I’ve mentioned it here before. Many times. I love to feed groups of people. And I love it when the food is beautiful and delicious. And easy is a good thing, too.
My gang always enjoys a full antipasti tray …you know the ones where there are lots of choices. We usually load them up with the typical cheeses, roasted peppers, marinated artichokes and lots of small slices of bread.
This one is a bit different and I can’t take the credit for it. It comes from Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest. Her food combos are amazing and this one is no exception. We love grilled veggies but would never have thought of including them on a cheese board. This one is featured on her food blog but you should definitely check out her gorgeous book, Half Baked Harvest Cookbook.
I like to start getting my tomatoes and veggies marinating the day before I’ll be serving them. That way there’s lots of time for the flavors to develop. And it makes things so easy the next day!
For the tomatoes, the heirlooms are super good here. If you can’t find heirlooms, cherry or grape tomatoes work well …just be sure to halve or quarter them. You can use whatever fresh herbs you prefer. What what you see here is a combination of basil, oregano & thyme and it’s pretty darn tasty.
If you want to get the veggies grilled early, just be sure to give them a few hours to hang out in the marinade first.
As far as a recipe goes, that’s pretty much all of it. When you’re arranging the board, you’ll want at least two types of cheese. What you see here is fresh burrata that’s been drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and seasoned with salt & freshly ground black pepper. There’s also a block of aged gouda cheese …one of my family’s favorites.
If your gang is into deli meats, add some prosciutto and salami. And don’t forget that seasonal fresh fruit. I chose grapes here along with slices of pluots, which are a delicious cross between a plum and an apricot.
Last, but not least, be sure to have lots of bread on hand. What you see here is gluten-free. Since this was being served to our gluten-free family members, I made several loaves of my Gluten-Free Artisan Bread, then cut them into thin slices and let them hang out on the grill for a few minutes on each side. So yummy …you’d never guess the bread was gluten-free.
marinated tomato & grilled veggie cheese board
Recipe from Half Baked Harvest
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- 12 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups mixed heirloom tomatoes, halved or quartered to bite-size pieces (about 16.5 ounces)
- 2 small zucchini or yellow squash, sliced lengthwise
- 2 red bell peppers, quartered
- 2 to 3 assorted cheeses (such as burrata & aged gouda)
- 2 to 3 assorted meats (such as prosciutto, soppressata & salami)
- fresh fruits
- grilled bread or crackers
Instructions
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To make the marinade - In a glass jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped herbs, grated garlic, optional red pepper flakes, salt & pepper.
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Add the squash slices and pepper quarters to a bowl. Toss with 3 tablespoons of the marinade mixture. Set aside to marinate for several hours or overnight in the fridge.
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Add the tomatoes to another bowl and toss with the remaining marinade mixture. Set aside to marinate for several hours or overnight in the fridge.
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Preheat the grill to high. Grill the peppers and squash until light grill marks appear, for about 3 minutes per side. If desired, grill slices of bread at the same time.
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To assemble, arrange the cheeses on a large board. Add the grilled veggies, tomatoes, meats & fruits around the cheese. If space allows, add slices of grilled bread here and there. Or serve on the side in a small bowl.
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