Elegant & Delicious

Create an amazing display with charcuterie boards

harcuterie boards are trending for a reason – they are immensely popular because of the large variety of foods you’ll find on them. They’re an excellent alternative for picky guests or those who want to eat whole foods like fruits or vegetables that don’t contain processed ingredients. A well-designed charcuterie board will generally have several types of cheese, meats, fruit, or vegetables. Crackers and dips or spreads are another staple for charcuterie boards, and to ensure your board is extra special, you can make some of these from scratch if you have the time. The beauty of charcuterie boards is that they can be as simple or as complicated as you want. They are only limited by your imagination. Here are some outstanding recipes for you to make and include on your charcuterie board at your next party.

Olive Tapenade

INGREDIENTS

1 and 1/2 cups pitted, brine-cured olives

1 tsp anchovy paste and 2 anchovy filets, minced

3 Tbsp capers, rinsed

1 and 1/2 Tbsp parsley coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, roasted

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor, combine olives, anchovies, capers, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse two to three times until it is chopped coarsely.

Add in the olive oil and pulse several times until it becomes a chunky paste, making sure to scrape the sides. Add the desired amount of salt and pepper and serve at room temperature.

Homemade Hummus

INGREDIENTS

3 cups chickpeas

1 or 2 cloves of garlic

1/3 cup Tahini

The juice of one lemon

Salt Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

If you like a super creamy hummus, you should microwave or cook your canned chickpeas for a few minutes because the softer they are, the creamier the hummus will be. Put all the chickpeas, garlic, Tahini, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of olive oil into a food processor and let it run for four or five minutes. Add in any extra olive oil or salt, as desired. If the hummus looks too thick, you can add more olive oil or a tiny bit of water.

Serve with an assortment of vegetables, crackers, or pita chips.

Homemade Cheese Crackers

INGREDIENTS

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp salt

1 cup flour

2 Tbsp ice water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a mixer, mix the cheese, butter, and salt in a bowl. After they are fully combined, mix in the flour and add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time. The dough should stick together but crumble if you squeeze it with your