I’ve become fairly obsessed with cheese & charcuterie boards, and I’ve come up with a formula that I’m going to apply to all the ones I make from now on:
Cheeses (one of each category):
- Soft: Camembert, Brie de Meaux, Vacherin Mont-d’Or
- Semi-Soft: Havarti, Munster
- Firm: Emmental, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Edam
- Blue: Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort
- Stronger: Aged Cheddar, smoked Gouda, Epoisse
Meats:
- Sopressata, chorizo or other dried salami-style dry-cured sausage
- Jamón serrano, lomo or prosciutto
- Uncured ham, guanciale or porchetta
- Roast beef or bresaola
- Paté, terrine or rillettes
Fruit & Vegetables (preferably in season):
- Fresh berries (strawberries,raspberries,blackberries)
- Dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, raisins)
- Mandarin oranges
- Grapes
- Sliced apple or pear
- Tomatoes
- Herb-sauteed mushrooms
Pickles & Preserves:
- Pickled gerkhins
- Pickled pepperoncini
- Grilled artichoke hearts
- Marinated olices (Manzanilla olives with oil, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper)
- Marinated feta (cubed feta, oilve oil, italian herbs, chili flakes, cracked pepper)
- Strawberry, basil & black pepper Cabernet preserves (recipe below)
Bread & crackers:
- Grilled baguette toast
- Pita or other flatbread
- Crostini, crackerbreads, breadsticks
- Assorted crackers
Other:
- Cabernet balsamic reduction (recipe below)
- Fresh butter
- Honey
EDIT: great tip that I found. A lot of deli/cheese counters have odds-ends bins, where small bits at the end of a large joint of meat or block of cheese, or things close to the sell-by date are put often at very reduced price. It can be a way to gets lots of variety for a deal!
Cabernet Balsamic Reduction
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tbsp honey, optional
Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until balsamic thickens and the mixture reduces by about half, about 10-12 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn or boil over. The balsamic will thicken as it cools; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Strawberry, basil & black pepper Cabernet Preserves
4 cups strawberries, halved*
1.25 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup grated apple
2 tbsp minced basil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper**
*You can quarter, dice, or even puree the strawberries for a smoother texture.
**This lends a nice peppery kick to the preserves. You definitely want to use freshly cracked black pepper! If you’re not a fan of black pepper use 1/4 tsp or omit entirely.
Combine strawberries and sugar in a bowl and allow to sit a few hours or overnight. This will macerate the berries and help release their juices. Combine strawberry sugar mixture along with the remaining ingredients in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Simmer over medium low heat, stirring frequently, for about 35-40 minutes, until thickened to spoon test. Carefully spoon hot preserves into a mason jar and allow to cool to room temp before refrigerating for up to a week.