FIG & BLUE CHEESE BALL

Serves 8 to 10

This is one of the appetizers that I love to make for Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations. Pairing salty blue cheese, sweet dried figs, orange zest, and toasted walnuts turn this perfectly balanced cheese ball into a sophisticated and elegant starter.

You can serve it with an assortment of crackers but I prefer to serve it with fresh baguette and apricot gem.

125 g blue cheese, room temperature 1 pkg/250 g cream cheese, room temperature 5 dried Black Mission figs, finely chopped 30 g red onion, finely chopped 2 tsp orange zest, finely grated sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the cheese ball coating

30 g walnuts, toasted and chopped

Parsley leaves, roughly chopped

In a medium bowl, combine blue cheese and cream cheese. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Add figs, red onion, orange zest and continue beating to combine. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Turn out the cheese mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and, using the wrap, form into a rough ball. Enclose and refrigerate for 6 hours to firm up, or overnight. When ready to serve, form the chilled cheese into a smooth ball and roll in parsley and walnuts to coat.

NOTE: Once you mix all ingredients, taste the mixture to see if it requires any salt. Depending on the saltiness of the blue cheese you will be using, you may not need to add any salt.