Time: 45 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 8

This beautiful festive Christmas tree salad will be a fun and delicious addition to your party. The evergreen tree itself is made from lettuce and salad leaves, while deli meats, cheese, and vegetable appetizers will form an edible garland on the tree. Make the trunk from goat cheese, thickly coated with crushed walnuts, and don't forget to scatter snow with small mozzarella balls under the tree! Serve this appetizer with wine or while guests wait for the main course.

Ingredients:

Salad

• 150 g small arugula (about 8 cups)
• 150g small kale (about 8 cups)
• 2 Iranian cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise and then into crosswise slices
• 3 heads of lettuce, bases trimmed and leaves separated (or inner leaves of Bibb lettuce)
• 110 g thin slices of Genoa salami
• 3 slices provolone, 0.5 cm thick (about 170 g)
• 110 g thin slices of posciutto
• 1 cup small picante peppers with cheese filling, such as Peppadew
• 1/2 cup canned small whole artichoke hearts (about 8)
• 0.5 cups green Castelverano olives
• 0.5 cups Kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup whole small pepperoncini peppers
• 6 radishes, tops cut off
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• 110 g goat cheese (log)
• 220 g of mozzarella ciliegina (small balls), cut in half
• Special equipment: 2.5cm, 4cm and 8cm star-shaped cookie cutters; zester

Vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar

• 0.5 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. honey

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

lettuce, radish, leafy cabbage, Kalamata olives, cucumbers, arugula, Artichokes, peperoncino pepper, peppadew pepper, provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, walnuts, salami, prosciutto, honey

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Preparation:

Step 1
• Salad:
  
  Combine the small arugula and kale in a large bowl. Arrange the greens on a very large platter or cutting board in the shape of a 16-18 inch Christmas tree, setting aside a handful. The platter should be large enough to accommodate the star at the top and the trunk at the bottom. Scatter half of the sliced ​​cucumbers over the tree. Layer small lettuce leaves to create four tiers on the tree; use the small inner leaves for the fourth tier at the top.
  
Step 2
• Stack the salami slices and cut out a large star using a 8 cm (3.5 in) cutter; set aside the trimmings. Using the same cutter, cut 2 stars from 2 slices of provolone; set aside the trimmings. Stack the sausage and cheese, starting with half the salami stars, followed by a provolone star, the rest of the salami, and the second provolone star. Place the stacked star on top of the tree.
Step 3
• Cut smaller stars from the scraps and the remaining provolone slice using 1" and 1.5" cutters. Roll pieces of salami and prosciutto to form flowers. Arrange the cheese stars, meat flowers, stuffed peppers, artichokes, olives, and pepperoncini on the lettuce leaves to create a garland that serpentines up the tree from the bottom right to the top left.
Step 4
• Using a zester, cut a channel along the equator of each radish to make them look like Christmas ornaments. Cut each radish in half vertically and add them to the garland. Scatter the remaining cucumber slices among the leaves and use the remaining salad greens to fill in any gaps on the tree.
Step 5
• Place the nuts on a small plate and roll the goat cheese in them to completely coat the log. Place the log at the bottom of the tree. This will be the trunk. Decorate the ground beneath the tree with mozzarella balls to resemble snow.
  
  Vinaigrette dressing:
  
  In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Serve with antipasto.
  

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