Compass Rose Four Meats (Printable)

A showstopping platter combining smoked salmon, chorizo, prosciutto, and roast beef with a creamy dip centerpiece.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 3.5 oz smoked salmon
02 - 3.5 oz spicy chorizo, sliced
03 - 3.5 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced
04 - 3.5 oz roast beef, thinly sliced

→ Central Dip

05 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened
06 - 2 tbsp sour cream
07 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
08 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
09 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnishes and Accompaniments

10 - ½ cup pickled vegetables (e.g., cornichons, pearl onions)
11 - ½ cup assorted olives
12 - Fresh herbs (e.g., parsley, dill) for decoration
13 - Crackers or sliced baguette (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Combine cream cheese, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix until smooth. Transfer to a small serving bowl and place at the center of a large platter.
02 - Fan smoked salmon pointing upward (north), place chorizo slices pointing downward (south), lay prosciutto pointing right (east), and arrange roast beef pointing left (west) around dip.
03 - Fill spaces between meat sections with pickled vegetables and assorted olives.
04 - Garnish platter with fresh herbs to enhance color and aroma.
05 - Offer crackers or sliced baguette on the side as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Four different meats mean there's genuinely something for everyone, even at a table of conflicting preferences.
  • The visual drama does half the work—guests feel impressed before they even taste anything.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble it just before people arrive, which is the whole point of a good appetizer.
02 -
  • Don't arrange the meat more than 30 minutes before serving, or the textures start feeling slightly off and the colors begin to dull under kitchen lights.
  • Keep everything at room temperature—cold meat from the refrigerator becomes dense and loses the tender quality that makes people reach for more.
03 -
  • Buy your meats from a proper butcher counter where they'll slice things paper-thin rather than buying pre-packaged, which often arrives curled or damp.
  • The secret is letting guests serve themselves—the platter becomes something they interact with rather than something that's been finished for them.
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