Christmas Tree Appetiser with Chunky Tomato Sauce
This magical Christmas tree appetiser is the perfect centrepiece for your Christmas table! It's full of all kinds of delicious savoury treats nestled upon a bed of baby rocket leaves and served with a side of tasty homemade chunky tomato sauce. Not to mention the special surprise waiting at the bottom of the tree in the form of delicious polenta chips.Constructed with crispy savoury baked bites and topped with parmesan snow, parsley leaves and a cheese star at the very top, it's perfect to celebrate the festive season.
Equipment
- Serving plate, board or platter
- 7 cm star cookie cutter
- Styrofoam cone (height: 19cm, width at base: 7.5 cm)
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
Christmas Tree
- 2 boxes Countdown goat cheese and caramelised onion arancini
- 1 box Countdown truffle arancini
- 1 box Countdown kale and tahini veggie bites
- 1 box Countdown truffle polenta chips
Chunky Homemade Tomato Dipping Sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small carrot finely diced
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried sweet basil
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- 400 g passata
Assembly & Garnish
- 100 g baby rocket
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 small block semi-soft cheese of your choice around 7-8cm
- parmesan
- parsley
Instructions
- Cook the arancini, veggie bites and polenta chips according to the package instructions.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chunky tomato sauce by heating olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, carrot, garlic, oregano and basil and cook until the vegetables soften about 5-8 minutes.
- Once soften, add paprika and cook for a further 2-3 minutes before stirring in the passata. Cook the mixture until it begins to boil and then remove from the heat and set aside.
- Assemble your Christmas tree by first placing the baby rocket on a serving plate.
- Cover the styrofoam cone with aluminium foil and nestle it into the rocket.
- Using toothpicks secure the cooked savoury bites onto the cone to cover it completely starting from the bottom and making your way to the top.
- Cut a star out of the cheese with a cookie cutter and use a toothpick to secure it at the top of the tree.
- Drizzle the rocket with the extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper to season.
- Grate parmesan over the assembled tree to cover the appetisers and create snow. Then nestle parsley leaves into the gaps between the appetisers on the tree.
- Place polenta chips under the tree, on top of the rocket as presents.
- Then place the chunky tomato sauce in a jar or small bowl and serve alongside your completed Christmas tree appetiser!