Snack "Mushrooms"

Bright, appetizing and incredibly delicate in taste, the “Mushrooms” appetizer made from eggs, cheese, ham and cherry tomatoes is a simple but spectacular dish that diversifies the festive menu and will decorate any table. Mayonnaise for making snacks can be made at home, its recipe is simple.

Ingredients

• Eggs - 3 pcs.
• Hard cheese - 100 g
• Ham - 150 g
• Cherry tomatoes - 10-15 pcs.
• Cucumbers - 1-2 pcs.
• Fresh greens (for serving) - 30 g
• Mayonnaise homemade (or store) - 2-3 tbsp. l.
• Garlic (for mayonnaise) - 1 clove
• Salt - to taste
• Ground black pepper - to taste
• For homemade mayonnaise:
• Vegetable oil - 150-200 ml
• Yolk - 1 pc.
• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Lemon (lemon juice) - 0.25 pcs. (taste)
• Salt - to taste
• Ground black pepper - to taste

Directions

1. To prepare mayonnaise, separate the egg yolk from the protein and place the yolk in a deep container. Adding drop by drop, gradually pour in the vegetable oil, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens. Use a blender to speed up the process.
2. When the mixture thickens enough to leave whisk marks on its surface, add the mustard, lemon juice, salt, ground black pepper, and a minced garlic clove.
3. (We will need 2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise, the rest of the sauce can be used for other dishes.)
4. Garlic can be added to ready-made (store-bought) mayonnaise, skipping the step of making homemade mayonnaise.
5. Cover the eggs with cold water and boil hard-boiled (8 minutes from the moment the water boils). Cool in cold water and peel.
6. Grate cheese and eggs on a fine grater. Finely chop the ham.
7. Combine cheese, eggs and ham. Add some salt and ground black pepper to taste.
8. Adding mayonnaise in small portions, mix. You should get a thick mass that easily retains its shape.
9. To decorate the snack in the form of mushrooms, divide the mixture into 20-30 small portions and form into small balls with wet hands.
10. It is better to start forming "mushrooms" immediately before serving, or not earlier than 30-40 minutes, so vegetables and herbs will retain their freshness.
11. Wash cherry tomatoes, dry and cut in half.
12. Cut cucumbers into slices about 0.5 cm thick.
13. Put some greens on a serving plate.
14. Lay out the cucumber slices.
15. Punch down the prepared balls of cheese, eggs and ham lightly, giving them a more conical shape, reminiscent of mushroom legs. Set the resulting "legs of mushrooms" on the circles of cucumbers.
16. Add "mushroom caps" by placing half a cherry tomato on each serving.
17. Using a thin brush or other improvised object, apply a few drops of mayonnaise to the tomato halves.
18. Appetizer "Mushrooms" of eggs, cheese, ham and cherry tomatoes is ready. Serve the dish immediately.