Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup 1/2 inch pieces of chives
5 oz crumbled Gorgonzola
1 oz shredded Cabot extra sharp cheddar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 inch chunk of shallot, minced
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup minced flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup blanched, slivered almonds
Directions:
Place the cheeses, chives, cream cheese, shallot, and Worcestershire sauce in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and chill for 30 minutes to an hour. Scrape it out of the bowl and shape into a ball. Sprinkle the parsley and almonds in a shallow bowl and roll the ball into the mixture until evenly coated. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.
My thoughts:
I don’t think people make and eat cheese balls nearly as much as they ought to. Or maybe it is just the people we know (and we do seem to know an inordinate amount of vegans) but never do I see a cheese ball on the table. It is a shame because 1. it’s cheese 2. it is pretty easy to make 3. it is always a crowd pleaser and did I mention 4. it’s cheese! I know some people think of them and have ’50s flashbacks to cheese balls that were made with waxy “nippy” cheese and rolled in salty nuts but cheese balls can be so much more. I like them made with strong tasting cheese like Gorgonzola and rolled in herbs in addition to nuts. You could just do herbs but if you are making it ahead of time, it does keep its shape better for longer when rolled in the almonds. I like to serve it with a variety of fun shaped crackers but you could go healthy and serve with crisp vegetables. Skinny radishes (with their tops left on as handles) are especially good with this one.
I feel really stupid for asking this, but: where do the chives come in? They're not mentioned in the instructions. Do they go into the blender, or are they part of the mixture in which the ball gets rolled?
They are mixed in with the cheese. Enjoy!
I love cheese balls. I remember as a kid my mother went to the Hickory Farms kiosk at Christmas time and bought the cheese balls and cheese logs to serve at parties. This was back when they were only setup at Thanksgiving and Christmas so you had to go early or you were out of luck. She always got me one log to have in the fridge. I am ALL for bringing back the cheese ball!!!! I am going to try this one this weekend. I have everything already. Thanks!!!!
I hope you like it, Bridget! Cheese balls are so fun.
Thanks! Can't wait to try it.