Blue cheese balls, Julia Childs Roquefort

By JMBT

Yields 24 balls

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound Roquefort or other good blue cheese
• 4 to 6 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced chives
• 1 tablespoon finely minced celery
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• salt, if needed
• 2 table spoons cognac (you may substitute 1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce)
• 1/2 cup fine, stale, white bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons very fine minced parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Crush the cheese in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of the butter and work into a smooth paste. Beat in the chives, celery, seasonings and cognac. If mixture is very stiff, beat in more butter by fractions. Check seasonings carefully, adding salt if needed. roll into balls about 1/2 inch in diameter.

Toss bread crumbs and parsley in a bowl and turn out onto a plate. Roll the cheese balls in the mixture so they are well covered. chill.