The Nibble Board

sweet, salty and flavorful snacks for all of your desires

OK, let’s set the scene. You’re in a treehouse behind a beautiful marble countertop. Yes, this is the most upscale and beautiful tree house you’ve ever seen with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an enclosed porch and an Italian oven. The (gas) fireplace is going, lighting the room and warming you up from the chilly, gray day. Music is on lightly in the background - some top 40, some classic rock, the kind of music you randomly sing along to or dance in your chair. You’re watching your clients play cards, the soon to be bride winning obviously, when you walk over with two flutes of champagne and a nibble board.

Luckily for me, that was my Saturday a few weeks ago when I was cooking for an engagement dinner. I had previously been to this treehouse with friends last February when there was snow on the ground, and we went fat tire biking during the day and played Candyland at night. It’s such a dreamy place, but the best thing about these highly personalized and intimate dinners I’ve been cooking for lately is the being in the moment, even when it’s not my wedding or my engagement. I finally took a few pictures during this dinner, but mostly, I’m back and forth cooking, serving and also chiming into the conversation, which means that by the end of the night, we’re also hugging and keeping in touch.

While this was the first time I brought the nibble board to a client dinner, it’s something that I started doing on repeat last winter for my then boyfriend and I. I’d pan fry some slices of gluten free sourdough bread that I perfected from Aran’s book, add some roasted vegetables, some beans, local apples, plump dates and maybe some cheese. Sometimes rillette or sausage would make an appearance too, and we’d put together different flavors - a little sweet and a little salty. Honestly, I was simply thrilled to be able to have toasted bread again after years of not making it due to being gluten free.

For this board, I used a similar thought process to start the evening a little more relaxed, but also not have them feel too full before starting the rest of the menu. Instead of cheese because the darling bride is dairy free, I made a bright pink roasted beet dip instead of using a local cheese. The color is exquisite and straddles sweet + savory with earthy, but roasted beets and creamy white beans. Salty Marcona almonds, tart mandarins (yes, the same ones I raved about the other week!), avocados (for the board above that I also received from Corky’s Nuts), raw carrots, olive oil kissed toasted bread and bright lemon-caper dressed smoked trout rounded out the board. Dates always make the menu because I love them so and she shared that same passion. Warmed ever so slightly and stuffed with cinnamon almond butter and flakey salt… can you really beat the sweet + salty combination? I think not.

The best part of this is that you can change things up accordingly to your tastes and what’s in season so play around with textures, flavors and have fun. Making these boards have been such an expression of season, but also what my clients, dining companions or myself needs that day so be expressive. These two recipes are just the beginning!

Beet- White Bean Dip
makes 2 cups

3 small beets (about 12 ounces)
1 cup cooked white beans (canned or home cooked)
1 shallot, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon of mandarin or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
pinch of smoked paprika
2-4 tablespoons of white bean cooking liquid or water

Preheat your oven to 350. Rinse your beets, and with a sheet of aluminum, wrap them up. Place them on a small tray (just in case any juice comes out of the foil), and bake for about an oven or until a knife can easily go into the root. Let them cool. When they’re easy enough to handle, slip the skins off the beets and cut them into bite sized pieces.

If you’d like a bite, you can use raw shallot, but I prefer it slightly melted. While your beets are cooling, heat a small pan over medium low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the shallot, cooking until it’s soft, translucent and a touch golden on the edges.

Place all of your ingredients from the beets to the paprika into a high speed blender. Blend until smooth, using the cooking liquid from the beans to thin the dip to your desired consistency. Serve with toasted bread, fresh fruit, seasonal vegetables and all of the nibbly things!

Warmed Dates with Almond Butter
makes 8

8 pitted Medjool dates
3 tablespoons almond butter*
flaky or coarse sea salt

In a small frying pan, add the dates and 1 teaspoon of water. Heat over medium low heat and shake them as they warm and the water evaporates.

Quickly, while they’re warm, take them out of the pan and split them down the middle to remove the pit. Fill with about 1 teaspoon of almond butter into each date. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

*I used GroundUp’s Cinnamon Snickerdoodle almond butter. It’s a wonderful women owned company, but if you’re using plain almond butter, I recommend adding a pinch of cinnamon for these.