Who Cares About Sharing? This Charcuterie Feast Is for ONE!
Okay, okay — it would be a bit extravagant to to pull this out of your cool-bag at lunchtime and start chomping down while your colleagues are making do with their boring old sandwiches. But a little part of you wants to, doesn’t it? Especially if you’re already starting off with one of these lunch boxes! So maybe it’s better saved for the weekend, shared over a bottle of something cold (maybe even this orange wine). Or how about taking it along to your next picnic, with these mason jar cheesecakes for dessert? We’re serving this cheeseboard with lightly caramelized figs and balsamic reduction. Let the feasting begin!
Ingredients:
Serves 1 hungry person
— 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
— 1/2 cup light brown sugar
— 1 fresh fig
— 1 ripe peach
— 3 radishes
— 2 small chunks Gruyere cheese
— 2 small chunks Brie
— 1/2 of a small Boursin cheese
— 6-9 crackers for cheese (we used a selection)
— 6 slices mixed cured meat (we used Proscuitto, Salami Milano and Salami Napoli)
— 1 heaped Tablespoon red onion chutney
— small bunch red grapes
— small bunch green grapes
— 6-10 olives (we used Nocerella olives)
— 6 walnuts
— a few sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions:
1. Place the balsamic vinegar and all but one tablespoon of the sugar into a small sauce pan, bring to a boil while stirring, then turn down the heat and reduce by half. Once reduced, turn off the heat and allow to cool.
2. Slice the fig into quarters and slice the peach and one of the radishes. Slice the cheese into chunks.
3. Heat a small skillet on a medium-high heat. Press the cut sides of the fig pieces into the reserved sugar, then place in the pan and cook for 30-60 seconds until golden brown. Just brown the sides that have been coated with sugar. Remove from the heat and put to one side.
4. Now it’s time to put the cheeseboard together. Take a small chopping board and place the cheese chunks and crackers on top, followed by the meat slices and peach slices (it’s a good idea to put these bigger items on the board first so you can nestle everything else in afterwards). Spoon the chutney directly onto the board, then arrange the figs, grapes, whole and sliced radishes, olives and walnuts. Place the thyme sprigs on top of the cheeses. Serve with the balsamic glaze.
Place the balsamic vinegar and all but one tablespoon of the sugar into a small sauce pan, bring to a boil while stirring, then turn down the heat and reduce by half. Once reduced, turn off the heat and allow to cool.
Slice the fig into quarters and slice the peach and one of the radishes. Slice the cheese into chunks.
Heat a small skillet on a medium-high heat. Press the cut sides of the fig pieces into the reserved sugar, then place in the pan and cook for 30-60 seconds until golden brown (if you find the figs are sticking, you can add a 1/2 teaspoon of butter to the pan). Just brown the sides that have been coated with sugar. Remove from the heat and put to one side.
Now it’s time to put the cheeseboard together. Take a small chopping board and place the cheese chunks and crackers on top, followed by the meat slices and peach slices (it’s a good idea to put these bigger items on the board first so you can nestle everything else in afterwards). Spoon the chutney directly onto the board, then arrange the figs, grapes, whole and sliced radishes, olives and walnuts. Place the thyme sprigs on top of the cheeses. Serve with the balsamic glaze.
Enjoy while sitting at your nicely set table with a glass of white wine. Or in front of the TV with a cold beer!
What else would you add to your charcuterie lunch board? We’d love to hear. Tweet us @BritandCo!
