Best Ultimate Cheese Platter Recipes

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ULTIMATE CHEESE PLATTER



Ultimate Cheese Platter image

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     appetizer

Time 10m

Yield 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Fresh fig, lemon, or Galax leaves (see Cook's Note)
1 large bunch seedless green grapes
1 (12-ounce) wedge truffled pecorino
1 (1-pound) wedge Stilton blue cheese
1 (12-ounce) piece Brie
1 (8-ounce) piece herbed goat cheese, such as Fleur Verte
Fresh strawberries
Dried apricots
Fig jam
Crackers
1 dried fig ball, halved (optional)

Steps:

  • Arrange the fig leaves in a single layer on a 16- to 18-inch diameter round board or platter.
  • Place the grapes in the center of the board. Arrange the cheeses on the board around the grapes, cut sides facing out.
  • Nestle the strawberries between two of the cheeses to create a block of color. Nestle the apricots between two of the cheeses, also creating a block of color. Transfer the fig jam to a bowl and place it on the board. Arrange the crackers on the board around the cheeses. If using, place the fig ball on the board, cut sides up.

CHEESE PLATTER



Cheese Platter image

Assembling a stunning fruit and cheese platter requires no cooking. I follow a few key principles to be sure it looks festive and is easy for guests to help themselves. First, I choose an interesting assortment of cheeses--hard sharp cheeses, soft creamy ones, and pungent blue cheeses. I look for an interesting mix of flavors, textures, and colors.

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     appetizer

Number Of Ingredients 3

French Camembert, Le Chevrot (a sharp goat cheese)
Rondin with herbs (a creamy goat cheese)
Montagnolo (a creamy blue cheese).

Steps:

  • Go to the best cheese shop in town and ask the person at the counter which cheeses are ready to serve. Taste everything; they expect you to. We all know that the Brie may look terrific, but it can be underripe and tough or overripe and ammoniated. You want only the freshest cheeses that are perfectly ripened. Take them home, refrigerate them, and then bring them to room temperature a few hours before serving.
  • Second, be sure to have a platter or wooden board that is flat and large enough to hold the cheeses without crowding them. Arrange the cheeses with the cut sides facing out, and with several small cheese knives, maybe one for each type of cheese.
  • Third, to finish the platter, add sliced breads or crackers, and green leaves. I use either lemon or galax leaves, which you can get from your florist. If you have a garden, any large flat leaf like hydrangea looks beautiful, but be sure they aren't poisonous and are pesticide-free!
  • Overall, the simpler the design, the better the platter looks. Group each kind of cheese together and add one large bunch of green or red grapes in the center to create a visual focal point. Fill in the spaces with lots of crackers or small slices of bread.

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