Recipe

Christmas ploughman’s platter

This Christmas ploughman’s platter is essentially a cold selection of cheese, pickles, ham, boiled egg and crusty bread. Prep in advance for easy Christmas Day snacking! It's also great for Boxing Day

Nov 10, 2016 12:05am
By Luca Villari
  • 45 mins cooking
  • 6 hrs marinating
  • Serves 6
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Ingredients

Pickled carrots
  • 2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon peppercorns
  • 1 pinch chilli flakes
  • 2 bayleaves
  • 8 baby carrots, scrubbed and cut in half lengthways
  • 1 small red onion, sliced
Christmas ploughman’s platter
  • 2 large slices prosciutto
  • 2 large skinless turkey breasts (around 400g each)
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 small loaf ciabatta, cut into 5mm-thick slices
  • mini dinner rolls, warmed in oven
  • 1 1 pottle pâté of your choice (this recipe used chicken liver and cognac)
  • 500 gram sliced Champagne ham
  • 1 pottle cranberry jam
  • 300 gram good-quality aged cheddar, sliced (this recipe used Kapiti waxed cheddar)
  • 6 large pickled gherkins, cut in half lengthways
  • 1/2 cup wholegrain mustard
  • 4 boiled eggs, peeled and halved
  • picked watercress
  • dried cranberries

Method

  • 1
    Place water, salt, sugar, vinegar, peppercorns, chilli flakes and bayleaves in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to the boil.
  • 2
    Remove from heat, place carrots and onion in a bowl, pour over the pickling liquid and leave to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight before using.
  • 3
    Preheat oven to 200°C.
  • 4
    Place slices of prosciutto on a clean chopping board. Place the turkey breasts on a large plate. Mix together rosemary, lemon zest and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper then massage over turkey breasts.
  • 5
    Place a breast on one end of each prosciutto slice and roll up like a cigar. Secure with butcher’s twine or string.
  • 6
    Place breasts on an oven tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm and cooked. Set aside to cool. When cooled, transfer to a plate, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until required.
  • 7
    While breasts are cooking, drizzle a small amount of oil over ciabatta slices and place in a hot griddle pan for 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to an oven tray and finish in the oven for 3-4 minutes (if you don’t have a griddle pan, toast on an oven tray in the oven for around 8 minutes).
  • 8
    To assemble, slice the cold turkey and scatter on a large platter. Place the toasted bread and remaining ingredients on the platter in whatever fashion you choose. Have fun with this dish; it will be a visual masterpiece!

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