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Ham & Gruyere Cheese Wreath with Sprout & Cranberry Salad | This is a brilliant share and tear style starter or canape to any festive celebration 🎄 Serves: 6-8 Time: 1 hour 400g all-butter puff pastry (defrosted or chilled) 2 tbsp dijon mustard 1 x 100g block mozzarella, coarsely grated 200g Gruyère, coarsely grated 250g thinly sliced smoked ham Large handful chives, finely chopped 1 large free range egg, beaten 1 tbsp sesame seeds Jar of cranberry sauce or tomato relish, to dip For the salad: 500g Brussels sprouts, roots and outer leaves trimmed 125g dried cranberries 75g skinless toasted almonds, chopped 50g parmesan cheese, shaved or grated For the dressing: 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp honey 1 garlic clove, grated Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Roll out the block of puff pastry into a large rectangle, measuring roughly 45 cm x 25cm, onto a lightly floured worktop. Keep your puff pastry in the fridge until just before you’re ready to use it. With the long edge of the puff pastry closest to you, begin to spread the Dijon mustard all over, leaving a 2cm gap along the long edge that is furthest away from you. Sprinkle over the mozzarella and gruyere cheeses. Season with black pepper before layering the ham over the cheese, finishing with a sprinkle of the chives. Now, starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the pastry up tightly, like a swiss roll. Egg wash the 2cm gap you left and finally roll everything together, leaving the roll seam side down. Transfer the roll to a lined baking tray and make cuts through the pastry, about 2cm apart, without slicing the whole way through. You should leave the bottom layer of the pastry intact so that all the rounds stay connected when you bend them into a wreath shape. Now, bring the 2 ends together to form a wreath and slightly twist each pastry wheel to reveal the roll. Egg wash the pastry and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Transfer to an oven preheated to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown & bubbling. While the pastry is baking, make the salad. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing until completely combined. Using a food processor with a fine blade attachment, shave the Brussels sprouts finely, or finely slice with a sharp knife. Add to a large mixing bowl with the dried cranberries, half the almonds and half the parmesan. Add the dressing and toss gently to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle over the remaining nuts and parmesan cheese before serving. Once the wreath is baked, slide onto a serving plate and put a small bowl of cranberry sauce or tomato relish in the middle for dipping. Leave to cool for 10 minutes then serve alongside the salad.
