CHEESE BALL w/CUMIN, MINT & PISTACHIOS

By BobD

Ingredients

• 1 cup cream cheese (8 ounces), softened
• 1/2 cup goat cheese (chévre), (4 ounces), softened
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, preferably Fulvi
• 1 teaspoon toasted and ground coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup finely sliced celery hearts, with leaves
• 1/3 cup chopped mint
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Sea salt
• 1/3 cup salted pistachio nuts, coarsely ground

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from events.nytimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and goat cheese with a wooden spoon until creamy and light. Beat in lemon juice and lemon zest. Fold in Pecorino Romano, coriander, cumin, celery, mint and pepper. Season to taste with salt.

Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on counter. Using a spatula, scrape cheese mixture onto center of plastic. Pull up sides of plastic wrap and form cheese into a ball. Wrap tightly, place in a bowl and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
3.
Pour ground pistachios into a shallow bowl. Unwrap cheese ball and roll it in nuts until coated. Lay ball on a serving plate, cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve. A half hour before serving, unwrap cheese ball and let it come to room temperature.

Serve with very thin plain crackers.