Holiday Charcuterie Board Perfect for gatherings and special occasions. It's the ultimate dairy-free party food that looks fancy but is surprisingly easy to make. RECIPE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELIZABETH EMERY Recipe developer and creator of Vancouver with Love, a fully plant-based food blog, based in Vancouver, B.C.. VANCOUVERWITHLOVE
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vegan cheese board is the pièce de résistance when it comes to party appetizers. No other dish requires so little preparation but impresses so much. Nowadays we have a variety of the most delicious plant-based cheeses, from artisan wheels to mozzarella balls. All you need is some cheese, bread or crackers and a few complements such as fruit and jam for a beautiful board.
Prep Time: 20 minutes Serves: 8 people
INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •
2-3 vegan cheeses (include a mix of different flavours and styles) 1 jar savoury tapenade, dip or hummus 1 jar sweet jam or preserve 1-2 baguettes/loaves of good quality bread (sourdough, olive bread or French baguette) 1 pack crackers 1 jar something salty or tangy, such as olives in brine, pickles or sundried tomatoes 2-3 cups fruit or berries (fruits such as figs, pears, grapes, and/or seasonal berries
OPTIONAL
3. Fan crackers out around cheeses and spreads in the same way. 4. If using vegan meats, cut slices of them and fan out near crackers. 5. Place groups of salty/tangy foods (olives, pickles, etc.) around the board close to cheeses. Alternatively, just place them on the board in their jar. 6. If using fruits such as pears, slice thinly. If using figs or strawberries, slice in half. Create clusters of fruits/berries throughout cheese board to fill any spaces. 7. Finally, if using, add small clusters of nuts and raw vegetable sticks to fill out any additional spaces on the board. 8. Place a clean knife next to each cheese, and a small fork/spoon in each jar. Enjoy!
A selection of your favourite vegan mock ‘meats’ such as sausages and hams.
DIRECTIONS 1. Spread cheeses and dips/jams/preserves out onto a platter or board (ideally they should be in different areas of the board to balance it visually). If you have wheels of cheese, cut a wedge or two out of them for decoration. 2. Cut bread into small slices and fan out around cheeses and preserves/dips.
48 | IMPACT Magazine Holiday Gift Guide
NOTE: Choose a board size that makes your spread look abundant – size down if needed so it looks full and you aren’t left with lots of empty space. Instead of worrying about a board, try tearing off some brown paper and place your ingredients directly on top.
Nutrition facts per serving Calories 605; protein 20.6 g; fat 25.7 g; carbs 75.6 g.