Medusa Curls Party Platter (Printer-friendly)

A dramatic appetizer platter with creamy dip center surrounded by rolled meats and curly-cut peppers.

# What You Need:

→ Central Dip (Head)

01 - 8 oz whipped cream cheese, softened
02 - 4 fl oz sour cream
03 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
04 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
05 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
06 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
07 - Salt to taste

→ Curls (Snakes)

08 - 6 oz prosciutto or deli ham, thinly sliced
09 - 6 oz Genoa salami, thinly sliced
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

# Steps:

01 - Combine cream cheese, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Transfer to 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 shapes if available.
03 - Roll each slice of prosciutto and salami into loose curls or spirals.
04 - Position meat and vegetable strips in radiating lines around the dip mound, alternating colors and types to resemble snakes.
05 - Place a black olive at the tip of each curl to mimic snake heads.
06 - Decorate platter edges with fresh dill or parsley sprigs and sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately with crackers, toasted bread, or fresh vegetable dippers.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It does half the talking for you—people photograph it before they even taste it, which means your effort becomes the opening act of every party story.
  • There's zero cooking involved, so you're actually relaxed when guests arrive instead of frantic in the kitchen.
  • You can prep it hours ahead, and unlike hot appetizers, it only gets better as flavors meld.
02 -
  • If your peppers won't curl when you peel them, they're either too thick-walled or too fresh—let them sit at room temperature for an hour first and they'll be more cooperative.
  • The dip needs to sit at least 15 minutes after mixing so the garlic powder and salt can actually flavor it; taste it before serving because your seasoning might need adjusting based on how salty your meats are.
03 -
  • If you don't own a julienne peeler, a regular vegetable peeler works fine—just make thinner, longer strips and they'll curl naturally without extra tools.
  • Salt your dip conservatively at first because prosciutto and salami bring serious saltiness, and you don't want the whole platter being a salt explosion.
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