CHEESE PLATE INGREDIENTS RECIPES

Steps:

• First, choose your cheese. I suggest choosing between 2-4 kinds of cheese depending on how much variety you want on your skewer. Be sure you're also choosing cheeses that will hold up to being cut and skewered. My favorites for this are: your favorite cheddar, a simple brie that isn't too runny at room temp, a goat gouda, and a blue like fourme d'ambert. Cube all your cheese.
• When getting ready to cube hard cheese (like cheddar or gouda), be sure to let it come to room temperature so it doesn't shatter when you try to slice it. Softer cheeses are ok to cut cold.
• Get out your skewers, I like to use mid-sized or traditional kababs cut in half.
• Now, layer your skewers with your cheese plate cubes. The pattern I use is: cheese, olive, bread, different cheese, salami,bread, cheese, olive prociutto, bread, apricot. This is to keep the cheeses from touching so you can enjoy them individually while always giving the eater a piece of bread next to a piece of cheese.
• Feel free to have fun layering! Try this method with your favorite cheese plate staples for a fun picnic dish that will quickly become everyone's favorite.

Steps:

• Using a Microplane or other fine grater, finely grate about 1 tablespoon of the onion from the root end into a large bowl and set aside. Slice the remainder of the onion crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rings, add to a separate small bowl and fill with cold tap water. Soak the onion rings in the refrigerator to mellow out.
• To the bowl with the grated onion, add the ground beef, panko, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, brown sugar and nutmeg. Season with the salt and pepper. Form the beef into 4 patties (about 1-inch thick).
• Heat a large skillet over medium. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and wait until it’s shimmery. Carefully add the patties to the pan and cook until browned and caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Remove the pan from the heat, top each patty with a slice of cheese and cover the pan until the cheese is melted and the hamburgers are no longer pink on the insides, 1 to 2 minutes.
• To serve, evenly divide the cheese-topped patties, the tomatoes, pickles and bread among 4 plates. Drain the onions and add to the plates, along with a squirt each of ketchup and mustard. Eat with a knife and fork or, if you’d like, sandwiched between the bread.