Mexican Vegetarian Grazing Board

Recipe: Mexican Vegetarian Grazing Board & Mexican Corn Dip

Make a Mexican Vegetarian Grazing Board for your next party. Dips, vegetables, cheese and some tortilla chips not only adds texture and flavour but is a fun way to enjoy starters.  Gather around the grazing board and enjoy the nibbles as you chitchat away with friends or family. I made this grazing board for starters. If you want to, turn it into a light meal option by adding bean chile, small soft tacos, salad, Mexican rice, etc. When it comes to Mexican food, I’m all for it as it includes a lot of vegetables.

Sharing Mexican Vegetarian Grazing Board With Sunday Funday Group

For this Sunday theme I’ve suggested the theme Creative Charcuterie | Grazing Board. The theme suddenly cropped up when I was having friends over for lunch. I wanted to make starters where we could sit and enjoy some healthy nibbles. What better idea than  vegetables and dips.  That is when I thought of creating a grazing board – looks beautiful and did wow the guests. The participants have certainly gone creative! heck out the variety of charcuterie or grazing boards below.

What Is A Charcuterie Board?

Of French origin, a Charcuterie Board is usually served as an appetizer on a wooden board or a stone slab. It usually has preserved foods such as cured meat, pâtés, cheese, crackers, bread and some vegetables, olives, pickled veggies, etc. Charcuterie is actually a branch of the French Cuisine that prepares any meat product like sausages, ham, bacon, pâtés, confit, terrines, galantines, etc especially from pork. But these days you will find different creative and unusual Charcuterie Boards that are served as appetizers, starters or desserts. Different meats other than pork are used.

 

What Is A Grazing Board?

A grazing board does not restrict one to include only meats. Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, crackers, cheese, dips, crudites, pickles, etc are included in a grazing board. Quite different to a traditional Charcuterie Board which is mostly meat based. They are becoming quite popular as the number of food items one can include are limitless.

 

Charcuterie | Grazing Boards Are Ideal For

• Birthday Parties
• Picnics
• Tea Time Get Together
• Business Lunches
• Dinner Parties
• Games Nights
• Girls Get Together Parties
• Baby Showers
• Bachelor| Bachelorette Parties
• Date Night
• Corporate Functions
• Weddings
• Engagement Parties

 

Why Assemble Charcuterie | Grazing Boards?

• Versatile

Create a board to dietary requirements. Can be totally vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, or theme based.

• Allows Social Interaction

Sit around a grazing board, enjoy the nibbles and socialize.

• Easy To Prepare

Many of the food items used for a grazing or charcuterie board can be bought ready made in supermarkets right from cooked or cured meats to dips. You can opt to make dips, crackers, sandwiches, cookies, etc at home if you wish. If you make any of the food items at home, they can easily be made in advance, like crackers, dips, chutneys, etc.

• Beautiful

Most boards look stunning as colours and textures come together. Makes it simply irresistible, one can’t help but reach out for the food on the boards.

Memories

Before  we get into how to assemble the easy peasy Mexican Vegetarian Grazing Board, I have share with you the memory associated with the board. Our friends from Mombasa made a special trip to Magog to visit us. We’ve known each for  40 years. They came from Mombasa to attend a family wedding. Their son who lives in Toronto organized a road trip from there to Montreal and Quebec City to celebrate the parents 40th Wedding Anniversary. Our friends insisted that a diversion be made to Magog to visit us. Hubby and I were absolutely thrilled that someone from all the way in Mombasa was coming to visit us. What a memorable day it was. Had to create something special for them to celebrate friendship and they wedding anniversary. The Mexican Vegetarian Board truly was full of colour. Their grandchildren too got tempted to try out some of the veggies.

Check Out Creative Charcuterie | Grazing Boards By Members Of Sunday Funday

• Culinary Cam: A Grazing Board for Gratitude 
• Food Lust People Love : Charcuterie Picnic Boxes 
• Our Good Life: Christmas Grazing Board 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Mexican Vegetarian Grazing Board 
• Sneha’s Recipe : Sandwich Charcuterie Board 
• Palatable Pastime : Thanksgiving Turkey Charcuterie Board
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Turkey Charcuterie Board 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Turkey Trot Sandwich Board

What I Used For My Mexican Vegetarian Grazing Board

Sweet Corn

Since it was summer time, sweet tender corn is available in abundance. I cut the corn into small pieces and steamed it.

Cucumber

Bought the small cucumber which again are in abundance during summer. Cut the cucumber into sticks.

Baby Tomatoes

Can use cherry or plum baby tomatoes. Most people love to eat tomatoes.

Cheese

I cut two different types of cheeses into cubes. One was marble cheese, mainly chose that for the kids and Monterey Jack Cheese with habanero.

Bell Pepper

Choose any colour, cut into half, remove the core and seeds. Slice it into long sticks.

Lemon

Lemon wedges to go with the steamed corn.

Avocado

Cut it into cubes. Make sure you drizzle some lemon or lime juice over it so it doesn’t turn brown.

Guacamole

Make it at home or buy ready made. Check out the recipe here. Or you can opt to serve it with pico de gallo.

Sour Cream

Use flavoured or plain. Can flavour the sour cream with chives, chipotle, garlic, lime, cilantro. I added a bit of lime juice.

Corn Dip

Made the dip at home. Scroll down for the recipe

Tortilla Chips

Add some tortilla chips of your choice. I like the scoop variety as it holds the dips and pico de gallo  well.

Peaches

Ideally would have loved to add mango to the board but at the time of assembling the board I didn’t have any ripe mangoes at hand. However, had several peaches so used those up. Just as well, as our friends loved the peaches. That is one fruit that is not readily available in Kenya. Even if we do get them then they are quite expensive.

Tajin Calsico Seasoning

This seasoning goes so well with any fruit, vegetable. We love to sprinkle some on the steamed corn and fruits.

How To Assemble The Board

Depends largely on the size of the board. It is recommended that dips, sauces or chutneys are kept in small bowls. Place them in the triangle formation or on one side of the board. Then start arranging the other ingredients around the bowls. Make sure same colours don’t clash. For example I would try and avoid placing cucumber and avocado together as they both are green. Try and fill up the spaces with small food items like olives, nuts, grapes, etc. Overlap slices of cheese, meat, crackers so you can add more. Basically, use your creative side and assemble the board. If possible cut veggies into sticks. And don’t forget to place some cocktail picks near the board. Also place a small bowl, glass, saucer for the used cocktail picks.

Ingredients Required For Mexican Corn Dip

Sweet Corn

Preferably fresh. Can use frozen if you don’t get fresh corn.

Onion

Peel and chopped finely. Use any onion of your choice, red, white or yellow. I have used red onion.

Garlic

Peel and chop finely.

Oil

Any oil of your choice. Olive, avocado, vegetable or sunflower oil.

Jalapeño

Use according to your taste. Can remove the seeds and core. Add 1-2 finely chopped jalapeño.

Salt

Add according to your taste.

Red Chilli  Powder

You need ½ -1 tsp, depending on the level of spiciness.

Smoked Paprika

Highly recommend adding it. Adds depth of flavour to the dip.

Cream Cheese

Any brand of your choice.

Sour Cream

If you don’t have sour cream, replace it with thick plain yogurt.

Cheddar Cheese

Use sharp cheddar cheese for flavour or can use Monterey Jack cheese.

Lime Juice

Preferably fresh. If you don’t have lime, use lemon or go for the bottled lime juice.

Fresh Coriander or Cilantro

Chop the coriander finely. If the stalks are tender chop them too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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