Paper Crane Cured Meats (Print View)

Visually striking cured meats and crackers, crafted to resemble a delicate crane on a platter.

# Components:

→ Cured Meats

01 - 3.5 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced
02 - 3.5 oz smoked turkey breast, thinly sliced
03 - 2.8 oz bresaola or pastrami, thinly sliced

→ Crackers

04 - 16 triangular whole-grain crackers, approx. 2 inches per side
05 - 8 black sesame or poppy seed triangular crackers

→ Garnishes

06 - 1 small bunch chives
07 - 1 small carrot, peeled
08 - 2 tbsp cream cheese
09 - 1 tbsp black sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Using a vegetable peeler, slice the carrot into very thin pieces, then cut a few slices into narrow strips to form the crane's beak and legs.
02 - On a large serving platter, fold prosciutto and smoked turkey slices into sharp triangular shapes, layering them to create a three-dimensional crane body.
03 - Fold bresaola or pastrami slices into triangles and arrange them in a fanned, upward motion resembling wings in flight.
04 - Place triangular crackers beneath and alongside the meats following the crane silhouette to accentuate the form.
05 - Use cream cheese to adhere carrot strips as the crane’s beak and legs; place chives as delicate tail feathers or wing accents.
06 - Sprinkle black sesame seeds where the eyes would be and over wing sections to add texture and visual interest.
07 - Serve immediately or cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but requires zero cooking, which means more time chatting with guests and less time in the kitchen.
  • The combination of salty cured meats, crisp textures, and bright vegetable accents keeps people reaching back for more.
  • Once you nail the folding, you can make it again and again with different meat combinations, never boring yourself or your table.
02 -
  • Cold cured meats fold much more easily than room-temperature ones, so take them straight from the refrigerator and work quickly so they don't soften in your hands.
  • The cream cheese is purely structural adhesive—use it sparingly so the saltiness of the meats stays the star of the show.
  • Carrot ribbons oxidize and soften if they sit too long, so peel and slice them no more than 30 minutes before assembly.
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut your carrot ribbons into perfectly uniform strips; uneven pieces will make the whole composition feel less intentional.
  • If cream cheese feels too soft to work with, chill it for a few minutes or use it straight from the refrigerator—it becomes a more precise adhesive when cold.
Return