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I’ve become fairly obsessed with cheese & charcuterie boards, and I’ve come up with a formula that I’m going to apply to all the ones I make from now on:

Cheeses (one of each category):

• Soft: Camembert, Brie de Meaux, Vacherin Mont-d’Or
• Semi-Soft: Havarti, Munster
• Firm: Emmental, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Edam
• Blue: Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort
• Stronger: Aged Cheddar, smoked Gouda, Epoisse

Meats:

• Sopressata, chorizo or other dried salami-style dry-cured sausage
• Jamón serrano, lomo or prosciutto
• Uncured ham, guanciale or porchetta
• Roast beef or bresaola
• Paté, terrine or rillettes

Fruit & Vegetables (preferably in season):

• Fresh berries (strawberries,raspberries,blackberries)
• Dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, raisins)
• Mandarin oranges
• Grapes
• Sliced apple or pear
• Tomatoes
• Herb-sauteed mushrooms

Pickles & Preserves:

• Pickled gerkhins
• Pickled pepperoncini
• Grilled artichoke hearts
• Marinated olices (Manzanilla olives with oil, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper)
• Marinated feta (cubed feta, oilve oil, italian herbs, chili flakes, cracked pepper)
• Strawberry, basil & black pepper Cabernet preserves (recipe below)

Bread & crackers:

• Grilled baguette toast
• Pita or other flatbread
• Crostini, crackerbreads, breadsticks
• Assorted crackers

Other:

• Cabernet balsamic reduction (recipe below)
• Fresh butter
• Honey

EDIT: great tip that I found. A lot of deli/cheese counters have odds-ends bins, where small bits at the end of a large joint of meat or block of cheese, or things close to the sell-by date are put often at very reduced price. It can be a way to gets lots of variety for a deal!

Cabernet Balsamic Reduction

1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tbsp honey, optional

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until balsamic thickens and the mixture reduces by about half, about 10-12 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn or boil over. The balsamic will thicken as it cools; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Strawberry, basil & black pepper Cabernet Preserves

4 cups strawberries, halved*
1.25 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup grated apple
2 tbsp minced basil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper**

*You can quarter, dice, or even puree the strawberries for a smoother texture.
**This lends a nice peppery kick to the preserves. You definitely want to use freshly cracked black pepper! If you’re not a fan of black pepper use 1/4 tsp or omit entirely.

Combine strawberries and sugar in a bowl and allow to sit a few hours or overnight. This will macerate the berries and help release their juices. Combine strawberry sugar mixture along with the remaining ingredients in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Simmer over medium low heat, stirring frequently, for about 35-40 minutes, until thickened to spoon test. Carefully spoon hot preserves into a mason jar and allow to cool to room temp before refrigerating for up to a week.

Pan fry the sausage in olive oil. Slice lengthwise.

Cook the bacon. Once bacon is cooked, pat to remove excess grease.

While the bacon is cooking, prep your veg:
– wash & dice the tomatoes
– wash & slice the mushrooms
– wash the spinach leaves
– prepare the leeks (throw out dark green part, slice light green part, wash thoroughly)

Wilt spinach in the bacon grease. Keep aside.

Add olive oil. Sautée the leeks and mushrooms. Add the tomatoes.

Hollow out the bread-bowls, leaving a hole in the top about the size of a fried egg. Brush the insides with melted butter.

Once everything is cooked, layer the bacon, sausage, and veggies into the bread bowls. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese. Crack a fresh egg on top. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F/175C for 15 minutes (runny yolks) to 20 minutes (set yolks). Whites should be set.

Serve with really sharp knives.