Thermomix Christmas Salad

Well, yes, it is past Christmas, but I made this from a book that I received from Santa. The book is the latest from Armando Percuoco and David Dale called "Buon Ricordo, How to make your home a great restaurant." It is a great read with lots of new ideas and reworks of recipes from their previous book, "La Cucina Italiana". Armando has done a lot for Australian cuisine and some more information can be found here on Mietta's website.

It has lots of wonderful information, fantastic photos and great tips. The book is very much about sharing and getting back to the table as a community. As part of this there is also a chapter with recipes from other members of the restaurant and a recipe from Tetsuya Wakuda, who it is said "runs a pretty successful restaurant in Sydney." Tetsuya's recipe for Leatherjacket "Usuzukuri" was demonstrated at the Sydney Seafood School in November, and I can recommend it.

The recipe I have chosen is titled Insalata di Rinforzo and is based on a dish that the Percuoco family traditionally ate on Christmas eve.

The salad is like giardiniera or sotto aceti, with vegetables cooked in vinegar.

It is easily converted for the Thermomix by using the TM basket to hold the vegetables while cooking.

The vibrant colours are perfect for Christmas.

Insalata di rinforzo (Christmas Salad)

Ingredients:

500g white vinegar
1000g ( plus extra) water
500g cauliflower, divided into florets
2 carrots, sliced into rounds
1 yellow capsicum, cut into 1 cm wide strips
1 red capsicum, cut into 1 cm wide strips
20 small cornichon gherkins, or sliced gherkins if larger
20 small pickled white onions
1 handful black olives, pitted
4 Tbsp extra virrgin olive oil
8 anchovies in oil, drained and roughly chopped
salt

Method:

Place the vinegar and 1000g water into the TM bowl. Set for 10 minutes at 100°C on speed 1. Place the cauliflower into the TM basket. When the Thermomix has reached 100°C you can place the basket into the TM bowl and cook the florets for 15 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.

Remove the TM basket with the spatula and drain off the cauliflower, reatining the vinegar and water mixture. Place the cauliflower florets into a salad bowl and put in the fridge.

Place the carrot slices into the TM basket and cook them for 10 - 12 minutes (you want them to still have some crunch) at 100°C on speed 1. Drain and add to the cauliflower. You may need to top up the TM bowl with boiling water if the level is getting low.

Place the capsicums into the TM basket and cook them for 5 -8 minutes (again, you want them to still have some crunch) at 100°C on speed 1. Drain and add to the salad bowl and return it to the fridge for at least 10 minutes.

Add the whole gherkins (or slices, pickled onions and olives to the bowl. Season with salt to taste and drizzle with the EVOO. Sprinkle with the anchovies.

Leave the salad to marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours before serving.

Buon appetito e boun natale.