’Tis the season for neighborhood treat exchanges, family get-togethers, and New Year’s celebrations. And so comes the yearly appetizer conundrum. Appetizer spreads have become a competition as we all try to out-hor-d’oeuvre one another. Each year, we try to bring something a little more sophisticated and spectacular to the party. But whatever happened to the classics? Why re-invent the wheel? That’s why, this holiday season, I’m going old-school. I am making cheese balls. (Please, hold your gasps of horror!)
It would not be a Lamoureux Christmas without a cheese ball. Even though some may see the cheese ball as the quintessential cheesy (if you will), retro (but not in a good way) appetizer, I look forward to the annual cheese ball gracing our table at Christmas. So it perplexes me why everyone snickers at cheese balls when they hold such a fond place in my heart.
Think about everything we have done to the cheese ball. We call people “cheese balls” as a derogatory term. We confuse the delicious appetizer with the neon-orange snack food that can be bought by the barrel. Even when gourmet food magazines, such as Saveur, host recipes that look eerily similar to cheese balls, they call them Cheese Truffles, as if changing the name to “truffle” makes it more acceptable. Slowly we’ve pushed the cheese ball off the table for centerpiece appetizers like baked brie with more perceived pizzazz.
At home, we still keep the original clipping of the recipe that my grandmother used. Although her recipe is the traditional (and perhaps overdone) version made from cream cheese, cheddar, bell peppers, and walnuts, it is still a deceivingly addictive appetizer. To prove the cheese ball still deserves a place on the table in 2013, I decided to experiment with new, exciting cheese ball recipes to show once and for all how versatile and delicious they can be.
I have created three recipes here that I am confident will become holiday favorites. Instead of the traditional cream cheese, I used higher-quality cheeses: brie, gruyere, goat cheese, feta, and queso fresco. Livened up with fresh herbs and non-traditional spices, like thyme and ancho chili, these recipes are a pleasant surprise. You can form your final cheese ball into any shape or size, but I found I preferred mini, single-serving balls to the classic large one. If you’re tired of appetizer anxiety, try these recipes at your next seasonal celebration. Be loud, be proud, and bring back the cheese ball!
French Onion Cheese Ball
This cheese ball is deceptive – like cheeseburger chips or mint chocolate chip gum, it’ll make you think you’re really eating French onion soup. Begin by caramelizing onions much the same way you would for the soup version. Then, add stock in small amounts so just enough is absorbed by the onions, and then toss fresh herbs and pepper into the pan. I usually omit adding salt, as the stock and cheese usually have plenty, but season to your liking. Once these flavorful onions are cooled, they are added into a mix of gruyere and brie, then formed into a ball. Serve on top of a toasted baguette slice and you’ve got a cheese ball that tastes just like French onion soup, but in a much more convenient package to serve to guests. I prefer to make individual balls with this recipe, since it’s firmer and can be tricky to spread due to the long onion strands.
Ingredients
1 large white onion, chopped as described below
1 shallot, chopped similarly to the onion
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup chicken or beef stock
1 bay leaf
Handful of fresh thyme sprigs, tied with twine
Pepper, to taste
1⅓ cup gruyere, grated
½ pound brie, room temperature
Instructions
Begin by chopping the onion, first in half from tunic (tip) to roots, then slice each half into ⅛ in thick half moons.
Caramelize the onions in a sauté pan over medium-low heat until they begin to soften and brown. Add the shallot and garlic to the pan and continue to caramelize the onions. Add the thyme bouquet garni and bay leaf, then add pepper to taste. Add the stock in small increments, just enough to barely coat the bottom of the pan. Wait until onions have fully absorbed the stock before adding more. (Note: you may not need to add the entire cup if you feel the onions have caramelized well and have good flavor.)
Once the onions have absorbed enough flavor and are a lustrous brown, remove the pan from the heat and let sit until the onions have fully cooled. Once cooled, remove and discard the herbs.
In a large bowl, combine gruyere and brie using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Add the onions into the cheese and mix well.
Roll into ½ inch balls. Refrigerate for at least two hours prior to serving, but preferably overnight. Serve on toasted baguette slices rubbed with fresh garlic.
Yields 12 ½-inch cheese balls.
Mediterranean Cheese Ball
In a big twist, this cheese ball is light and fresh, with fresh herbs, goat cheese, and orange zest. The orange zest really enhances the flavor of good quality, unpitted green olives, so I would recommend these over the jarred variety in grocery stores (which will still work, if needed). The outer coating of toasted pine nuts also provides a nice textural contrast to the soft cheeses.
Ingredients
½ cup feta, crumbled
6 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
About 10 green olives, like Picholine, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons mint, chopped
1½ teaspoon orange zest
1 cup pine nuts, toasted, finely chopped
Instructions
Toast pine nuts in a pan over medium heat until aromatic and lightly browned. Remove from heat and chop once cooled.
In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and mix well.
Form into small, ½-inch balls. Roll each ball in the chopped pine nuts until completely covered. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, preferably over night.
Serve with pita wedges or pita chips.
Yields 12 ½-inch cheese balls or one larger cheese ball.
Chorizo and Cheese Cheese Ball
Because I love everything Southwestern (i.e., vaguely Mexican), I had to include a cheese ball recipe that included some spice. This recipe is the most traditional of the three, but still has some flare. Crumbled queso fresco is added to the standard cream cheese base, along with chorizo, peppers, onion, cumin, and ancho chili powder. Served with tortilla chips, they can be a flavorful addition to a holiday party or the perfect for game-day snack.
Ingredients
2 large links chorizo
⅓ cup each red, green, and yellow bell peppers, diced
⅓ cup onion, diced
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 ounces queso fresco, room temperature, crumbled
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder (more if desired)
Instructions
Remove casings from chorizo and brown in a pan, breaking chorizo into small bits. Once chorizo is just cooked, remove ⅔ the chorizo from the pan and place on paper towels to absorb excess grease. Leave remaining ⅓ chorizo in pan to brown and crisp, then remove from pan, reserving the grease in the pan, and place on separate plate with paper towels.
In the same pan with the reserved chorizo fat, add the onion. Once slightly softened, add the peppers and cook until softened. Remove from heat to cool.
In a large bowl, thoroughly combine both cheeses. Add the cooled ⅔ chorizo, peppers and onions, and spices. Mix well.
Form into 1-inch balls and then roll each ball into the reserved crispy chorizo until evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, preferably overnight.
Serve with tortilla chips and salsa.
Yields 12 1-inch cheese balls or one large cheese ball.
Photos by Rachel Wisniewski
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