Serves 4-10, depending on what else you are serving
- 8oz Sliced Dried Salami or Sliced Dried Beef & Duck Salami
- 8oz Sliced Fresh Salami
- 3-4 Salami Sticks, sliced
- 1 package Beef Jerky with Bacon Spices
- 1 package Beef Jerky with Black Pepper
- Assorted crackers (see below)
- Assorted fruits and vegetables (see below)
- Mustard and other dips (see below)
First, the meats.
Plan on 3-4 different meats. Don’t go crazy trying to slices of Fresh or Dried Salami in perfect geometry; piles and rough groupings signal to your guests that this is a display that is okay to eat! If you are serving two items that look similar but taste different (for example, Beef Jerky with Black Pepper and Beef Jerky with Bacon Spices), pile them in different areas of the board separated by something obviously different. For jerky, it’s sometimes nice to use kitchen shears to cut the pieces into smaller bits. Add even more textural contrast by slicing Salami Sticks on an angle and putting out a small dish of toothpicks.
A little something crunchy
Add in some crackers, and once again, go for 2-3 different types. Bread sticks, rice crackers, pretzels, or thin slices of dense rye bread would all do well and can be arranged on the edges, or served in a basket alongside.
To dip?
Then we dip. Mustard is a must — deli and spicy, if you can. Mayonnaise might be appreciated by some. You can also offer spicy red pepper jelly or apricot preserves mixed with Sriracha.
Vegetables and Fruits, fresh and dried
Fruit and vegetables look pretty, adds color and texture contrast, and stretch the meats even further. Some of our favorites are: dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried or fresh figs, grapes, thinly-sliced fennel bulbs, honeydew melon (thinly-sliced or balled).
Pickles please!
And then there are pickles. Cut the richness of the meat with some lacto-fermented pickle spears or bite-sized cornichons. A small dish of capers, or quick-pickled red onion would also be lovely, or a dish of sauerkraut (dress it up with some toasted caraway seeds)
What else?
The rest of the meal? You’ve already won! You could pair this with other cold vegetable dishes, like a platter of sliced tomatoes and olive oil, tabouleh, crudites, marinated grilled vegetables, kale Caesar or a green salad with lots of fresh herbs. Add extra bulk to the meal with a pasta or potato salad, or chulent if you must.
