Easy Food Board (Basic Charcuterie)
Let's start with the basics and learn how to build an easy charcuterie board. It's so simple!
Equipment
- wooden board or platter (Our board is a rectangle approximately 18" x 14" in size.)
- small picks
- cheese spreader (Use if you are serving a spreadable cheese or a cheese ball or log.)
- small spoons for picking up nuts or other small items
- small bowls for small items such as nuts, dried fruit, and spreadable cheese or chutney.
- small plates for serving
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 (4 to 6-ounce packages) cheese varieties (If needed, pre-slice or cube before serving; Use a variety of cheeses - in taste, color, texture, and shapes - cut or spreadable) We used sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, and lacy swiss.
- 2 to 3 (6 to 12-ounce packages) salami varieties (If needed, pre-slice your salami before serving; Think taste, shape, and color. Thin salami can be rolled or folded) We used genoa salami and soporasatta.
- 1 to 2 nut varieties (raw or salted) (Use shelled, raw or salted; Think colors like green pistachios or white macadamia nuts; Use some sweet nuts like candied pecans or walnuts; Smoked, salted, and even spicy nuts also work well.) We used raw almonds and roasted and salted pistachios.
- 1 to 2 dried fruit or fresh fruit varieties (We used seedless green grapes, dried pineapple, dried cranberries, and apricots.)
- 2 to 3 Variety of crackers (Choose a variety of shapes, sizes, and tastes. We used a cracker variety package.)
- 2 Variety of olives (Use pitted, well-drained) We used a basic black olive and a castelvetrano.
- 1 to 2 Optional: raw vegetables (Think color and texture like cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, radishes)
Instructions
- Decide which board you would like to display your charcuterie.
- Use petite bowls for anything you want to elevate, that is wet and needs to be contained, or is hard to scoop up. Use 2 or 3 to balance them visually.
- Work your larger items like meats and cheeses in clusters around the bowls in 2 to 3 locations. It looks visually pleasing to fold meats in half, roll it them up, or place them in a fan shape.
- Start working in the smaller items like fruits, olives, and nuts for last. Place your dried fruit in small clusters on your board. Add your nuts into small piles on your board where you can fit them in as well. Let them spill over a little bit to give a more natural look.
- Add any finishing touches, such as chocolates, preserves, or wrapped candies.
- Next, this is optional, but you can use a small cookie cutters to cut cute seasonal designs into a few of your cheese slices, salami, or pieces of fruit. It adds a lot of visual interest. Check out the stars and trees I cut out on my Christmas boards.
- Place the crackers around the outside of the board, incorporate them within the board, or place on a nearby platter.
Kori's Tips
Simple Charcuterie Board Tips:
- Buy only ingredients you can find in your grocery store.
- Everything looks better in clusters and odd numbers (2' and 3's). Cluster the same types of ingredients in 2 or 3 different places. This balances everything visually. For example, take a look at the image - I placed clusters of it in 2 or 3 places.
- Balance the textures and the colors. Put large pieces with small, soft items with hard, salty with sweet, cubes next to flat pieces, and so on.
- Balance flavors - salty, sweet, mild, spicy, smoky, etc.
- Use small dishes to add drama, and let small bits (nuts & dried fruit) spill over slightly onto the board for a more natural look.
- To add interest, cut cheese slices into shapes - squares, triangles - or use a small cookie cutter to make circles.
- If serving a spreadable cheese or a cheese ball or log be sure to remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to serving so it can soften.
Nutrition
Serving: 6ozCalories: 612kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 24gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1718mgPotassium: 381mgFiber: 3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 284IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 291mgIron: 3mg
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