Name: Picnic platter
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 6 as a starter
Ingredients: 300g brie (or a mixture of cheeses); 1 bunch red or white grapes (or use a mixture); 200g mixed olives, artichokes or antipasti; 100g smoked almonds (or use other nuts); 1 jar red onion chutney or tomato chutney; 250g smoked mackerel or liver pâté; 200g salami (or another cured meat) or smoked salmon; 300g cucumber and carrot batons; sourdough bread slices or crackers, to serve; 1 bulb fennel, finely sliced; 100g mixed radishes, trimmed and bashed with the side of a knife but left whole; a small handful dill, chopped; 340g jar cornichons or silverskin onions (or use a mixture)

A serving board loaded with bread, cheese, pickles, cured meat and veg, with a knife on a pink background

300g brie (or a mixture of cheeses)
1 bunch red or white grapes (or use a mixture)
200g mixed olives, artichokes or antipasti
100g smoked almonds (or use other nuts)
1 jar red onion chutney or tomato chutney
250g smoked mackerel or liver pâté
200g salami (or another cured meat) or smoked salmon
300g cucumber and carrot batons
sourdough bread slices or crackers
to serve

QUICK PICKLES

1 bulb fennel
finely sliced
100g mixed radishes
trimmed and bashed with the side of a knife but left whole
a small handful dill
chopped
340g jar cornichons or silverskin onions (or use a mixture)

Method

step 1
First, make the pickles. Put the fennel, radishes and dill in a large bowl. Pour over the cornichons or pickled onions along with the liquid from the jar and a pinch of salt, then toss the mixture a few times to mix everything together. Cover and leave to pickle at room temperature for 30 minutes or chill for up to three days.
step 2
Arrange the cheese, grapes, olives, almonds and chutney on a large serving platter. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 1 hour or until ready to serve. Add the vegetable batons, pâté, and sourdough slices or crackers just before serving, along with a few small bowls of the quick pickles. Serve with knives and small plates for everyone to help themselves.