Veggie Turkey Centerpiece Recipe

Ingredients

• 7 radishes
• 13 kale leaves, divided
• 1 medium head cabbage
• 1 medium carrot, peeled
• Toothpicks
• 2 raisins
• 2 pimiento strips (1-1/4 inches long)
• 1 small head red cabbage
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 18 pimiento-stuffed olives
• 2 cans (6 ounces each) pitted ripe olives, drained

Directions

• Trim both ends of each radish. With a sharp knife, cut the radishes to make roses. Place in a bowl of ice water; refrigerate until radishes open, about 30 minutes.
• Line a serving platter with six kale leaves. Cut the bottom off the medium cabbage so it sits flat; place on platter for turkey body.
• From the carrot, cut a 3-1/2-in. piece and a 1-1/2-in. piece. (Discard remaining carrot or save for another use.) Make a diagonal cut at one end of each carrot piece.
• Make a V-shaped cut at the other end of the small piece to create a beak. Using toothpicks, attach the diagonal end of the larger carrot piece to turkey body for neck.
• For head, attach the diagonal end of the smaller carrot piece to neck. Using toothpicks, attach raisins for eyes and pimiento strips for the wattle.
• for tail, attach the remaining kale leaves on the back. remove eight leaves from the red cabbage and attach in front of the kale leaves. (Save the remaining cabbage for another use.) Attach the cherry tomatoes in front of the cabbage leaves.
• Attach stuffed olives for wings. Cover remaining body with ripe olives. Arrange radish roses on plate. Yield: 1 centerpiece.

Veggie Turkey Centerpiece published in Country Woman November/December 2004, p24