Who doesn’t like variety? Summer time is the perfect excuse for this recipe! Reluctant Entertainer has a Charcuterie board recipe that will outshine the rest. A charcuterie board is the perfect route if you aren’t sure what to offer your guests. It is even great to serve for dinner! These boards are made up of nuts, veggies, dried fruits, cheeses, cured meats, and more!

The first thing you will need is the board! Make sure the board for your charcuterie is food friendly and if it isn’t, make sure to place parchment paper on the board. The best boards to use are the ones that have a lip, this will help make sure all of the food fits and stays in place. Another thing to think about when making this recipe is how many people are being served. The more people, the bigger the board.

If you want to get rid of the parchment paper but don’t have a food safe board, take some sandpaper and sand the board down. After the board is sanded, rub it down with mineral oil and beeswax. Or, if you want to take the shorter route, you can use a cutting board and butcher block conditioner.

Charcuterie boards often contain dipping spices, but if you aren’t sure where to start looking check out DeLallo Foods.

INGREDIENTS FOR YOUR ULTIMATE CHARCUTERIE BOARD

• Italian Herb Dry Cured Sausage, sliced
• Red Wine Salami, sliced
• Sweet Casalingo Dry Cured Sausage, sliced
• Black Pepper Dry Cured Sausage, sliced
• Figs, sliced
• Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Seasoning Spices
• Roasted Garlic & Parmesan Seasoning Spices
• Rosemary & Garlic Seasoning Spices
• Garlic Pepper & Tomato Seasoning Spices
• 1 jar Italian Roasted Pepper Bruschetta
• 1 jar Italian Olive Bruschetta
• 1 jar Italian Garden Vegetable Bruschetta
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for dipping
• Almonds
• Olives
• Veggies
• Miscellaneous crackers
• Baguette Bread
• Soft cheese
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese

UTENSILS

• Large board
• Small bowls
• Small plates

INSTRUCTIONS

Make sure the board you are using for your charcuterie is prepared in advance, the worst thing is being in the middle of preparation and something isn’t ready. The meats should be sliced, waiting to be placed on the charcuterie board. Take the small bowls and place them on the board, the olives and nuts should be placed inside. Fill the other bowls with the different the Bruschettas. Place 3 to 4 small, flat dishes on the board. These dishes should be filled with the olive oil. Take the different spices and sprinkle them on top of the olive oil.

Slice the cheeses, if they are not already prepared. Wash the vegetables and dry fruits, you don’t want unclean food on the board. Now here comes the fun part, placing the food on the board. Start placing the meat, cheeses, crackers and the sliced baguette around the board. The fruits and vegetables should come next. The idea is not to crowd the board, but to fill it. There should not be too many empty spaces. The food items can be mixed together or if you like organizing, feel free to group them in categories. All of the crackers on one side and all of the meats on the other. Or be adventurous, and have an alternating pattern. Placed the olive oil in the middle and the Bruschetta on the outside. The options are endless and so is the food! Enjoy your charcuterie board any way you like it.

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