Fresh Christmas salad — green apple, beetroot, orange and walnuts
Fresh Christmas salad in 1 h 10 min: green apple, beetroot, orange, walnuts and goat cheese. Dressed at the table, it balances turkey and rolled pork.
What the Christmas salad is and why it goes with the turkey
The Christmas salad is the fresh salad of the Chilean Christmas Eve table: greens with cooked beetroot, green apple, orange segments, toasted walnuts, goat cheese and dried cranberries, dressed at serving time with orange juice, olive oil and mustard. Its job is to balance the turkey and the arrollado with something tart, crunchy and cold, at a dinner that in Chile falls in high summer. It serves 8 and is prepared in parts the day before (beetroot, walnuts and dressing); the apple is cut with lemon no more than 2 hours ahead, and the leaves are assembled and dressed when the salad goes to the table.
Instructions
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Cook the beetroots
Boil the beetroots whole and unpeeled in water for 40-50 minutes, or wrap them in foil and roast them for 50 minutes at 200 °C (390 °F), until a knife slides in without resistance. Let them cool slightly, peel them wearing gloves (they stain) and cut them into 1.5 cm cubes. They can be cooked the day before and kept in the fridge.
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Segment the oranges and make the dressing
Segment the oranges: cut off the top and bottom, slice away the peel and white pith with a knife and cut out the segments between the membranes, over a bowl to catch the juice. Squeeze the membranes. Mix 60 ml of that juice with the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, the honey, mustard, salt and pepper; whisk until emulsified.
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Cut the apple
Halve the apples without peeling them, remove the core and cut them into 1 cm sticks or cubes. Toss them immediately with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice so they do not darken. Do this as close as possible to serving time.
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Toast the walnuts
Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Move them to a plate so they do not burn from the pan's heat and chop them roughly.
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Assemble and dress at the table
On a wide platter, spread the salad leaves and scatter over the apple, orange segments, cheese and cranberries. Add the beetroot last, so it does not stain the rest, and finish with the walnuts. Take the salad to the table and dress it just before serving: the dressing wilts the leaves within minutes.
Nutrition information
| Calories | 185 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbs | 16 g |
| Sugars | 11 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
Values per serving (1 of 4).
Frequently asked questions
What salad should I serve with turkey at Christmas?
A fresh, sharp, crunchy salad that balances the richness and sweetness of the turkey, the rolled pork and the pan de pascua: this one combines sweet beetroot, tart green apple, orange and walnuts. Chilean salad (tomato and onion) and papas mayo, a potato salad, are the other classic sides of the Chilean summer table.
Can I prepare it ahead?
Yes, in parts: cook and cut the beetroot the day before, make the dressing in a jar and toast the walnuts. Cut the apple with lemon no more than 2 hours before serving and assemble the leaves at the end. Always dress the salad when you bring it to the table: the dressing wilts the leaves within minutes.
How do I keep the apple from browning?
Cut it just before assembling the salad and toss it right away with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice; the acid slows oxidation for about 2 hours. Green apples (such as Granny Smith) brown less than red ones and keep their crunch better.
How much salad should I make per person?
Allow about 150 g per person as a side: this recipe makes close to 1.3 kg, enough for 8 people. If the salad is the only vegetable dish on the table, add another 25%: with turkey, rolled pork and papas mayo on the table, people usually eat less salad than you expect.
What can I use instead of the walnuts or goat cheese?
For nut allergies, use toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Without dairy, leave out the cheese and add 1 diced avocado or 1 cup of cooked chickpeas. With fresh cheese or ricotta instead of goat cheese, the salad is milder and less salty.
How do I cook beetroot, and how do I stop it staining everything?
Boil the beetroots whole and unpeeled for 40-50 minutes, or wrap them in foil and roast them for 50 minutes at 200 °C (390 °F); they are done when a knife slides in without resistance. Peel them warm and wearing gloves, and add them last when assembling the salad: if they are mixed in earlier with the apple and cheese, they turn everything pink.
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