We’ve taken the traditional Christmas lunch and turned it on its head, incorporating the roast bird into a fresh, but decadent salad with all the flavours we recognise from the East Coast.
Recipes by Jacqui Rey of Food Matters
Lime Green Chicken Salad
2 roast chickens, cut into pieces, all skin and bones removed
400g shredded green mango and/or lime pickle
200g green beans, steamed
200g baby potatoes, steamed
200g rosa tomatoes
200g baby brinjals, roasted
160g (2 punnets) baby lettuce leaves
fresh dhania, to garnish
Toss the chicken with the pickle and leave for an hour for the flavours to merge before tossing with remaining ingredients.
Egg And Spring Onion Vinaigrette
30ml Dijon mustard
30ml wholegrain mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large clove garlic
Blend together. Then add:
100ml white wine or cider vinegar
150ml extra virgin olive oil
150ml sunflower oil
Blend well. Stir in by hand:
1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
60ml chopped parsley
3 grated hard-boiled eggs
Garden Sausages
150g fresh breadcrumbs
150g grated mature Cheddar cheese
1 leek, very finely chopped
15ml finely chopped parsley
15ml finely chopped dhania
5ml fresh thyme
salt and black pepper
2 eggs
7,5ml English mustard powder
about 45ml milk
plain flour, for coating
30ml butter
30ml olive oil
Mix together breadcrumbs, cheese, leeks, herbs and seasoning. Whisk eggs and mustard powder. Reserve 30ml. Stir the rest into the crumb mixture with enough milk to bind. Divide mixture into 4, shape into sausages. Dip sausages into reserved egg mixture to coat. Dust with flour. Leave for a couple of hours to firm up. Heat the butter and olive oil, fry sausages until golden brown.
The presentation
Assemble all ingredients together and, at the last minute, dress with the vinaigrette. Slice the sausages and serve on a separate platter. The salad looks deliciously bright and beautiful on colourful ceramic plates, but kids (and those who are doing the washing up!) might prefer the option of piling their salad into warm rotis…
For more delicious recipes, click here