Christmas feasting is always a big project. From curating the menu, to buying the ingredients and actually making the dish, it requires careful planning in advance. I like to make some dishes that require zero cooking and easy to put together and yet will look great on the dining table. Well, with a table of beloved family and friends all gathered together, I definitely want to impress and not disappoint anyone. The charcuterie wreath (or charcuterie board) definitely fits that criteria!
The food that goes into a charcuterie board are typically prepared in advanced. You can easily buy these food items from supermarkets. As the name implies, charcuterie is a French word for cooking that’s devoted to prepared meat products, primarily from pork, and that might include bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, pâté, confit, and etc. It’s very common that you’ll find other complimentary food items that goes onto this platter, such as cheese, fresh and preserved fruits, nuts, olives, honey, bread, and crackers. In this recipe, I’m using a 40cm round wooden board as the base.
How to Make a Christmas Charcuterie Wreath?
Step 1: Cured Meat. Whether it’s prosciutto, salami, terrines, or pâté, I love to put together different types of meat that might include thinly sliced ham, round cuts (so I can make a rose pattern) and a meat paste.
Step 2: Cheese. I’ll typically choose a hard, semi-soft or soft, and a blue. Some of my favourite hard cheese include the Gruyère, Gouda, Comté, Manchego and Asiago. For semi-soft or soft cheese, Brie is always a safe choice as it’s well-liked by most people. I also like the Taleggio and St. Nectaire. For the blue, I’ll always go for Gorgonzola, I find it not as pungent as other types of blue cheeses and especially love the Dolce version.
Step 3: Fruits. Fresh fruits such as grapes, figs, peaches and berries are easy to pair on the platter. Preserved fruits may include preserved prunes or figs. On this sweet step, you can also include onion or fruit preserves and honey.
Step 4: Nuts. This is a no brainer. Cashews, almonds, and walnuts are healthy choices of nuts to add on.
Step 5: Crackers or bread to complement the meat, cheese and fruity bits. Cracker options will be water crackers or plain crackers. Bread options can be the sourdough or ciabatta. Bread sticks are also great options.
Step 6: Top it up. Once the charcuterie is filled up, I’ll usually top up the gaps with more of the above food so it looks full and inviting.
Step 7: Garnish with aromatics. This is totally optional but who can resists the scents from herbs such as rosemary and sage. I love garnishing with aromatics as it adds on to the whole tasting experience.
How to Make The Salami Rose For The Charcuterie?
These days there are fancier ways to present a charcuterie board, it has in fact become an artistic way of food presentation.
- Choose a glass with small opening. Champagne glass or shot glass with 4-6cm diameter is perfect for a salami size that is 6-7cm in diameter.
- Choose a circular shaped cured meat.
- Overlay each piece of the salami overlapping each other around the mouth of the glass, you can make 2-3 layers. Fold the salami pieces as you overlay them.
- Turn the glass upside down onto the platter and remove the glass.
- Fold the inner petals. And now you get a beautiful salami rose on your charcuterie board.
Watch My Charcuterie Wreath Video Guide
Do check out the part of how to make the salami rose at 00:35.
Ideas For The Christmas Feast?
If you are still thinking of how to curate your Christmas feast menu, be sure to check out these food ideas:
- Simple turkey recipe for that perfectly juicy turkey, a must have for Christmas (and thanksgiving too!)
- Crispy potato roses to add that little touch of glamour to your Christmas plate
- Air fried lamb rack that’s quick and easy to put together, you only need 20 minutes to dish this up!
- Tiramisu, a dessert well-loved by everyone! Here’s an non-alcoholic version but just add alcohol if you want to.
Charcuterie Wreath in 7 Steps
Ingredients
- 100-200 g Prosciutto di Parma sliced
- 200-250 g Salami sliced
- 100-200 g Capocollo sliced
- 100-150 g Gorgonzola cheese cut triangular slices
- 100-150 g Brie cheese cut triangular slices
- 100-150 g Manchego cheese cut triangular slices
- 1 cup Fresh Grapes washed
- 1-2 Fresh figs washed and halved
- 3-4 pieces Preserved fruits: 3-4 pieces of prunes and figs
- 1 cup Nuts: Cashews, Walnuts, Almonds
- 15-20 pieces Crackers
- 5-6 sprigs Fresh rosemary
- 5-6 sprigs Fresh sage
- Optional: olives, fruit preserves, honey
Instructions
- Make the salami rose by overlaying each salami pieces overlapping each piece around the mouth of a glass. Make 2-3 layers. Then turn the glass with the salami upside down and remove the glass.
- Step 1: Arrange the cured meat around the round platter.
- Step 2: Cut triangular slices of the cheeses and arrange them around the platter in between the cured meat.
- Step 3: Place fresh grapes and figs, preserved prunes and figs in between the cured meat and cheeses.
- Step 4: Add nuts around the cured meat and cheeses.
- Step 5: Place crackers (or bread) separating few pieces around the cured meat and cheeses.
- Step 6: Wherever you see gaps on the platter, top up with more of that food item. You can add more cheese, meat, fruits to make it look fuller.
- Step 7: Cut sprigs of rosemary and sage and arrange them around the platter.
- Chill in the chiller and bring it out to room temperature about 30 minutes before you are about to serve.
Air Fried Lamb Rack Recipe
Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe
21 December 2021 at 7:37 pmThis is really creative and well presentation, very suitable for Christmas party. Thanks for sharing 🙏
22 December 2021 at 6:57 amThanks dear!
24 December 2021 at 9:24 amNice idea a flower of food
27 December 2021 at 6:11 amThanks Mike!