Garnish ideas?

[tsi88kid]

hey guys heres whats up. I have to make a molded salad for a competion I am going to be in at the end of the month but it is just such a boring salad to me i need some garnish for it and I really cant think of anything creative that will put me over the top. Any input would be appreciated. thanks!

 

[kitchenelf]

First, what's in the salad - that might determine the garnish.

 

[tsi88kid]

small dice tomato, parsnip, cucumber, yellow and red pepper, red onion. I am waiting on a picture of it to arrive in my email I should have it up soon.

 

[kitchenelf]

OK, I will have to find a picture - but a friend did this whole big garnish thing with a carrot being the trunk of the palm tree - a green pepper cut out (but left whole) to be the leaves, etc. I'll see if I can find anything like it on the internet to show you.

 

[kitchenelf]

Here's some verbiage - still looking for a picture.

 

[tsi88kid]

omg that is an amazing idea but there is only one problem I think the competion only allows me a quarter of each pepper. but I would still like to see that anyway and if you have any more ideas.

 

[kitchenelf]

one picture but not very close

 

[tsi88kid]

oh man that is awesome but i dont think it would work with my salad I need something sorta small you know. Like a peer of mine took the skin of the tomato and she mad flowers out of them but i dont want to copy her.

 

[kitchenelf]

I was going to suggest a tomato rose - ok, hold on. I've got an idea.

 

[tsi88kid]

oh man im sorry im def denying every idea you have and i feel like a jerk but thanks for being patient with me.

 

[kitchenelf]

Here's some stuff to look at just for ideas - I was looking for a lemon flower - but I can't find one (not like the tomato rose flower where you peel the outside - this one is cut out and the middle has a cherry in it.

 

[tsi88kid]

hmm that could work if i can make it with something else because I only get the following ingredients.

1/2 cucumber
1/4 parsnip
1/4 Yellow pepper
1/4 red pepper
1 grape tomato
1/2 Red onion

 

[kadesma]

Where do you plan to place your garnish? You could take several thin slices of your cuccumber unpeeled, cut almost all the way through, then twist on half one way the other the other way and make a cucumber curl..a few of these might help in garnishing your salad...If allowed on cherry or grape tomatoe will it be in or on your salad, a tiny tomato flower with cucmber curls as it's leaves might work.

kadesma

 

[tsi88kid]

it will be to the side of the salad cuz its a small diced molded salad held up by cucumber slices. but I will look up the cucumber curl online and see if its something i can do.

 

[kitchenelf]

I'm having trouble coming up with things - but I'm not done searching!

You could make a "basket" out of your yellow pepper and with a very sharp knife cut the grape tomatoes zig zag to make little flowers and fill the basket.

 

[tsi88kid]

yea see I'm supposed to use the whole 1/4 of each pepper for small dice but i think i might cheat it a lil bit and save some of the pieces to use

 

[kitchenelf]

Well now, that is a whole different story! So, you can't use anything else! I'd be tempted to make some cucumber fans for sure.

 

[tsi88kid]

i finally got a picture of it

 

[kitchenelf]

Take a look at this for a suggestion You could use some peeling off of the cucumber as the stem - even if you had to cut the peppers to make a flower.

 

[tsi88kid]

That just might work! thank you for all the help both of you hopefully I will do well in the competion. I will be having another thread started probly tommorow on a plated dessert that i want imput on. Again thanks for the help