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Cozy Friendsgiving Charcuterie Board with Fall Fruit

Friendsgiving charcuterie board with fall fruit - featured image
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A stress-free, crowd-pleasing charcuterie board featuring fall fruit like apples, pears, pomegranate, and figs, paired with cheese, cured meats, and crunchy elements. Perfect for Friendsgiving gatherings where you can actually enjoy your own party.

Ingredients

  • Aged cheddar, sharp, sliced into thin wedges
  • Brie or Camembert, whole wheel or large wedge
  • Goat cheese log, plain or herb-crusted
  • Manchego or aged gouda, sliced into triangles (optional)
  • Prosciutto, thinly sliced, 6-8 ounces
  • Salami, sliced into thin rounds, 6 ounces (genoa or soppressata)
  • Capicola or coppa, 4 ounces (optional)
  • Honeycrisp or Fuji apples, 2 large, sliced
  • Bartlett or Bosc pears, 2 large, sliced
  • Pomegranate, 1 large, seeds removed
  • Fresh figs, 6-8, halved (or dried figs)
  • Red or black grapes, 1 small bunch, washed and left on stems
  • Assorted crackers, 8-10 ounces (water crackers, rosemary crackers, seedy crackers)
  • Baguette, 1 small, sliced into thin rounds and lightly toasted
  • Marcona almonds or candied pecans, 1 cup
  • Fig jam or honey, 1/2 cup
  • Whole grain mustard, 1/4 cup (optional)
  • Olives, 1 cup mixed (castelvetrano preferred)
  • Cornichons or pickled vegetables, 1/2 cup
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs, a few
  • Fresh thyme, a few sprigs
  • Edible flowers or dried orange slices (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your fruit first (10 minutes). Wash and dry the apples, pears, and grapes. Slice the apples and pears into thin wedges—about 8 slices per apple—and toss them in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice and a splash of water. Cut the figs in half lengthwise. Remove seeds from the pomegranate by cutting it in half and tapping the back with a wooden spoon over a bowl.
  2. Set out your bowls and spreads (5 minutes). Place small ramekins or bowls on the board first. Fill one with fig jam, one with whole grain mustard, one with honey, and one with olives or cornichons. Space them out so people can reach them from different angles.
  3. Place the cheese (5 minutes). Put the cheese on the board next, spacing them out. The brie goes whole or in a large wedge. The aged cheddar should be in thin wedges fanning out. The goat cheese log can be placed whole or sliced into rounds. If using manchego, cut it into thin triangles.
  4. Add the meats (5 minutes). Fold the prosciutto slices into loose ribbons or waves. Place them near the brie. Arrange the salami slices in overlapping rows or fan them out. If using capicola, roll it into little cylinders.
  5. Arrange the fruit (5 minutes). Fan the apple and pear slices in curved lines or clusters. Scatter the pomegranate seeds around. Place the fig halves cut-side up. Tuck grape clusters into empty spaces.
  6. Fill in with crunch (5 minutes). Add crackers and baguette slices around the board, filling gaps. Create little ‘stations’ of crackers near each cheese. Put the candied pecans or almonds in small piles.
  7. Garnish and check (5 minutes). Tuck rosemary sprigs and thyme leaves around the board for color and fragrance. Step back and look at it. Fill any big empty spaces with extra crackers or fruit. Spread out anything clumped together.
  8. Serve immediately or refrigerate briefly. If not serving right away, cover the board loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Take it out 20 minutes before serving to let the cheese come to room temperature.

Notes

Don’t slice the brie ahead of time; serve it whole or in a large wedge. Use room temperature cheese for best flavor. Watch the cracker-to-topping ratio for balance. Pomegranate seeds stain, so deseed over a deep bowl and wear an apron. Prep everything before assembling. Don’t overcrowd the board; leave small gaps between elements.

Nutrition

Keywords: Friendsgiving, charcuterie board, fall fruit, appetizer, cheese board, prosciutto, brie, pomegranate, figs, entertaining

Find it online: https://ariaappetite.com/cozy-friendsgiving-charcuterie-board-with-fall-fruit/