Burlap & Lace Platter (Printable Version)

A rustic board showcasing smoked meats, shaved cheeses, fresh herbs, and tangy accompaniments.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4.2 oz smoked beef, thickly sliced or hand-torn
02 - 4.2 oz rustic country ham, roughly chopped
03 - 4.2 oz smoked sausage, thick-cut rounds or wedges

→ Cheeses

04 - 2.1 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, thinly shaved
05 - 2.1 oz aged Manchego, thinly shaved
06 - 2.1 oz Gruyère, thinly shaved

→ Accompaniments

07 - 1 small handful cornichons
08 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 2 tbsp grainy mustard
10 - 1 small bunch fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs
11 - 1 rustic country loaf or crusty baguette, sliced (optional)

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Place the rough-cut smoked beef, country ham, and smoked sausage in overlapping layers or rustic mounds on a large wooden board or platter.
02 - Use a vegetable peeler or cheese plane to shave the Parmigiano Reggiano, aged Manchego, and Gruyère into thin, translucent ribbons and artfully drape them over and beside the meats.
03 - Distribute cornichons, sliced red onion, and small dollops of grainy mustard around the platter for contrast and balance.
04 - Decorate the board with fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs to enhance aroma and visual appeal, then serve immediately with sliced rustic bread if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes but feels like you've spent hours planning something special.
  • The contrast between rough, smoky meats and delicate cheese ribbons creates genuine flavor magic.
  • You get to play with textures and arrangement—there's creative freedom without complicated technique.
02 -
  • The cheese plane is non-negotiable—a knife tears where a plane shaves, and those thin ribbons are what make people pause and notice.
  • Serve this cold or at cool room temperature; letting it sit at room temperature for more than 20 minutes softens the cheeses and blurs the whole effect you worked to create.
03 -
  • A vegetable peeler works beautifully for cheese if you don't have a cheese plane—the key is the angle and a light hand; let the tool do the work.
  • Buy whole blocks of cheese and shave them yourself rather than pre-shaved; pre-shaved cheese oxidizes and tastes stale within hours of opening the package.
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