Charcuterie
In France, we serve charcuterie either as an apéritif or as one course along with a light meal to ensure everyone is satisfied. Think of it as a bit of a secret weapon for making your family dinners easier.
Maybe you’re serving soup and salad for dinner but need a little something extra to please everybody without the fuss of cooking something else. Or perhaps you're making a vegetarian dish and someone at the table wants a little meat to go with it. Add some charcuterie to create a perfectly pleasing meal — effortlessly.
I put this idea in a recipe format so you can save it to your recipe app. Then you won't forget this easy idea, and it's a handy place to keep notes and add items to your grocery list.
Dried sausage for apéritif in France.
Selection of sausage at the farmers' market in France.
Ingredients
Classic charcuterie ideas:
- Prosciutto - Italian dry-cured ham
- Dried sausage - Sausages that are air-dried and seasoned with herbs and spices
- Bresaola - A lean dried beef seasoned with spices
- French ham - Tender ham with a subtle flavor, served in thin slices
- Coppa - Dry-cured pork shoulder, robust and flavored with spices and garlic
- Soppressata - Spciy Italian salami
- Salami - Cured sausage — there are so many varieties to explore!
- Mortadella - A smooth, bologna-like sausage with a mild flavor and pistachios
- Chorizo - A smoky Spanish sausage spiced with paprika and garlic
Unique charcuterie options you might find at your grocery store and specialty shops:
- Jamon Ibérico - A Spanish dry-cured ham with a rich, nutty flavor — a delicacy to explore
- Cecina - Cured, smoked beef from León, Spain, with a deep, rich taste
- Lonzino - Italian dry-cured pork loin seasoned with black pepper and garlic
- Tocino - Spanish-cured bacon with a delicate taste, served in thin slices
- Finocchiona - Italian salami flavored with fennel seeds and a slightly sweet taste
- Nduja - A spicy, spreadable sausage from Calabria, Italy, made with pork and chili peppers
You can learn more about charcuterie and online stores like Jambon, La Tienda, and Supermarket Italy.
An easy family dinner — soup, salad, charcuterie, French cheese course, and berries for dessert
Dried sausage rolled in herbes de Provence
An assortment of charcuterie for an easy dinner with friends
- Chorizo from La Tienda
When you're out and about, look for specialty shops — you never know what you'll find.
Instructions
Menu Ideas:
- Simple French omelette, followed by charcuterie and fruit salad
- Soup, then salad with vinaigrette and charcuterie
- Salad, charcuterie, cheese & bread, fruit, and a little piece of dark chocolate
Tips:
- You can keep some charcuterie in the freezer — just remember to think about dinner in the morning and take some out to thaw.
- If the charcuterie needs to be sliced, place it on the table and everyone can slice what they like.
- In France, we often serve a little good butter on the side to enjoy with charcuterie and baguette.
You may also like:
Prosciutto with melon or figs.
Bresaola carpaccio for an easy no-cook dish
Find it online: https://returntothetable.com/charcuterie/