5 unusual salads with which I surprise guests on New Year's Eve

It so happened that we always celebrate the New Year with a large group. Close and distant relatives, friends, acquaintances, and children gather at one table. It is difficult to surprise diverse guests. But I can handle it. A selection of salads with luxurious taste and original appearance helps out.

"Tangerine"

Incredibly simple salad. However, guests never cease to be amazed by it and always eat it first.

The recipe includes:

• boiled chicken eggs – 4 pcs.;
• boiled chicken breast – 600 g;
• hard cheese – 200 g;
• pickled cucumbers – 250 g;
• garlic – 2 cloves;
• fresh dill – 50 g;
• salt and spices to taste;
• mayonnaise – 150 g;
• boiled carrots – 6 pcs. (average);
• 10 double basil leaves for garnish.

To prepare, you will need cellophane gloves and cling film.

What do we have to do:

1. We combine everything except carrots and basil in a plate: cut the products into small cubes, grate the cheese. Salt, pepper, season with mayonnaise and mix.
2. Grate the carrots on a fine grater. Let's add a little salt. Squeeze out excess liquid.
3. Now we cover the table with a small piece of cling film and put on gloves.
4. We spread 1 tbsp. spoon carrots onto film and form a thin cake.
5. Roll the salad into a ball half the size of the flatbread. We put it in the center.
6. Carefully wrap our workpiece together with the film and form a ball.
7. Remove the film and decorate the tangerine with basil leaves.

I get 10 tangerines.

Salad in puff pastry

The salad is unusual in that it is served in an original portioned edible plate. It is very light, fresh, colorful and filling at the same time.

Ingredients:

• Chinese red and regular cabbage - 7 sheets each;
• boiled chicken – 500 g;
• purple onion – 1–2 pcs.;
• avocado – 2 pcs.;
• cherry tomatoes – 15 pcs.;
• mayonnaise – 200 g;
• puff pastry – 2 sheets;
• 2 raw yolks;
• salt, pepper, Provencal herbs and a mixture of peppers - 1 teaspoon each.

How to prepare the salad:

1. We start by rolling out the sheets of dough. We cut each into 4 parts. Take a mug, put parchment on top, and then the dough. It should hang down. This is how we make 8 plates. Brush the top with yolk. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Bake at 180 degrees.
2. While the plates are baking, thinly slice the cabbage leaves, cut the tomatoes into halves, the avocado into strips, and the chicken into cubes. Chop the onion. Mix all the products, add salt and spices, season with mayonnaise.
3. Before serving, place the salad in puff pastry bowls.

Salad cake

The ingredients in the salad are quite strange. I hesitated for a long time to cook it. And when I tried it, the result was surprising. The salad has a rich, bright taste. To give it the appearance of a cake, we use a round shape.

Prepare the ingredients:

• onions – 2 pcs.;
• orange – 1 pc.;
• boiled eggs – 4 pcs.;
• hard cheese – 300 g;
• vinegar - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• mayonnaise – 150 g;
• fresh dill, berries for decoration.

Prepare the salad immediately in a festive plate:

1. Place the mold on a plate.
2. Place a layer of grated cheese (half) and cover with a mesh of mayonnaise.
3. The second layer is onions (half). First cut it into thin half rings, pour vinegar over it and let sit for 1 minute. cold water. We draw a net on top of the onion with mayonnaise.
4. The third layer is orange.We clean it and cut it into small pieces. We lay out only half of the workpiece.
5. Immediately place half of the grated eggs on the oranges. Cover with mayonnaise.
6. Repeat layers: cheese, mayonnaise, onion, mayonnaise, orange, eggs.
7. Grease the top with mayonnaise and put the salad in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
8. Remove the form and decorate with dill sprigs and berries.

Salad with chicken chops

I call this salad “restaurant style” - it looks very presentable.

Ingredients:

• raw chicken breast – 1 pc.;
• 5 pieces. boiled quail eggs;
• 11 pcs. cherry tomatoes;
• purple onion - half;
• lettuce leaves - two handfuls;
• avocado - half;
• hard cheese – 30 g;
• mayonnaise – 60 g;
• smoked paprika – 0.5 teaspoon;
• Provençal herbs – 0.5 teaspoon;
• salt and pepper - a pinch.

Cooking:

1. Cut the fillet in half lengthwise. Rub with salt, spices and wrap for 30 minutes. in cling film.
2. At this time, cut other products: eggs, avocados and tomatoes into halves, onions into half rings. We tear the salad with our hands.
3. Season with mayonnaise.
4. Beat the fillet and fry on both sides until golden brown.
5. We cut the chops into strips, trying not to disturb the overall appearance.
6. Transfer to a plate with vegetables and eggs.
7. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

The dish is ready!

Philadelphia salad

Sushi lovers will love this salad. It tastes no different from the original Philadelphia. A real find for those who can’t spin rolls.

For preparation you will need:

• round rice – 200 g;
• rice vinegar - 4 tbsp. spoons (or 2 tablespoons apple);
• nori sheets – 2 pcs.;
• fresh cucumbers – 2 pcs.;
• Philadelphia cheese – 120 g;
• Teriyaki sauce (or soy) – 1.5 tbsp. spoons;
• lightly salted salmon – 150 g;
• white and black sesame – 1 tbsp. spoon;
• sugar – 1 teaspoon;
• salt – 1.5 teaspoons;
• pickled ginger and lemon - for decoration.

I prepare the salad in a square form (14 by 14 cm, 5 cm deep), greased with vegetable oil:

1. Pour cold water (250 ml) over the rice and let it cook. After boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid.
2. I cook for 15 minutes. By this time, I prepare a seasoning for rice from vinegar, salt and sugar. I pour in the prepared hot rice and stir.
3. I cut the fish into thin slices, the cucumber into slices. I mix the cheese with teriyaki sauce. I chop one sheet of nori with scissors and mix it with half the rice.
4. I assemble the salad in the form in layers: a sheet of nori, half of rice without nori, Philadelphia with teriyaki (I leave 1 tablespoon), cucumber slices, salmon, rice with pieces of nori. I compact each layer well with a spatula.
5. I grease the top of the salad with the remaining cheese and decorate with sesame seeds.
6. I put it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
7. I take it out of the mold and put ginger and lemon slices on top.

Here is a selection of New Year's salads. Sometimes I complement it with traditional Olivier and herring under a fur coat. Guests sweep everything clean, praise and ask to share recipes. I hope you enjoy the salads too!