Carolina Kitchen
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NC Charcuterie Board
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Charcuterie boards are as hot today as fondue pots were in the ’70s, but easier to serve from. Give yours a North Carolina theme with local products and recipes spotlighting the state’s foods, from okra to mountain trout. Add local cheeses and veggies and dig in!
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Unless otherwise noted, recipes on this page are from Debbie Moose (debbiemoose.com), who has authored seven cookbooks and is a former food editor for The News & Observer in Raleigh.
Mountain Trout Snack Spread
The creamy texture of this spread balances out the smoky fish flavor of the trout, and you can make it ahead of time. 8 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped softened ¼ cup green onion tops, 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped sour cream ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup smoked trout, coarsely chopped with skin removed Put the room-temperature cream cheese, sour cream and trout in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the herbs and black pepper, and pulse just until combined but flecks of the green herbs remain. Put the mixture in a covered container and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Serve with celery sticks or crackers. The spread can be made up to 2 days ahead of serving. Yield: About 2 cups
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Pepper-Chive Crackers
Homemade crackers can include any flavors you like, and add a rustic touch to appetizer spreads. You can also control the salt level. Rolling thin makes them crunchy, but they’re still pretty good even if you don’t quite hit the mark. For a richer flavor, substitute unsalted butter for the shortening.
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cups all-purpose flour teaspoons sugar teaspoons salt teaspoon cracked black pepper
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teaspoon dried chives tablespoons chilled shortening (or butter), cut into chunks cup milk
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, pepper and chives. Add the shortening and use a pastry blender to cut it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough milk to make a smooth dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead briefly into a ball. Roll the dough into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut into approximately 2-inch squares. If they’re unevenly shaped, it’s OK. Transfer the squares to baking sheets (an offset spatula is good for this). Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until golden and just beginning to brown, but still mostly white. Let cool on the baking sheets before storing in airtight bags or serving. Yield: About 35 crackers
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