"Cheese" ball

I bought a bag of raw Brazil nuts recently for a very specific recipe. And then I promptly forgot what I planned to make.

No matter. I saw this recipe for Brazil nut cheese and became obsessed with the idea.

You soak the Brazil nuts overnight, then puree them into a creamy, fatty paste. (I tweaked the seasoning on the recipe a little -- the way the recipe is written is too bland for my taste.) Roll everything into a ball and squeeze out the extra liquid.



Cover the ball in fresh herbs. I used whatever I had on hand from the farmers' market.



The recipe said to bake until the ball cracks, and mine never quite did that. I finally got tired of waiting and pulled it out. I think altogether I cooked it too long. The cheese would have been less dry and crumbly if I would have kept the bake time around 20 minutes.

I still really like this concept. I was a child of the 70s, so cheese balls represent everything fun and grown-up and glamorous to me. (Yes, that really is as sad as it sounds.)

I'll probably make this again next time my friends come over for wine and nibbles.