Spanish Cheese Charcuterie Board Food

SPANISH CHEESE BOARD

Steps:

• On a large serving board, arrange the olives and almonds next to the soft cheese, the jamon next to the mild cheese, and the quince paste next to the blue cheese.
• Serve with crackers on the side.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the almonds, olive oil, paprika, rosemary and salt on a rimmed baking sheet and toss until evenly combined. Bake until lightly browned and fragrant, tossing halfway through, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the almonds to a bowl and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

HOW TO BUILD A PERFECT CHARCUTERIE BOARD

Steps:

• Place each type of meat on a different section of a large serving board. To make the slices easy to grab and visually interesting, fold and shape them in a variety of ways. You can make rosettes by folding pieces of meat in half and then rolling each up like a cigar. Pinch the cured ham into little mounds or arrange in swirls. Salamis can be rolled or folded into quarters and stretched across a section of the board in little "rivers." Add the spreads to the board next, either mounded directly on the board or in small containers or on plates with a broad knife for spreading.
• Divide the cheeses among the sections, pairing them with the meats and spreads to contrast flavors and textures. Experiment with combinations. Try a creamy burrata or Brie as a companion to salty-sweet prosciutto; match a firm or hard cheese like asiago with a soft, mild mortadella; place a mild buttery fontina with a spicy salami to mellow it out. To encourage noshing, break the hard cheese into large shards, cut a wedge or two from a full wheel and slice some of the bigger blocks into easy-to-grab pieces.
• Pour the honey into a small glass jar or bowl, sprinkle in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and nestle it among the meats and cheeses with a little spoon for serving. Place the quince paste on a small plate or cutting board and the fig jam in a small bowl and place them among the meats. Arrange bundles of grapes near the saltier cheeses.
• Put the pickled vegetables, cornichons and mustard in separate small bowls and add them to the board. Fill in some the empty spaces with piles of nuts and apricots. Plug other blank spots with the figs or other fresh fruit. Fill in any remaining spaces with the baguette pieces, crostini, crisps and crackers, then put any remaining in a separate dish or basket.
• Serve the board at room temperature with an assortment of knives for cutting and spreading, small forks for spearing and spoons for drizzling and scooping. The board can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

HOW TO MAKE A CHARCUTERIE BOARD

Steps:

• Cheese: Very important! Cut your brie into a large wedge. Next, cut the manchego into thin wedges, and fan them with their points facing one another. Lastly, cut your cheddar into cubes, and do a fun little stack! Goat cheese can stay whole with a cheese knife near it, so guests can cut it for themselves.
• Meat: The prosciutto is thinly sliced, and can be bunched up for an effortless beauty. Because the soppressata is cut thicker than the rest, we like to fan it along the board. Salami is a great way to get creative. If you fold it in half, and then in half once more, it can sit right side up. Intertwine all the salami folds to make a rose bouquet.
• Condiments + Sidekicks: You can't have condiments without bowls. Investing in a few ramekins for your delicious spreads to complement your meats and cheese isn't a bad idea. (Tip: you can also use old jam jars or mason jars you have handy) Place three ramekins in different spots around the board, and fill each with your whole grain mustard, fruit preserves, and cornichons.
• Fruit: Fresh fruit is your friend. Find a spot for your grapes. (Tip: keeping them on the vine brings some height without them falling off the board) Cutting apples, pears or peaches in wedges gives a cleaner look, while cutting seasonal fruits like figs in half will show off its colorful, textured inside. Raspberries should be stacked in places that need to be filled.
• Crackers: The remaining space you have on your board is now dedicated to different types of nuts and crackers/crisps. Place your salted pecans either in one spot, or scatter them in different areas. Fan your seeded crackers, and stack your pita chips. Place a ramekin or jar down, if room permits, and use that for the long breadsticks! (tip: This allows them to stick up and add dimension).
• Garnishes: Lastly, jazz it up! Garnish does wonders while bringing color and texture to your board. There are several different herbs and edible flowers you can use. We chose sprigs of rosemary. Place them around, and break them in half if needed. This will bring your board over the top.
• Pro tip: No board? No problem! Feel free to use everyday kitchen tools like a pizza paddle, cast iron skillet or a sheet pan of any size to display the fruits of your labor (pun intended)!