If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Nancy H must be feeling very flattered right now. At a recent Gourmet Dinner Club (GDC) gathering, Nancy brought a tasty and simple cheese and nut ring. She said it’s her go-to appetizer at this time of year. We all loved it and asked for the recipe. And, in my case, I asked if I could share it on Riegl Palate.
Fast forward a few weeks later when I’m thinking about what to make for our annual Bunco holiday gathering and I remember Nancy’s appetizer. I proceed to make it and bring it to our Bunco gathering. Minutes after I arrive Cathy R shows up with the same appetizer. When I say the same, I mean it – it was Nancy’s recipe! Cathy also happens to be in our GDC group. We had a good laugh and then proceeded to compare our two versions. Mine was spicier than Cathy’s despite only using half the amount of cayenne pepper that the original recipe called for. Cathy’s had more onion flavor as she used more onion plus had chopped it in a food processor so there was some juice as well. I used raspberry preserves and Cathy used Trader Joe’s Italian strawberries in syrup (think Luxardo cherries used in cocktails). They were both winners – our Bunco friends proceeded to ask for the recipe, too. It’s a good combination of savory, sweet and a bit of spice.
I built my ring around a small dish that I then filled with raspberry preserves. My favorite cheese (thanks to my dad!) is Saint-Marcellin – it’s a wonderfully pungent runny French cheese. It comes in this perfect little ceramic dish (3-1/2″ D x 1”H) that can be used for all sorts of things once the cheese is gone. Let’s just say that I’ve collected a few over the years and am always happy to put them to a different use.
Please take the extra few minutes to grate your cheese versus using already shredded cheese. Often pre-grated cheese has an additive to it that prevents it from clumping or caking. In this case you want the cheese to ‘bind’ into a ring. Plus, you have more choices of cheeses if you’re getting a block.
This appetizer is easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser. I prepared it a few days in advance – so the flavors had time meld – and shaped it into a ring just before serving. You could also double the recipe – serve half now and save the other half for later (perfect at this time of year).
| Nancy’s Cheese and Nut Ring | Print |
- 8 ounces extra sharp white cheddar cheese (see Notes)
- ⅓ cup pecans, chopped
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- ½ cup strawberry, raspberry or apricot preserves
- Serve with crackers
- Grate cheese in a food processor or by hand.
- In a medium bowl, mix together cheese, pecans, mayonnaise, onion, and cayenne pepper. Mixture should just bind together – add additional mayonnaise if needed.
- Place a small bowl in the middle of a plate. Form a ring around the bowl with the cheese and nut mixture.
- Place preserves in bowl just before serving. Serve with crackers.
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