Christmas Salad

Poinsettia Christmas Salad

Salads are a great addition to any party and particularly at Christmas when there's so much to eat and a variety of culinary specialities.  Christmas Poinsettia Salad makes a lovely centre piece, an ice breaker and is so simple that a beginner could do it with ease.

The Recipe:

For The Poinsettia:  2 large salad tomatoes, the reddest you can find; a few corn kernels.

For The Salad:   1 green apple, cubed; 1/2 cup fresh pine apple, cubed; 1 medium carrot, skinned and grated; 1/2 a medium cucumber, washed and sliced wafer thin with the skin on; 1/2 cup curds (yoghurt); 2 tbsp spicy fruit chutney or any chutney in your kitchen or salad dressing of your choice; salt to taste; a sprig of kaffir lime leaves; 3 kaffir lime leaves, cut very fine (roll each leaf and then cut).

To Make The Poinsettia:  Cut each tomato into equal halves, then quarter each half and cut each quarter into two.  You should have sixteen nearly equal sized wedges, 8 for each layer.  With a sharp knife, remove the soft flesh and seeds and retain for use in the salad.  Next take a scissors and cut each wedge midway into two.  Repeat with all the pieces.  Keep aside for assembling later.

For The Salad:  Mix all the ingredients except the sprig of lime leaves together.  Taste for seasoning.  Take a pretty plate and place the sprig of lime leaves on it.  Arrange the salad on top of it and now assemble the Poinsettia carefully, eight pieces per layer in a flower shape, skin side up.  Repeat with a second layer on top of the first.  Place the corn kernels in the centre.  Your Poinsettia Christmas Salad is now ready.  Make sure it is admired adequately before it is eaten.