A delicate tomato rose is just the thing for adding some spark to a simple bowl of cottage cheese. As a party centerpiece, create a nosegay of several orange roses. Arrange them in a pretty shallow bowl with orange or lemon leaves. Is fettucine Alfredo your idea of culinary bliss? Make it a notch better by adding a tomato rose. When serving a large whole fish, add a little color to the platter with orange roses.
Ingredients
Firm, ripe tomato or orange
Tiny fresh mint leaves (optional)
1.For tomato rose, cut very thin slice from bottom of tomato with paring knife; discard slice.
2. Starting at top of tomato, peel tomato with knife by cutting continuous narrow strip of peel in spiral fashion horizontally around entire tomato, using gentle sawing motion.
3. Place strip, either flesh or peel side up, on cutting board. Starting at end of strip where you started cutting, wrap strip around itself to form coil. Tuck end of strip underneath coil to secure. Place on food or plate and tuck two or three mint leaves at base of rose, if desired.
4.For orange rose, substitute orange for tomato. Starting at top of orange, cut continuous strip of peel, using vegetable peeler, in spiral fashion horizontally around entire orange, pressing firmly while peeling.
5. Starting at end of strip where you started cutting, wrap strip around itself to form coil. Continue wrapping peel tightly around this coil, tapering bottom as much as possible. Insert one or two toothpicks horizontally into base of orange rose to secure.
6. Place orange rose on desired food or plate. Trim with mint leaves, if desired.
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