The fun part about making a cheese board is having the option to designate it a theme. Italian cheese boards are always a crowd pleaser and cheese boards with a Greek twist are delicious, but there's something about Spanish cheese and meats that elevate a cheese board to another level entirely. The cheeses that come from Spain and the surrounding region are bold in their flavors, spicy in their heat levels, and when combined, create a perfect symphony of balance.
This isn't limited to cheese and meats, though... There are plenty of Spanish accompaniments that can adorn a cheese board to add sweetness and tangy flavor, which is what makes this country, and its treasured gourmet foods, so wonderful. Olives and various spreads are two additional aspects to creating a Spanish-style cheese and charcuterie board that make it sing, with enough flavors to spend an entire night combining. Ready for some serious flavor? Here's how to create one easily.
Items To Prep
To start out, a good loaf of bread is a great addition to any cheese board, but especially a Spanish-style board due to all of the spreads that can be offered. A crusty baguette, while not exactly Spanish, is the perfect vehicle for all of these flavors as well as for stacking cheeses and meats.
A little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt are all that is needed to toast each slice of bread up to a crispy, slightly browned perfection. Slicing the bread and toasted beforehand will allow it to cool, thus the cheese won't be melted and the meats won't be warm when people start chowing down. Serve the bread on the side in a basket lined with a tasteful dish towel.
Cheese
Next, the cheeses should sit out for at least 30 minutes prior to serving - by bringing the temperature down to room temperature, the flavors are allowed to come out in full force, tasting as they should rather than cold and refrigerated. So, which Spanish cheeses make for great crowd-pleasers? To start, a hearty manchego is a no-brainer. This cheese has a sharp, nutty, and salty bite that's similar to parmesan but somehow better. A true manchego is recognizable by its age crystals and the trademark rind, which is brown or a very dark green color. There are a few types of manchego so when it doubt, mix it up!
To follow, if you can find Idiazábal, this is a wonderful addition to any Spanish cheese board. This cheese is made with sheep's milk, specifically the Laxta and Carranza sheep, in the Basque hillside. The flavor of idiazábal is similar to manchego but slightly milder, and the smoking process adds a hint of smokiness to its overall profile. This cheese is highly regarded in the region and has become the most popular in the Basque countryside. Its buttery and soft texture allows it to be a semi-soft cheese, which means two of the three (hard, semi-soft, soft) cheese texture categories will be satisfied. Mahón is another semi-soft cheese with a flavor that's even milder, but isn't as easy to find - its flavor is similar to Muenster cheese.
For soft cheese, Cabrales is a great option for those who enjoy blue cheese. This cheese comes from Asturias, Spain, and is usually made with a blend of cow and goat or sheep's milk. This means that the resulting blue cheese is slightly stronger than the average with a bit of spiciness on the end. In traditional form, the wheel of this cheese is wrapped in leaves after it's made and it's perfect for those who appreciate the pungency of a traditional blue.
Meat
Spanish charcuterie is a thing of beauty. Similar to Italy, these meats hold a prominent place in both the history and culture of the country. Although not easy to find, at least not authentically, is Jamón, which is the most popular and beloved Spanish meat of them all.
The most elusive type of Jamón is Iberico, which needs to be imported in order to be found in other parts of the world. The other, easier to find Jamón is Serrano, which is a meat that many people are familiar with. Chorizo is another great meat for a cheese and charcuterie board as it adds a solid level of heat, but sweet chorizo is also a great choice.
Spreads And Extras
Olives are a big part of Spanish cuisine and while Manzanilla is the most popular, there's so much more out there! Cacereña olives are the perfect briney, somewhat mild accompaniment while olives such as hojiblancas provide a bit of heat and a worthy kick for spice lovers. Stuffed olives, known as Gordal, are a great addition to the platter as well. Dried fruits, such as figs, and fig spread as well as fig cakes, are all a great way to incorporate a sweetness that will temper all of that salt and spice.