Wood-Roasted Antipasti Platter

Name: Wood-Roasted Antipasti Platter
Yield: serves 6 as a first course
Ingredients: 1 pound meaty mushrooms (porcini, chanterelles, maitake, portobellos); Olive oil; Sea salt; 1 pound each of 3 to 4 assorted vegetables, such as beets, baby carrots, parsnips, red bell peppers, eggplant, spring onions, radicchio, asparagus, and/or Brussels sprouts; 1 head garlic; 6 shallots; 3 to 4 sprigs rosemary, thyme, or marjoram; 1 handful of quality brine- or oil-cured olives, mixed or single variety; Serving wedges of one hard aged cheese, such as manchego or pecorino; Slices of one stellar cured meat, such as salami or prosciutto

January 24, 2012

This is not your basic antipasti. Serving a beautiful platter of wood-roasted seasonal vegetables, cured meats, hand-crafted cheeses, home-cured olives, and smoke-kissed crusty bread to family and friends as a prelude to dinner is an artful way to honor guests. This is just what chef Chris Bianco does at his restaurant, Pizzeria Bianco, in Phoenix, Arizona. Chris’s wood-fired pizzas are now legendary, but his wood-roasted antipasti platter sings. I hope you will enjoy my version, and create many versions of your own.

Recipe notes

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