How to make a Mediterranean Charcuterie platter
One of my favorite things to do is host a gathering with wine and a delicious cheese platter! Check out my tips on how to make this Mediterranean themed cheese platter and decorate it with all kinds of charcuterie.
What does "charcuterie" mean? According to a quick web search, "In the French tradition, charcuterie (pronounced "shahr-ku-tuh-ree") is the art of preparing and assembling cured meats and meat products. ... A charcuterie board is an assortment of meats, cheeses, artisan breads, olives, fruit, and nuts, all artfully arranged on a serving board."
It really doesn't take much time to pull this together. A nice grocery list of items helps, and all of the products that I used in this board are from Trader Joe's (my favorite store for these kinds of items). I have put together a list of items to help you get started. You can download the list below.
These cheese platters are perfect for hosting a simple gathering, parties, or holiday events! I created this special platter for my friend's 40th birthday party this past weekend. A few girlfriends and I put this beautiful spread together, and it was perfect for the special evening event.
So what exactly do you need to create this spread? I have a little trick to share - First, I pick the board that I am going to use. In this case, I chose a round 13 inch platter like this one here, and I went from there! Since it was a circle, I thought of it as a round clock, starting from 12, and moving clockwise to fill the platter with my ingredients. For some reason, when I thought of it this way, it actually helped keep it organized and made this tray look so beautiful and abundant! But you can totally simplify (my favorite thing to do!) and create something similar using some very simple and basic steps.
Here are 3 easy steps:
1. Cheese and Meats. PLEASE!
I recommend using at least 2 different types of cheeses. One hard cheese such as gouda, or parmesan, and one soft cheese such as brie or goat cheese. I think adding a special cheese is also nice, because unique flavors create a lot of conversation around the table. In this recipe, I included Truffle cheese! It was a sure hit! Then I added a few meats to the platter - Italian dry salami, and deli sampler (calabrese, prosciutto, capocollo).
I also created a beautiful veggie platter with hummus and a colorful medley of sweet mini peppers. This one only took a few mins to pull together because I already knew how to set up from the first platter that I put together. I simply replaced the meats with veggies!
2. Veggies, Fruits and Assortments!
I always look for foods that are in season. Those are usually the best to create the most delicious and creative platters. I also use lots of different colors or based on the theme, like this one which is a veggie Mediterranean platter, I used two different kinds of figs (black and green), sweet mini peppers, apricots, and nuts! Did I mention I am nuts over nuts! I used truffle marcona, and rosemary marcona nuts... Oh my! For a twist, I included a fig butter spread to compliment the all of the mediterranean flavors. But you can simply use honey, and or fruit spreads such as jam, or jelly and it will taste just as delicious!
3. Breads and Artisan crackers
I found a fresh organic baguette at Traders Joe's which was still soft and perfect for the occasion. I also included speciality crackers like fig and olive crisps or raisin rosemary crisps. Click here to see a picture for reference. note: you can find these at the store for much cheaper than online!
Garnish with rosemary and VOILA! You just put together the perfect Mediterranean platter! We took these two trays, and put them on a brown paper table runner and added the remaining ingredients right on the table to create a combination of organized and messy charcuterie! It was so much fun! We hope you give it a try too.
4. Wine Pairing Suggestions
We paired this beautiful platter with Beau Monde Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine by Boisset Collection.
Other wine varietal suggestions include: Viognier, New Zealand Rieslings, California Unoaked Chardonnays.
If you make this recipe or use any of the tips that I've shared, please do comment below or post and share your lovely pictures on our social media and don't forget to tag me! I'd love to share it on my stories.
Mediterranean Charcuterie Platter
Ingredients
- 1 pear sliced
- 6 ounces iberico spanish cheese slices
- 6 ounces italian truffle cheese
- 6 ounces deli sampler (calabrese, prosciutto, capocollo)
- 8 ounces italian dry salami
- 1/2 cup truffle marcona nuts
- 1/2 cup rosemary marcona nuts
- 1/2 cup green figs
- 1/2 cup black figs
- 1/2 cup apricots
- 6 ounces triple creme brie
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Twist
- 1 tbsp fig butter
Instructions
HOW TO MAKE A MEDITERRANEAN CHARCUTERIE IN 3 EASY STEPS
- Arrange cheese and meats around the platter keeping space between them.
- Add the veggies and fruits on the platter around the cheese and meats in a clockwise direction. Add the assortments such as dried fruit, and nuts, and layer up 12 items around the platter to create a beautiful and abundant selection spread. As noted above, you can get creative with this step, or keep simple with just a few ingredients. Just add more of the ingredients to fill the gaps on the platter.
- Arrange the sliced bread and artisan crackers around the platter on a brown paper table runner. You can add additional assortments in small bowls such as olives, mini cornichon pickles, fruit, jams, nuts, chocolate covered almonds etc., on the table.
Twist
- Add a small bowl on the table and include your favorite fruit spread. For a twist, add Trader Joe's fig butter in a small bowl to compliment the flavors of the Mediterranean Charcuterie.Enjoy!
Rose Chamaa says
If you are looking to put together a beautiful and easy Mediterranean inspired charcuterie platter for your special occasion, this is the recipe for you!