Medusa Curls Party Platter (Printer-Friendly)

Visually striking platter with creamy dip, rolled meats, and curled colorful vegetables, perfect for sharing.

# What You Need:

→ Central Dip (Head)

01 - 1 cup softened whipped cream cheese
02 - 1/2 cup sour cream
03 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
07 - Salt to taste

→ Curls (Snakes)

08 - 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto or deli ham
09 - 6 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami
10 - 1 large red bell pepper
11 - 1 large yellow bell pepper
12 - 1 large green bell pepper
13 - 1 small English cucumber
14 - 1/2 cup pitted black olives

→ Garnishes (optional)

15 - Fresh dill or parsley sprigs
16 - Crushed red pepper flakes

# Directions:

01 - Combine cream cheese, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and spoon onto the center of a large serving platter, shaping into a mound.
02 - Cut bell peppers into long, thin strips. Use a julienne peeler or spiralizer on peppers and cucumber for curled strips if available.
03 - Roll slices of prosciutto and Genoa salami into loose spirals or curls.
04 - Position meat and vegetable strips radiating outward from the dip mound, alternating colors and types to resemble serpents.
05 - Place a black olive at the end of each curled strip to mimic snake heads.
06 - Decorate platter with dill or parsley and sprinkle optional crushed red pepper flakes. Serve immediately alongside crackers, toasted bread, or fresh vegetable dippers.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours on it, but you'll have it ready in 25 minutes.
  • Guests can't resist picking at it, and everyone remembers the presentation long after the food is gone.
  • You control the exact flavors in the dip, so it becomes uniquely yours every time you make it.
02 -
  • If you assemble this more than a couple hours ahead, the peppers will start weeping liquid and the dip will absorb moisture—keep it in the fridge and assemble within an hour of serving.
  • The olives are easy to forget about, but they transform the whole thing from "pretty veggie platter" into "wait, is this supposed to be something?" The eyes make it.
03 -
  • Keep your knife sharp or ask the deli counter to slice the meats paper-thin—thick slices won't curl properly and look clumsy instead of dramatic.
  • If you're making this for vegetarians, double the vegetables and use different textures: wavy carrot ribbons, spiral-cut zucchini, and thinly sliced red onion create movement without any meat.
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