3 super simple appetizer platters for the holidays

How to build a special occasion cheese board

Pair hard, soft and semi-soft cheeses with homemade crackers and cheeseballs (recipes for three variations follow), ripe fruit and honey for an entertaining platter with loads of flavour and elegance. Don’t know which cheeses to buy? Try these:

Soft cheese: Brie, camembert, or triple créme.  Semi-soft cheese: Le Douanier, oka or fontina.  Hard cheese: Parmigiano reggiano, aged gouda or manchengo.  Blue cheese: Stilton, roquefort or cashel blue.

Wow factor: Burrata cheese. Italian for “buttered,” burrata (boo-RA-ta) is a luxuriously creamy fresh mozzarella. Dress it up with roasted hazelnuts, basil, good olive oil and sea salt. 

French onion cheese ball

Choose from one of three takes on this entertaining-worthy retro appetizer! Take 1: caramelized onions, gruyére cheese and crisp, roasted pecans. Get the recipe.

Greek cheese ball

Take two: A creamy cheese ball with feta, oregano and sun-dried tomato. Get the recipe.

Ranch cheese ball

Take three: switch it up with aged cheddar and coat with almonds, chives and parsley. Get the recipe.

Everything bagel crackers

These crisp homemade crackers, loaded with flax, sesame and poppy seeds are a great addition to any cheese, seafood or charcuterie board. Get the recipe.

Deluxe seafood board

Keep things simple with store-bought shrimp, smoked salmon and oysters. Then throw together with a few homemade dips, and you’ve got a deluxe spread. Recipes follow.

Smoked trout dip

Flaked trout dip adds creamy, smoky notes to the board. Get the recipe.

Salmon poke with nori sheets

Poké — a raw fish salad of Hawaiian origin — brings extra freshness and colour to your seafood tableau. Get the recipe.

Peruvian vegetable eggplant dip

Add some vegetables to the spread with a roasted eggplant, red pepper, smoked paprika and turmeric dip.  Get the recipe.

Charcuterie board

No party is complete without an overflowing charcuterie board! Recipes follow for three homemade sides to pair with the cured meat.

Beet hummus

Add a bright beet hummus to give the board a strong pop of colour. Get the recipe.

Duck rillettes

A decadent duck confit spread plays nice with the strong cured meats and cheeses on the appetizer table. Get the recipe.

Lebanese-style pickles

Cut through the rich flavours with a little crunchy acidity. Pickles (homemade or store-bought) are perfect for the task. Get the recipe.

Cheese board strategy

1. Buy three or four types of cheese. When in doubt, try something soft, something hard and something blue.

2. Estimate 30 to 45 g cheese per person and serve on a whole piece of wood, marble, slate or tile.

3. Dress up your board with some name tags and some beautiful cheese knives.

4. Provide lots of bread, crackers or sliced baguette. Add a handful of dried fruit, nuts and fresh fruit to cleanse the palate.

5. Bring cheeses to room temperature one hour before serving to release their flavours.

Related: 160+ holiday cookie recipes

Seafood board strategy

1. Thaw and pat dry shrimp. Mix sriracha with cocktail sauce for some heat.

2. Pre-shuck oysters and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Crush ice in a resealable bag and scatter onto a platter. Serve oysters on top.

4. Stir salsa verde with chopped cilantro, olive oil and sour cream for a fresh green seafood dip.

5. Serve prepared toasted nori sheets sprinkled with sea salt for making impromptu wraps.

Related: How to stock a bar for under $200

Charcuterie board strategy

1. Plan to serve 60 to 90 g of charcuterie per person.

2. Slice dried, hard sausages into rounds.  Try a spicy chorizo and a mild summer sausage.

3. Add a paper-thin sliced serrano ham, prosciutto or coppa, and arrange loosely.

4. Serve it all with something pickled to cut the richness, nuts for crunch, sliced baguette, crackers, a selection of mustards, and dried fruit, jam or chutney for a sweet contrast.

More:
9 mistakes you're making as a dinner guest (and how to avoid them)
11 best turkey recipes for a perfectly roasted holiday bird
How to max out the shelf life of fruits and vegetables

Watch: Chatelaine Basics: How to shuck an oyster