Karen’s Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie boards are so easy to assemble and they do not require cooking, so you can assemble them anywhere. Simply arranged, they make a grand statement. Use cutting boards, platters, trays, planks as the serving base. My method is simple…cover every inch of the surface. Any type of cured meats will work with this recipe. As antipasti, I like to include pickled vegetables, mustards, pates, tapenades and spreads & nuts. My preference is to create a separate cheese board, but you may decide to mix meats and cheeses. Bread sticks are a fun and unique addition that my guests always comment on…and devour.

Equipment Needed:

• 1 large Cutting board, platter, tray, plank
• Large fine mesh strainer
• Spreader or butter knives
• Small bowls/ramekins for antipasti (3-4 oz)
• Sauce or condiment cup for mustard (1 oz)
• Your imagination

Ingredients

• 1/8 pound of a selection of three thinly sliced salamis such as Finocchiona, Soppressata Toscana, or Genoa
• 3-5 marinated and/or pickled vegetables such as olives, sweet peppers, pepperoncini, carrots,
  artichokes, cornichons, zucchini, eggplant, caperberries
• 4 oz of your favorite nuts, smoked, roasted or toasted
• 1 oz mustard (yellow, brown, Dijon, whole grain)
• Breadsticks
• Fresh seasonal vegetables if available (cherry tomatoes, leafy greens, peppers, cucumber, zucchini)

Preparation

Stack the sliced salamis across the board diagonally, leaving room between each type of salami. Leave room for the breadsticks on one edge of the board. Drain all marinated/pickled vegetables in the strainer, removing excess moisture. Put each of the antipasti ingredients in a small bowl or ramekin. Place the bowls between the salamis. Pour the mustard into the sauce/condiment cup and add to the board. Fill the rest of the board with nuts, olives, seasonal vegetables, and olives. Spreader knives can be placed on the finished board or next to it with plates and napkins. Don’t forget to take a picture. You should be proud of your culinary masterpiece.