Charcuterie Board Recipes

Steps:

• On a large cutting board or platter, lay out the salami, ham, baguette and crackers. Place the bread sticks upright in a small glass jar. Add the olives and pickles to the board in small bowls, if you like, along with the jams in small bowls or jars. Put the Pimento Cheese on the board in a small bowl, along with a knife for spreading. Scatter Candied Pecans decoratively over the board and serve.
• Stir together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and hot sauce in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in the pimentos, celery, Cheddar, blue cheese, onion powder and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the egg white in a large bowl with a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add the pecans and toss to coat. Add the sugar mixture and stir gently until the pecans are well coated.
• Spread the pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until crisp and deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove the candied pecans from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet, about 10 minutes, before breaking them apart. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• For the Dijon chickpeas: Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, adjusting the heat to medium if the shallots begin to char, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas and lower the heat to medium. Add the Dijon mustard, garlic powder, cayenne and a pinch of salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until the chickpeas are fully coated in the mustard mixture. Sauté until the chickpeas develop a light golden brown crust, about 5 minutes.
• Adjust the heat to low and add the kale and a small splash of olive oil for moisture, if necessary. Cook, tossing, until the kale is wilted but still bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat immediately. Transfer to a plate and top with cracked pepper and parsley.
• For the charcuterie lunch board: Put half of the Dijon chickpeas in a small bowl and smash with a fork. Transfer some to a bento-style lunchbox. Put some of the remaining whole Dijon chickpeas in a second bento-style lunchbox. (Reserve the remaining chickpeas for future meals.) Arrange the bread, roast beef and half of the Swiss cheese and piquante peppers with the smashed chickpeas. Arrange the crackers and remaining Swiss cheese and piquante peppers with the whole chickpeas. Add some Dijon mustard to 2 small serving bowls and place one in each box.

Steps:

• Clean and prepare all fruits and vegetables.
• Set out a large round or square wooden board. Start in the center and arrange cheese, meats, vegetables, and fruits in a decorative pattern.

Steps:

• Make the whipped ricotta: In the bowl of a food processor, combine ricotta and salt, and purée until light and fluffy, scraping down the side of the bowl every so often, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil or honey, and garnish with cracked black pepper.
• Assemble the charcuterie board: On a large cutting board or serving platter, arrange the whipped ricotta and all of the other ingredients. (Place olives in a bowl and set an empty small bowl next to the olives for the pits.) Set out small knives, forks and spoons for slicing and serving. Serve with bread, crackers and mustard.