Easy Halloween charcuterie boards for your next spooky party

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Chef Kelli Lewton, owner of Two Unique Caterers in Royal Oak, shows FOX 2 her easy-to-make Halloween charcuterie boards. Visit www.twounique.com for more information.

Savory Halloween Charcuterie Board

Base Charcuterie Blueprint

Adapted from Chef Kelli’s MYO Party Book 2022

Yield 12-15 servings

Ingredients

· 3-4 dry cured meats, 6-8 ounces of each, like chorizo Iberico and/or Spianata Piccante

· 3 cheese selections, 5-6 ounces of each (or 1 cup) check your markets cheese counter for

· interesting as well as seasonal cheese. It’s always nice to have some hard cheese as well as creamier selections.

· 2-3 pickled items, ½ cup or so of each; cornichons, olives, pickled red onions, artichokes, peppadews etc.

· 8-ounce wheel of Camembert Brie

· 8-10 ounces smoked fish mousse or (optional)

· 4-6 ounces liver style mousse or country pâté (optional)

· Medium bunch of black grapes

· 1-pint blackberries

· 8 fresh figs, halved

· 8-10 strawberries cut in half

· ¼ cup Marcona almonds

· 2-3 sleeves rustic crackers

· 20 pieces of toasted crostini

· ¼-½ cup assorted dried fruits, blueberries, cherries, apricots, figs

· 3-4 ounces mustard

· 3-4 ounces jam

· Seasonal greens such as magnolia tips, autumn-colored mums would add a nice pop of color

· Large platter or serving area (19x12 inches)

Directions

Lay out all your supplies. Fold and roll meats. Crumble and slice the cheeses. Roast any veggies and prepare your dips or tapenades in advance. Fill small bowls or jars with spreads, mustards, and smaller pickled items.

For layout, think about placing cheese wedges and bowls in place first and use that as a focal point to work from. Proceed by arranging sliced meats and cheeses. I always like to explain placing meats and cheese like fanning out a deck of cards. Use strong lines to create curves as well as leaving clean areas to place your other ingredients.

Fill in with smaller items like dried fruits and nuts.

Use berries and grapes to add focal points of color.

Place like-things together to keep the board easy on the eyes. It will aid in making it look clean and modern.

The sky's the limit. Just because it is not on the list above, does not mean it cannot be part of your custom board.

Add contrast to your board by mixing up the colors. Keep flavors that go nicely together near each other and away from clashing components with pickles, spreads and fruits doting in and out.

Reserve smaller or more neutral items for last to fill in the empty space. Nuts, and crackers work great for this. Once you have placed all your main components, sprinkle nuts or scoot in some crackers, crostini, and herbs to fill in all the empty spaces on your board.

Chefs Note

This is an easy one to get a jump on preparation. Pickles, jams, and tapenades can be made weeks in advance. Selection of dry goods, nutcrackers and such can be tucked away in the pantry ready and waiting. You can certainly purchase cured meats weeks ahead, but if you are going to purchase sliced, pay attention to use by dates. If you purchase sliced from the deli, the average shelf life is about a week. The other nice thing about a Charcuterie spread is in theory you can buy everything you need already prepared from one of the nicer markets, but you still look like a superstar!

Spooky Twists

· Antipasto eyeballs: cut a small hole into the small fresh mozzarella balls and insert a pimento stuffed olive, then wrap in prosciutto

· Take an ounce brie and arrange small strips of fillo or puff pastry, to create a mummy face, bake at 350 degrees until puff pastry turns golden, add two olive slices for eyes peeking out.

· Take your favorite soft cheese spread and roll into ball and dust with fluffy fine shredded cheddar, add two googley eyes and vela you have a monster ball. Use the same cheese and roll smaller balls, then take string and tie three pieces of sting spaced out all the way around to create small divisions, remove the string add a piece of celery or small stem from a pepper to the top and enjoy your petit pumpkin cheese balls.

· Add a fun turkey meat ball stuffed with blue cheese tossed in melted cranberry glaze for oozing bloody meat balls.

· Decorations like plastic spiders, bloody knife cupcake toppers and plastic skulls and skeleton hands (optional)

· 2 small decorative fresh or artificial pumpkins

· Decorations like plastic spiders, bloody knife cupcake toppers and plastic skulls and skeleton hands (optional)

Tomato Jam V+

Yield 4 cups

Ingredients

4 cups diced fresh tomatoes, or 4 cups canned

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar

3 Tablespoons Braggs apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

½ teaspoon chili flakes

½ teaspoon sea salt

⅛ teaspoon coriander

Directions

In a nonreactive saucepan, add all ingredients. Bring mixture to boil and reduce to very low simmer. Continue to cook for 35-45 minutes, until thick and syrupy. Allow jam to cool.

Transfer jam to a ceramic container or glass jar and place in the refrigerator for at least six hours so the flavors come together. Jam can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 14 days.

Quick Pickled Red Onions GF | V+

Yield 2 cups

Ingredients

2 red onions cut in half and thinly sliced into strips

½ cup Braggs apple cider vinegar

½ cup water

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

⅛ teaspoon lightly crushed coriander seeds

Blue Cheese Stuffed Turkey Meatballs 18-20

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

1 large egg

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles

1 can cranberry jelly

Directions

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Line a small tray with wax or plastic wrap and sprinkle cheese on tray then freeze (temper) for about 20 minutes while you are preparing meatball mix

In a large bowl combine ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic power, onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well until all ingredients are completely incorporated.

Scoop out 1.5-ounce oz meatball mix and roll into a ball then Repeat with remaining mixture.

Stuff a small chuck of blue cheese into center of met ball and then reroll

Bake meatballs on a flat baking sheet tray lined with silpat or spray with nonstick spray.

Bake meatballs for 12-15 minutes at 350-degree oven until cooked through (165 degrees)

Place cranberry jelly in small sauce pot and melt over low heat

Let rest for 5 minutes and then toss in melted cranberry jelly