When it comes to the perfect desk lunch, we’re all about the personal platter. Don’t get us wrong, we love those overflowing, Instagram-ready platters, but we also love treating ourselves to a board we’ve lovingly made just for us. It’s also a welcome change from a boring sandwich or salad – not to mention easier. The personal platter requires no cooking and is perfectly portable for lunches on the go. Bye-bye, sad desk lunch!
Building the perfect cheese plate is all about starting with high-quality ingredients. Look no further than a little fromage and plenty of Bayonne ham, a prosciutto-like cured meat named after the city of Bayonne in the south west of France.
Here’s how to make a perfect platter for one:
Step 1: ham it up
Start by placing a bouquet of Bayonne ham in the middle of the platter. Slicing it thinly helps keep the texture melt-in-your-mouth tender. Bayonne also has a deep, complex flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. We usually go with 4 – 6 slices, depending on how hungry we are.
Step 2: get cheesy
Bayonne has a rich, buttery flavor that will compliment nearly any wedge, but we especially love it with firm sheep’s milk cheeses. Ossau-Iraty from the Basque region of France is our choice: The nuttiness pulls out the sweet, hazelnut notes in the ham. Slice into triangles, and stick to about 2 ounces.
Step 3: add some greens
Bulk up your palate with some fresh arugula! The fresh, peppery leaves will give your palate some much-needed refreshment between rich bites of Bayonne and cheese. We love finishing the greens with oven-roasted tomatoes; their flavorful oil perfectly dresses the arugula.
Step 4: get figgy with it
Sweet fig jams complement that salty meat and cheese like nothing else! Our favorite fig jams have bits of the whole fruit remaining, to add that extra texture. Their rich, sweet flavor is almost like a built-in dessert.
Step 5: lest we forget the baguette
Crackers are great, but nothing beats a crusty baguette, warm from the oven. Tear off a third, slice it up, and use it to fill in any holes or gaps on your platter. It’s the perfect canvas for building all those tasty bites!
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Bayonne Ham
Bayonne Ham, or Jambon de Bayonne, is France’s most famous cured ham. Produced exclusively in the Southwest of France, it gained the Protected Geographical indication (PGI) status in 1998, guaranteeing full quality and respect for its geographic origins. Typified by a “melt-in-the-mouth” texture, Bayonne Ham is moderately salty and intense in flavors.
