I love to use my own homemade marmalade , plum jam or cranberry chutney as an accompaniment for the cheese. The beautiful red color of the cranberry chutney is especially suited to this valentine’s day board but feel free to use anything you like!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It takes very little time - The board comes together in under 30 minutes, whatever size you make! How’s that for putting together a special evening! You can use ingredients you have on hand - You can easily put together a board with what you have on hand in your fridge or pantry. It’s actually a great way to use up things that would otherwise possibly go to waste! You can unleash your inner creativity - There’s no fixed recipe when it comes to creating a charcuterie board so you can go to town and experiment all you like. Try different ingredients, use different items as a board and try to find cute cups and bowls to add some dimension to your board! Boards are a fuss free way to host- No plates or cutlery is needed for this type of entertaining. Hows that for easy set up and cleanup !? You can accommodate different dietary needs - Hosting a vegetarian? Make a veggie board! Your friend eats gluten free? Make a gluten free board. This is the best way to host people with a variety of dietary restrictions!
The Ingredients
The Cheeses - Use a combination of cheeses both in terms of texture and taste. The Vegetables - In this case use red vegetables in celebration of Valentine’s Day. The Fruit - Red fruit to symbolize the holiday at hand is the best one to use. The Spreads - Any red colored, jam, jelly or sauce to pair with the cheese will work. The Crackers - A combination of 2 or more crackers is ideal for a charcuterie board. The Nuts - Plain, salted or spiced nuts in any variety add a nice touch to the board. The Chocolate - A combination of assorted chocolates or even a homemade crack candy on the board adds the perfect finishing touch!
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutes & Variations
Some Ideas For Ingredient Swaps - Depending on the occasion and the group you’re feeding you can try some of the following when determining the theme of your board:
Go with a regional theme when using your cheeses, for e.g. Italian, Swiss, French. Try a seasonal theme when choosing your fruits and vegetables. For example berries, pineapple and mangoes in the spring and apples, figs and grapes in the fall. Use savory spreads such as hummus, baba ganoush or an olive tapenade instead of sweet ones. Dried Fruits instead of or in addition to fresh fruit, such as dried apricots, cranberries or figs work well and you don’t have to worry about the juice overflowing and making a mess.
How To Make This Into A Brunch Board - I love brunch boards! It’s a great way to serve weekend breakfast, especially if you have company. My 2 favorites are:
You can make a board with pancakes or waffles as the main item, pairing them with an assortment of fruit, nuts, spreads and some sausages. Croissant and breakfast pastries along with some cheeses, spreads, breakfast meats and fruit make for an easy board and beautiful presentation.
How To Make This Into A Sandwich Board - Ready for lunch? An easy way to entertain is to make a sandwich board! This makes a simple sandwich look like an elegant meal and allows your guests to customize it to suit their preferences.
Lay out an assortment of breads Put an assortment of meats Set out a selection of cheeses Add a few condiments to pick from
And that’s all it takes to create a fun themed lunch for friends or family!
Step By Step Instructions To Create Your Board
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make both a large and a small charcuterie board.
Large Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board
Cut your cheeses into assorted shapes (round, wedge, rectangle) and place them on the board at intervals. Place the brie on a plate and scoop out a shallow hole in the cheese. Pour some cranberry chutney onto it. Deseed and slice the bell pepper into long strips. Cut the cucumber into long strips. Wash the tomatoes.
Place all jars and cups at various locations on the board. Put the cut vegetables in the jars and place them on a large board. Scoop out the marinated peppers, roasted garlic and nuts into assorted small cups
Wash and prep all the fruit. Cut the Toblerone into triangles Lay out the chocolate, berries, tomatoes and crackers in between the containers till the board is full. Place spreaders, cheese knives, spoons and toothpicks as needed
Small Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board
Slice the haloumi and grill with a little bit of olive oil, place in a small jar
Scoop out the ricotta into a bowl, pour 2 teaspoons of honey and gently swirl in with the tip of the spoon and sprinkle with chili pepper flakes Put the sliced peppers and tomatoes in a small bowl Cut the marzipan chocolate into small squares Wash and put the raspberries in a bowl Place the savory biscotti in a jar Scatter the jars and bowls on a small board Fill up the remaining space with crackers, bread and chocolate Put needed spreaders, toothpicks and spoons and enjoy!
Expert Tips
The more you fill your board the prettier it will look and the less you will have to re stock it. In this case I used chocolate to achieve this effect, but you can use any ingredient that works with your theme. Some examples are:
Meats Nuts Dried fruit Fresh fruit Olives Vegetables
Other Valentine’s Day Recipes You’ll Love
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
