Christmas entertaining can be overwhelming. I try to keep it simple when cooking for friends and family – and, especially, for my husband, who is a fabulous foodie! I love a good assemblage dish, with beautiful ingredients arranged on a plate, that tastes as delicious as it looks. This one is a showstopping smoked salmon carpaccio with just a few ingredients, some that can be pre-prepared and assembled when you’re ready to dine.

SMOKED SALMON CARPACCIO
Serves 4

Ingredients
½ cup crème Fraiche

2 tbsp whole egg mayonnaise

1 tbsp horseradish cream

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

500g smoked salmon slices

1 small bulb beetroot, peeled (or radish)

4 baby qukes

1 tbsp baby capers

Edible flowers and dill sprigs, (optional) to decorate

Pickled red onion

2 tbsp caster sugar

¼ cup hot water

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 red onion, thinly sliced into rounds

Chive oil

1 bunch chives, chopped

2 tbsp chopped parsley

¼ cup olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

Method

1  To make pickled red onion, combine sugar and hot water in a bowl until dissolved. Stir in vinegar and onion. Allow to stand overnight or for an hour to soften.

2  To make chive oil, process all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

3  Combine crème Fraiche, mayonnaise, horseradish and juice. Season with salt and pepper. Smear or place small spoonfuls of horseradish cream onto plates. Arrange salmon slices on top. Use a vegetable peeler to slice qukes into strips. Use a mandolin to cut beetroot in paper thin slices.

4  Arrange quke slices, beetroot, capers, onion rings and edible flowers over the top of salmon. Dot small spoonfuls of chive oil around plate and sprinkle with dill. Serve.