The ultimate assembly lunch
There are days during Christmas where you don't have the energy or
inclination to cook or eat a full meal. Having a supply of delicious
meats, cheeses and picky bits to hand is the solution, and we can't
think of many things nicer than a French-style help-yourself lunch. It's
all in the balance of flavours, and trying a couple of new things.
On our board, clockwise from top left:
Italian linguette flatbreads Great with soft cheese, these are lighter than bread.
Saint-Marcellin cheese An oozing, full-flavoured cow's milk cheese from France.
Membrillo (quince paste) Sweet and delicious with strong cheeses.
Morbier cheese From the Alps, this nutty, aromatic cheese is made from the first and last milkings of the day, separated with a layer of ash.
Pork rillettes You can buy great-quality ready-made rillettes (confit of pork, shredded and mixed with some of the cooking fat). We love Unearthed, from Waitrose, or Reflets de France, from ocado.com. For a chic look, scrape off the top layer of fat from the jar, then use two spoons to roll the rillettes into a cylinder shape.
Herb-covered saucisson A break from the traditional Christmas ham, this is so moreish.
Paleta Ibérico ham Spanish Ibérico ham can be extremely pricey, but buying paleta, which is made from the shoulder instead of the leg, means you get all the flavour but for a fraction of the price.
Include some veg to break up the richness of the meat and cheese. Crunchy celery is delicious topped with rillettes, and bitter red chicory acts as a foil to the sweet, luxurious flavour of the ham.
Smart idea A dig-in meal like this is fun, but make sure you serve it at its best. This means getting all the ingredients to room temperature to bring out the flavours. You can still plate up everything - just leave loosely covered with clingfilm.
