatter with herbs. Cut avocados in half, discard the stones and scoop out balls (you’ll have some avocado flesh remaining in the skins, scoop it out, transfer to a bowl, quickly mash with lemon juice, cover right on the surface with plastic food wrap and refrigerate – use for guacamole the following day) or halve, peel and slice avocados in the usual way. Scatter the salad with rocket.
05.
Re-whisk dressing and transfer to a small serving bowl and place in the centre of the salad. Serve immediately with tongs and encourage everyone to spoon over their own dressing.