Christmas tea to tempt jaded palates

Press, 22 December 1986, Page 20

Christmas tea to tempt jaded palates

By

Anne Doornekamp

The main meal on Christmas day is traditionally eaten at midday. By the end of Christmas dinner, everyone swears they will not be able to eat again for a week. Yet, strangely enough, by late afternoon that empty feeling inside returns and thoughts turn pleasantly to another meal. Because Christmas dinner tends to be such a hearty meal, and because of the abundance of nuts, chocolate, mince pies, and Christmas cake, Christmas tea should satisfy returning hunger, yet be light and refreshing. As no-one wants to spend Christmas day cooking, tea should include dishes which are easily prepared and can be made the day before. A variety of colourful salads will refresh a jaded palate, and can be elegantly served. A bean salad and some French bread or bread rolls warm and crisp from the oven, can provide the filling part of the meal.

Dessert is an extravagant bowl of fresh fruit salad, including delicacies such as grapes, strawberries, crystallized ginger and pawpaw, offsetting the bananas, apples, kiwifruit and oranges. This should be made late afternoon, drizzled with lemon juice and kept in the fridge until needed. Serve with homemade ice-cream, or buy an icecream made from pure, natural ingredients for a

special taste treat. Shortbread goes well with ice-cream and fruit salad, and Christmas cake could round off the meal for those who show extraordinary staying power in the culinary marathon with which we celebrate Christmas. Green Supreme For 6 to 8 you need: y 2 head of lettuce 1 bunch watercress or spinach 34 CU P green or red pepper 1 cup cucumber 1 spring onion 4 tomatoes 1 stalk of parsley 1 small avocado 34 cup alfalfa sprouts 34 cup mung bean sprouts 2 lemons Wash the greens and tear into smaller pieces.

Finely chop the pepper, cucumber, onion, tomatoes and parsley. Add to salad. Spoon pieces of avocado onto the salad. Add the sprouts. Drizzle with lemon juice. Toss gently. This salad should be made just before the meal, but the following recipes can be prepared a a day early. Beetroot Salad

For 6 to 8 you need: 4 beetroot 1 tbs chopped onion 2 cloves garlic 1 stalk parsley 34 tsp dill seeds olive oil cider vinegar Cook the beetroot in boiling water until tender. Remove the skin with the fingers. Dice. In a serving fish, mix with chopped onion and garlic, dill

seeds and finely chopped parsley. Pour a little oil and vinegar over. Chill. Fresh Bread Salad For 6 to 8 you need: 500 g French beans 1 clove garlic 1 tbs parsley 1 tbs chives 1 tsp onion 1 pinch of nutmeg black pepper olive oil cider vinegar 8 black olives Leaving beans whole, steam until tender. Turn into a salad bowl. Add the finely chopped garlic, parsley, chives and onion. Add a pinch of nutmeg, grate a little black pepper over, drizzle with oil and vinegar. Garnish with the olives. Chill. Chickpea Salad For 6-8 you need: 134 cups chickpeas, soaked 8 hours 1.5 L water 3 cloves garlic 1 onion 2 carrots 2 stalks celery 6 tomatoes 1 tsp oregano 34 tsp basil olive oil cider vinegar 1 stalk parsley Drain the chickpeas and place in a saucepan with the 134 L of water. Cook 1 hour. Chop the garlic, onion, carrots, celery and tomatoes. Add to the chickpeas with the oregano and basil and cook 34 - 1 hour, until chickpeas are very tender, leaving off the' lid for excess water to evaporate. Turn into a serving dish. Add olive oil and vinegar. Garnish with finely chopped parsley. Chill.