Name: Zesty Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 2 cups shredded dill Havarti cheese; 8 ounces cream cheese , softened; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 4 ounces smoked salmon , chopped; 1 shallot , minced; 1 teaspoon lemon zest (plus 1 tablespoon juice); 1/2 cup minced fresh chive

Why This Recipe Works

Most supermarket cheese balls prove difficult to spread, and their unnatural flavor and orange hue make us wonder whether they contain any real cheese at all. We wanted a simple homemade recipe for cheese balls we’d be happy to serve as a holiday hors d’oeuvre. To achieve this, we used equal parts semisoft cheese and cream cheese to produce a firm yet spreadable consistency, and added a bit of mayonnaise to give our cheese balls a silky texture. We also used small amounts of assertive ingredients like smoked salmon, shallots, and lemon zest to enhance our Zesty Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball recipe’s flavor without compromising the texture.

Instructions

Process all of the ingredients (except the chives) in a food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary, about 1 minute. Transfer the cheese mixture to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap.

Holding the corners of the wrap in one hand, twist the cheese with your other hand to seal the wrap and shape the cheese into a rough ball (mixture will be somewhat loose). Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. (The cheese ball can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.) Once the cheese ball is firm, reshape it as necessary into a smooth sphere. Unwrap the cheese ball and roll it in chives. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.