Who doesn’t love a good charcuterie board? What if I told you that you can get the same experience, with all of your favourite ingredients, but in stick or skewer form? My Appetizer On-A-Stick recipe is made with simple ingredients - 2 varieties of cured meat and cheese, marinated red peppers, olives, cherry tomatoes and basil leaves.
Not only are they picture-perfect but they couldn’t be easier to make. It’s really the best appetizer for any occasion - your next social gathering, bbq, party or date night. Get ready to impress the crowd! Serve as is or top with a drizzle of balsamic glaze for added sweetness and depth of flavour!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6 - 12
Ingredients:
12 mini bocconcini or fresh mozzarella balls (approx. 120g)
24 basil leaves
12 cherry tomatoes (approx. 125g)
12 slices of Capicola (approx. 125g)
12 slices of marinated roasted red peppers (jarred), cut into 3/4 inch by 2 inch long strips
12 green olives, stuffed
6 slices of Soppressata, cut in 1/2 widthwise (approx. 63g)
12 cubes of Gouda cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (approx. 130g)
Drizzle of balsamic glaze, as garnish
Instructions:
Start by grabbing 12 cocktail skewers, measuring 4.3 inches or 11cm in length.
Appetizer Assembly: To the skewer, add the bocconcini cheese, followed by a basil leaf (folded in half), cherry tomato, Capicola rose, marinated red pepper slice (folded into thirds), olive, Soppressata bow-tie, another basil leaf (folded in half) and topped off with a cube of Gouda cheese.
Creating the Capicola Rose: Lay a single slice of Capicola on a cutting board or plate and fold it in half. Starting at the end closest to you, roll the Capicola until you form a cone or rose shape. Check out the video below for additional guidance.
Creating the Soppressata Bow-Tie: Simply fold the Soppressata 4 times to create a bow-tie or accordion pattern, pinching the middle to hold its shape, before placing it onto the skewer. Check out the video below for additional guidance.
Arrange the skewers on a serving platter and refrigerate until company arrives! Serve as is or garnish it with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Enjoy!
Notes:
Types of Cocktail Skewers: If you’re looking for cocktail skewers, look no further. You can find bamboo cocktail skewers at almost every grocery or party supply store. If you want multi-use skewers, like the ones I used in this recipe, you can find various options online.
Varieties of Stuffed Olives: You want to ensure that you use pitted olives in this recipe. I like using olives stuffed with garlic but pimento also works beautifully here.
So Many Cheeses to Choose From: It’s really dealers choice here as long as you stick with a firmer cheese. The firmer cheeses help anchor and keep the ingredients in place on the skewers. The following cheeses pair well with the ingredients in this recipe and can be used as a substitute for Gouda: White Cheddar, Swiss, Jarlsberg and Havarti.
What Could Be Sweeter: For a little added sweetness and depth of flavour, drizzle balsamic glaze over the top of the skewers.
