Ranch cheese ball with chives, parsley and walnuts

Name: Ranch cheese ball with chives, parsley and walnuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1 small shallot, minced; 1/2 tsp minced garlic; 250 g pkg cream cheese, softened; 2 cups shredded aged white cheddar; 2 tbsp finely chopped chives, or 1 green onion, finely chopped; 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley; 2 tbsp sour cream, or buttermilk; 2 tsp lemon zest; 1 tsp lemon juice; 3/4 tsp dried dill; 1/2 tsp dry mustard, or Dijon; 1/8 tsp fresh cracked black pepper; 1 cup toasted walnuts, or almonds, finely chopped; 1 tbsp chopped parsley; 1 tbsp chopped chives

Prep Time10 mins
Total Time1 hr 10 mins
Makes10 servings

Photo, Erik Putz.

Ingredients

1 small shallot, minced
1/2 tsp minced garlic
250 g pkg cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded aged white cheddar
2 tbsp finely chopped chives, or 1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp sour cream, or buttermilk
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp dry mustard, or Dijon
1/8 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

Coating

1 cup toasted walnuts, or almonds, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped chives

Instructions

WHIRL shallot and garlic in a coffee grinder or small food processor. Scrape into a large bowl and beat in cream cheese with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in cheddar, chives, parsley, sour cream, lemon zest and juice, dill, mustard and pepper.
FORM into a ball, then wrap in a large piece of plastic wrap, twisting top. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
UNWRAP ball. Roll in large plate of almonds, parsley and chives.

Make-ahead: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Let cheese ball stand for an hour at room temperature before serving.

Kitchen Tip: Use a mortar and pestle to mash shallot and garlic into a paste.

Tip: Divide into 2 balls and coat in nut mixture.

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Christmas appetizer cocktail party