Edible Evergreen: A Holiday Antipasto Platter Built Like a Christmas Tree

Overview

This festive salad doubles as a party decoration. A mix of three lettuces shapes the evergreen, and deli-counter and salad-bar items are arranged as an edible garland. It makes a cheerful centerpiece for a holiday gathering.

Info

• Cook time: 45 minutes
• Total time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 5 ounces baby arugula (about 8 cups)
• 5 ounces baby kale (about 8 cups)
• 2 Persian cucumbers, halved lengthwise and sliced into half moons
• 3 heads little gem lettuce, bases trimmed and leaves separated, or the inner leaves of Bibb lettuce
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced Genoa salami
• Three 1/4-inch-thick slices provolone (about 6 ounces)
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
• 1 cup cheese-stuffed small sweet piquante peppers, such as peppadews
• 1/2 cup jarred small whole artichoke hearts (about 8)
• 1/2 cup green castelvetrano olives
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup small whole pepperoncini
• 6 radishes, tops trimmed
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• One 4-ounce goat cheese log
• 8 ounces ciliegine mozzarella (small balls of mozzarella), halved

For the White Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Build the tree base: In a large bowl, toss the baby arugula and kale together. On a very large platter or cutting board, shape the leaves into a Christmas tree that stands 16 to 18 inches tall, keeping a handful of greens aside. Make sure the platter is big enough for a star at the top and a trunk at the bottom. Scatter half of the sliced cucumbers over the tree. Layer little gem lettuce leaves to form 4 tiers, using the small inner leaves for the top tier.
2. Create the star: Stack the salami slices and use a 3 1/2-inch star cutter to cut out a large star; save the scraps. With the same cutter, cut 2 stars from 2 slices of provolone; save those scraps too. Build a stacked star by layering half the salami stars, then a provolone star, then the remaining salami, and finally the second provolone star. Set the star at the top of the tree.
3. Make the garland: Use 1-inch and 1 1/2-inch star cutters to cut smaller stars from the provolone scraps and the remaining provolone slice. Roll the salami scraps and prosciutto slices into flower shapes. Along the lettuce, arrange the cheese stars, meat flowers, stuffed peppadews, artichoke hearts, both types of olives, and pepperoncini in a zigzag garland that runs from the bottom right of the tree to the upper left.
4. Add radish ornaments and fill in: With a bar citrus zester, carve a channel around the equator of each radish so it looks like a tree ornament. Cut each radish in half vertically and add the pieces to the garland. Scatter the rest of the cucumber slices over the leafy parts of the tree, and use the reserved greens to fill any empty spots.
5. Form the trunk and snow: Put the nuts on a small plate and roll the goat cheese in them until fully coated. Place the log at the bottom of the tree to serve as the trunk. Decorate the ground beneath the tree with the halved ciliegine mozzarella balls to look like snow.
6. Whisk the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper until well blended. Serve the dressing on the side.