If you are feeding a crowd this festive season, try this fresh and colourful Christmas Day salad made with the very best seasonal ingredients and Otaika Valley Free Range Eggs. Roasted cumin-spiced beetroot, smoky sourdough croutons, creamy avocado and perfectly soft-boiled eggs come together on a bed of fresh greens topped with a luscious homemade herb dressing.
Christmas Day Salad
Serves: 6 to 8 as a side | Recipe by Kelly Gibney @kellygibney_wholehearted
Salad
1 large beetroot
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2-3 thick pieces of sourdough, torn into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
4 Otaika Valley Free Range Eggs
120g salad greens (we love one that includes some herbs and watercress)
1 ripe avocado, sliced
Olive oil for roasting
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Creamy Herb Dressing
Large handful fresh coriander
Large handful fresh basil
Large handful fresh mint
½ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely diced
2 anchovies (optional)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
One Minute Mayonnaise
1 Otaika Valley Free Range Egg
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Generous pinch salt
1 cup light olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon wholegrain mustard (optional)
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
INGREDIENTS
Salad
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Peel and cut the beetroot into small pieces. Toss with the cumin, a generous pinch of salt and a glug of olive oil. Place on one half of a large oven tray (you’ll use the other half for croutons - foil or baking paper can be used to divide) and roast for approximately 30 minutes until tender.
Drizzle the torn sourdough with olive oil, sprinkle over the smoked paprika and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden and crunchy. Set aside until ready to use.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Carefully submerge the eggs and cook for 6 minutes. Run the eggs under cold water and then peel. Halve just before placing on salad.
Scatter the salad greens over a large platter. Top with the croutons, roasted beetroot and cherry tomatoes. Lay the avocado slices on top and then the eggs. Drizzle dressing over the top and finish with a little sea salt and a good grind of cracked black pepper.
Creamy Herb Dressing
Use a food processor or stick blender to blitz together all the ingredients except the mayonnaise until a smooth consistency. Add the mayonnaise and process very briefly. Taste and season well.
One Minute Mayonnaise
Use the jug that came with your stick blender for this. It’s important to have a tight fit for the stick blender. Carefully crack the egg into the bottom of the jug. Sprinkle with sea salt and add the vinegar. Pour in the oil (preferably without breaking the yolk).
Place the stick blender over the yolk, turn on and hold to the bottom of the jug for 10-15 seconds. Once the egg and oil has started emulsifying, move the blender up and down slowly while it is running. It should come together and become very thick and creamy within 30-60 seconds.
Stir through the lemon juice and mustard. Taste and season as desired.
