Christmas Caprese Snowman Salad
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Recipe Overview
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
Serves: 6-8 people as part of a Christmas spread
Ingredients Needed
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto
- 1 large bunch of potted basil
- 200g/7ozs cherry tomatoes
- 200g/7ozs cherry bocconcini
- 2x 150g/5oz burratas
- Black peppercorns
- Small piece of carrot cut into a triangle-
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 BASIL - Pick the leaves from the basil separating large leaves from medium and small in three piles.
Step 2 DECORATE - Spread the basil pesto in a circle on the bottom of a large plate or platter. Place the large leaves around the edge of the plate overlapping on top of the pesto. Top with cherry tomatoes and bocconcini alternating both but leaving a space in the centre. Add small and medium basil leaves on top.
Step 3 SNOWMAN - Drain burratas and gently place one at the top centre and the other underneath it bottom centre like a snowman. Add black peppercorns for eyes, the smile and buttons and the carrot for the nose. Add two small basil leaves for a collar.
Step 4 SEASON - Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season with flaked salt and grind black pepper over the salad around the outside (avoiding the snowman in centre). Just before serving drizzle with aged balsamic.
Personal Note
This was one of the dishes we served at Friendsmas as we all love salads. For Friendsmas we had Laura and her boyfriend Lima Lima Delta as well as Queen Viv. Miss America wasn't able to make it last minute as his colleague's parent overseas fell ill and he had to take her place. It was sad that Monica and Marco weren't there as they've moved back to Italy.
It was a really fun dinner-all my friends get along well and they come together at Halloween and Christmas. And because I'm among friends I don't worry if am running late. But this Christmas I was running reaaaally late. Laura and Lima Lima Delta arrived first exactly on time and then Queen Viv 15 minutes later.
I looked down and realised that I had completely forgotten to make a component of a dish. Then the cocktail fountain wouldn't work (I'll tell you about that another time) and then I also had to put some beautiful flowers that Queen Viv had brought into a vase and store her champagne as she was still on one crutch and quite immobile. Then the always helpful Laura swooped in and put the flowers in a vase, put her oysters on ice with the dressing and then helped me defrost some corn kernels. Because sometimes you just need a little help from your friends!
Dear Reader, I hope you're all having a festive Christmas and that you are with those that you love and that value you. And I want to say a heartfelt thank you for hanging out with me here, I'm so glad that you came!
Lorraine xxx