Appetizer Peskin Family recipe

Jackie’s Holiday Charcuterie Board

I LOVE entertaining and bringing family and friends together. The charcuterie boards I create usually end up at the center of the party, bringing everyone together over good food (and drinks)! Nothing better than nibbling on yummy cheeses and catching up with friends and family, especially during the holidays. Enjoy!

SERVINGS: 6-8
PREP TIME: 15 Minutes
COOK TIME: 0 Minutes

Ingredients

Cheeses (3-5 different cheeses depending on party size)

  • I like to have a mixture of hard and soft cheeses. My favorites include Manchego, a Brie or Triple Cream, a unique flavor like horseradish or wine infused cheese, and also a mild cheese to please all ages. I love CASTELLO® Havarti. Monterey jack or cheddar works too!)

Meats (3 varieties)

  • Any cured meats will do like prosciutto, salami, ham chorizo, capicola, soppressata. You can buy a variety pack or get them from the deli counter.
  • Salami Rose – depending on thickness of the slices you will need about 8-15 slices of thinly sliced salami for one rose

Savory Add-Ins

  • I always love adding something salty and crunchy to the board to add variety and texture. For this board I used:
    • Truffle Marcona Almonds
    • Blue cheese stuffed olives

Sweet Add-Ins

  • Everyone loves a little something sweet and it also helps balance out the cheeses. From chocolate and cookies to honey and dried fruit, there are endless combinations. In this board I used:
    • Dried fruit like apricots
    • Chocolate covered almonds
    • Themed maple leaf cookies

Add Some Color

  • I love to add seasonal fruit such as grapes, blackberries, raspberries, apples or sprigs of fresh herbs. In this board I included:
    • Sprigs of fresh Rosemary
    • Blackberries
    • Blueberries
    • Grapes

Crackers

  • Choose 2-3 types of crackers to fill in the board.

Equipment

  • Board
  • Cheese knives (optional)
  • Wine glass (to make Salami rose)

Steps

  1. Wash fresh fruits and slice up as needed.
  2. Slice semi-firm cheeses such as Havarti or Cheddar before placing on the serving board
  3. Arrange the cheeses on the board so they are in their own space
  4. Make the salami rose and place on board:
    – Take wine glass and fold one salmi slice in half and place it on the rim of the wine glass. Make sure half of the salami is in the glass.
    – Add another salami slice, overlapping the first slice by ½”.
    – Repeat the steps with two more slices to cover the entire rim.
    – Repeat layering, making sure with each new layer more of the salmi is inside the glass than the outside.
    – As you continue to add layers, there will be less and less room in the middle of the glass. At this point, turn the cover of the glass upside down and push down on the salami flower while twist the glass slightly to create the rose on your board.
  5. Arrange other meats around the board:
    – For prosciutto I like to fold it in a ribbon format on the board
    – Try placing meets in slices of three around the board
  6. Arrange the fruits and sliced cheese around the board
  7. Fill in gaps with other components starting with larger items like crackers first and then filling in smaller spaces with savory and sweet add ins. I like to add a pop of color with bright green grapes for example if there is a section of the board that seems darker. Place dried fruit and sweet items like chocolate covered almonds in sets of 3-4.
  8. Place cheese knives around the board for slicing and spreading softer cheeses.
  9. Enjoy!