With Christmas upon us, you may be expecting guests, and unless you're a seasoned (no pun intended) hostess you may still be frantically trying to figure out what to serve. Or perhaps you'd just like to have something on hand in case friends stop by. Either way, these two platters are quite impressive, but quick and oh-so-easy.
Served with sour cream, even cardboard tastes good, so don't be afraid of guests not liking this dish. When he was one year old, my son ruined his best pajamas eating caviar (or rather spilling it), and believe it or not, he just now, at age 18, asked for caviar with sour cream for breakfast. I had not even mentioned that I was about to write about it. Really delicious - plus it's festive, it definitely impresses, and it doesn't need to be expensive.
Caviar Everyone Can Love
sour cream
grocery store quality caviar - red is more festive but the black has a better flavor
Arrange on a platter.
That's it! Keep a jar of caviar in the fridge and you'll always be ready for surprise guests. Go through your assortment of bowls to find a small and a large one that will nest together nicely when the larger one is filled with ice (preferably crushed); this isn't necessary, but does keep the caviar cold and makes a pretty presentation. You can have another bowl on the platter for the sour cream, or you can simply spoon the sour cream directly onto the platter in a circle around the caviar bowl(s). Just be careful not to allow the crackers to touch either the sour cream or the caviar as they'll have soggy spots - yuk! Serve with a spreader for the sour cream and a tiny spoon, such as a demitasse, for the caviar. Not only will the tiny spoon ladle only tiny amounts of caviar thereby keeping costs down, but your friends that are new to caviar won't be overwhelmed by the flavor before they get a chance to appreciate it. A jar of caviar can go a long way for just a few dollars, so go ahead - splurge! Your guests will feel special and so will you.
Friendly Cheese Board
One of the easiest hors'd'ouvres ever is a cheese platter, yet they're daunting to so many people due to the vast array of cheeses available. It's also quite a versatile dish, being as appropriate after the meal as before. So it's worth getting comfortable with the idea; once you do, the execution is easy and it's impossible to do it wrong.
Specialty cheese shops are often less expensive than your grocery store, believe it or not. Plus you get to sample before you buy. That's also the best place for advice on the varieties to present. Note that 'farmhouse' cheeses are mellower in flavor than factory-produced ones. Another source, especially during the holidays when the selection is better, is your wholesale club. Granted, they won't have the highest quality cheeses in the world, but they will have some delicious ones at good prices.
One big wheel of cheese can be impressive by itself as the focal point of a cocktail party buffet. But if you decide to offer a selection of cheeses, then, as you've heard me say before, variety is all-important - different colors, different textures, different flavors.
--------------------------
How to assemble a cheese board -
I usually start with one cheese that catches my attention. Most recently it was a Stilton with Dried Apricots. Stilton has a fairly strong flavor but it was tempered in this case by the sweet fruit. So that meant I could go with a hard cheese, a soft cheese, something very mellow and perhaps something even stronger than a Stilton - just not another sweet or fruity pick. Since I was at a wholesale club at the time (limited variety) my selections to go with the fruity Stilton were an Applewood Smoked Cheddar, a soft, spreadable goat cheese with herbs, and a bleu. So the two soft cheeses were very different in strength and flavor, and the two firmer cheeses, while not so different in strength, offered fruity and smoky flavors.
The cheeses you decide on need not be the most exotic or expensive. In fact, you may end up with a cheese on the board that you don't even like. Not to worry! Some people will like it. Cheese preferences are very personal, and you've committed no blunders as long as you're offering - yes, I'll say it again - different textures, different colors and different flavors. Arrange the cheeses in an appealing tableau on the platter, with the cut sides facing your guests. Add a knife or spreader for each cheese.
Add-ons -
A cluster or two of grapes are classic, but any fresh or dried fruit works well on a cheese platter. Fresh figs, whole and halved, are my new fave. Cherry tomato halves often work well. Quince paste, I hear, makes a wonderful addition to a cheese plate. It's a bit sweet and has an interesting texture, which sounds like it would be good with brie/camembert or even cheddar. Sliced apples are, of course, wonderful with cheddars. Also, with a simple cheddar that you may have already cut into cubes, a mustard dip would be excellent. Toasted pecans are brilliant with blues, cheddars, and many other cheeses. Olives are also great additions to a cheese platter, and it's very easy to extend this into an antipasto tray by adding sliced cured meats, marinated artichokes, etc...
Intersperse your cheeses and produce on your board with small slices of breads (baguettes and ciabatta work well) and/or crackers. Some items you'll want in small serving bowls, some items you can pile directly on the platter, board or slate. Don't forget to have picks available for dipping, spoons where warranted, such as for nuts, and appropriate cheese knives.
Don't be intimidated! As I said earlier, one wheel of good cheese is all you really need.
--------------------------
I have a new favorite platter that works beautifully for a cheese tray. It's white ceramic - most of my serving platters are, for the sake of versatility and simplicity. What makes it special is that it's very long (9.5in x 29in) and so while fitting nicely on the countertop-depth buffet, it still gives me lots of space so as not to crowd the cheeses. However, feel free to do a grouping of your own dinner and salad plates if you don't have a large platter. Wood or slate are also classic surfaces for serving cheese. Your local home center will often have a sale on slate tiles for 99 cents each. Can't beat that, and your "tray" can be any size you like just by using more or less tiles.
Have knives appropriate for each cheese on the platter. That doesn't mean you have to purchase special cheese knives today; use what you have. But if you enjoy offering a cheese board, put cheese knives and maybe cheese labels on your Christmas list and let the elves do their thing. Another beautiful accessory for cheese platters is cheese leaves. You'll occasionally run across them in specialty kitchen shops or perhaps that cheese shop; they're paper printed and cut like colorful fall leaves that you use like doilies on the platter.
As for your leftover cheese, if there is any... Today I'm using my leftovers from last weekend to make another cheese tray for my weekly ladies' game day. If I still have leftovers, most will go in the freezer. They won't slice well after being frozen, but will crumble and grate and still taste wonderful when added to casseroles and omelettes.
No comments:
Post a Comment