Pomegranate, Parsley and Pecan Cheeseball

Name: Pomegranate, Parsley and Pecan Cheeseball
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 1 cup pomegranate arils or seeds; 8 ounces Neufachel cream cheese; 1 tablespoons butter; 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese; ¼ cup finely chopped toasted pecans; 1 small clove garlic; 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary; 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 teaspoon finely zested lemon peel; ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley

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5.0

21 reviews

Excellent

Course
Appetizer

Pomegranate, Parsley and Pecan Cheeseball

Hamza Castro

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A delicious new cheeseball variation - it's light, fresh and fun - with a smidgen of garlic, a bit of fine lemon zest and lots of fresh herbs. It's gorgeous too and tends to make jaws drop!

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Ingredients

1 cup pomegranate arils or seeds drained
8 ounces Neufachel cream cheese softened (You can use regular cream cheese, but I like the lower fat Neufachel variety.)
1 tablespoons butter softened
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
¼ cup finely chopped toasted pecans
1 small clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley finely chopped or snipped
1 teaspoon finely zested lemon peel
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley for garnish

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Instructions

Place several thicknesses of paper toweling on a dinner plate. Place pomegranate arils on toweling in a single layer. Cover with another paper towel and pat gently. Refrigerate on plate, allowing arils to drain while preparing cheeseball.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, Monterey Jack cheese, pecans, garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, lemon zest and black pepper. Beat for 1 minute or until well combined.
Place a large piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Scoop cream cheese mixture onto one side of the plastic wrap. Fold other half over the mixture and working with your hands form into a ball. Don't worry if it's not super round at this point. Place in refrigerator and chill for 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Remove from refrigerator and discard plastic wrap. With a clean sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a round ball. Remove pomegranate plate from refrigerator and discard paper towels. Place cheese ball in the center of the plate. With your hands, scoop up pomegranate arils and gently, but firmly press them into the cheeseball till most of the white is covered. Once the entire ball is covered with pomegranates, you can gently reshape it one more time, if needed.
Place on a serving plate, sprinkle with more chopped parsley and serve with crackers or crostini. Can be made 4-5 hours in advance and refrigerated, covered lightly with plastic wrap. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Serves 20-24.