Tabla de Embutidos y Quesos
(tah-blah deh em-boo-tee-dohs ee keh-sohs)
La Cena Ligera (The Gentle Evening)
Forget the chaotic, overflowing grazing boards polluting your feed. In Spain, a true tabla isn't an excuse to pile cheap pretzels and chocolate-covered berries onto a slab of wood—it's an elegant, deeply satisfying dinner that respects the centuries-old art of preserving meat. Your abuela didn't need to turn on a stove to feed you well; she just needed to let the meat sweat, give it room to breathe, and serve it with properly obliterated tomatoes on rustic toast.
Before you start
Let the meat sweat.
Take your cured meats and cheeses out of the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before serving. You are waiting for the fat to turn slightly translucent and glisten—unlocking the complex umami flavors that cold temperatures kill.
Ingredients
- rustic sourdough or ciabatta loaf1 large
- Spanish Serrano ham4 oz
- dry-cured Spanish chorizo4 oz
- salchichón or mild salami4 oz
- aged Manchego cheese6 oz
- soft goat cheese6 oz
- Marcona almonds1/2 cup
- Spanish green olives1/2 cup
- membrillo or high-quality fig jam2 tbsp
- highly ripe tomatoes on the vine2 med
- garlic1 large clove
- extra virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- flaky sea salt1 tsp
Method
- 01
Organize the board with respect.
Do not pile the ingredients like a supermarket display. Lay the meat slices flat or slightly overlapping on a large wooden board, giving everything enough negative space to breathe.
- 02
Corral the accompaniments.
Place the olives and membrillo in small, separate bowls so their liquids don't ruin the meat, then scatter the almonds in small clusters.
- 03
Toast the bread.
While the meats are coming up to temperature, toast the thick slices of rustic bread until they form a sturdy, rough crust.
- 04
Rub the toast with garlic.
Take a halved raw garlic clove and lightly run the cut side over the hot, rough surface of the bread so it acts like a grater.
- 05
Destroy the tomato.
Hold a halved tomato and aggressively rub the cut flesh into the toast until the juices and pulp sink into the crumb, leaving only the skin in your hand to discard.
- 06
Finish and serve.
Drizzle the tomato-soaked bread generously with your best olive oil, hit it with flaky sea salt, and bring it to the table alongside the sweating board.
Notes
The Weeknight Hack.
If you can't find individual packs of authentic Spanish meats, look for "Spanish Charcuterie" trio samplers at specialty grocers or Trader Joe's. They provide the exact authentic trio (Serrano, Chorizo, Salchichón) without breaking the bank or requiring a trip to a specialty butcher.
From Cook Spanish in America.