Add smoky sensations to your party buffet with this selection of gourmet cheeses, a super-deluxe Spanish olive oil in eye-catching bottle, fresh smoked trout, and a sultry salt farmed using ancient methods. These smoked foods will truly stimulate the taste buds.
As part of the menu for my Smoky-themed party, I found some truly sensational accents to go along with the recipes. Put these on the buffet for guests to play with—say a drizzle of the smoky olive oil, a slice of the smoky cheese on a cracker, or a sprinkle of the salt to accent foods in a most soulful way.
[1] Smoky Cheeses
Choosing to include smoked cheese on your board is usually a major crowd pleaser. Also, think about switching out the smoky versions in classic cheese dishes (think lasagna, stuffed mushrooms) with these delicious choices. Seen in the photo above, from top to bottom: Smoked Mozzarella; Smoked Gouda; Smoked Seaside Cheddar; Apple Smoked Cheddar.
Other ideas for tweaking the classics with smoked cheese: Try a smoky mac ’n’ cheese using smoky cheddar, gouda, and a little cream cheese. Create a gruyère and smoked gouda fondue—add some truffle oil for extra sensation. Make grilled cheese sandwiches out of mini breads, stuff with smoked gouda, and thin slices of apples and ham.
[2] Castillo De Canena
This family-run business, creates extra virgin oils in incredible natural surroundings. Their olive orchards are situated in the Cazorla and Magina Mountains which sit next to eight kilometers of the Guadiana River. The olives produced here supply the oil with a smooth, less peppery taste. Arbequino Delicately Smoked is cold-infused with oak and other organic wood smoke. And the bottle is simply gorgeous—and deserves a place prominently positioned on the table.
Use this oil as a super-quick way to add a smoky presence to a dish: Dip bread; use it in ceviche; or create a smoky mayo. Available online at oliveoillovers.com $23.50. castillodecanena.com
[3] Smoked Trout
Cooler temps and depth of flavors go hand-in-hand. I picked up a couple of smoked trout from The Lobster Place in Chelsea Market, NYC, and created a trout salad to top flatbreads. Also, used it as a main ingredient in our recipe for Smoked Trout Mashed Potato Pot Pie.
[4] Flor De Sal
This extraordinary salt from Portugal is hand-farmed the same way it was done back when ancients ruled the area. Fumada gets its smoky flavor from local cork. It is cold-smoked for up to 3 weeks and packaged in the local cork, to keep humidity at bay.
Substitute this salt for ordinary salt in any recipe to add a slightly smoky flavor. Some ideas to get you started: Rub into the skin of roasted chicken or duck breast before roasting; Serve in a small bowl next to hard-boiled quail eggs for dipping; Toss on corn-on-the-cob or your next batch of popcorn; Brush on sliced eggplant and grill.
This salt farm is located in the very tip of Portugal, near the coast of Spain. It’s a gorgeous, unspoiled area that foodies would love to explore. I know this first hand because my British friends moved there, and opened up a proper B & B, and took me around. See some photos of me harvesting salt at this link.
We've got more recipes with smoky ingredients to wow guests with, check it out in 01 Smoked
