Cranberry-Walnut Cheese Ball

Makes 1½ cups, about 12 servings 

⅓ cup toasted walnuts 

2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves 

1 scallion (white and light green parts only), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 

1 ½-inch piece lemon peel 

⅓ cup dried cranberries 

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 

4 ounces cream cheese (½ standard package), room temperature  

¼ cup (2 ounces) fresh goat cheese, room temperature 

2 tablespoons blue cheese 
¼ teaspoon kosher salt 

1.Put the walnuts in the work bowl fitted with the metal chopping blade. Pulse to finely chop; remove and reserve in a medium bowl. 

2.Add the parsley to the work bowl and process to finely chop. Remove and reserve with the walnuts.  

3.With the unit running, add the scallion and lemon peel through the feed tube, and finely chop. Add the cranberries and pulse to roughly chop. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the butter and cream cheese. Process until creamy, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the goat cheese and pulse to combine, then add the blue cheese and salt. Pulse to combine.  

4.Form the cheese mixture into a ball and transfer to a medium bowl. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator to chill until slightly firm, 20 to 30 minutes.  

5.Once the cheese ball is firm enough to handle, smooth into a more even ball if necessary, and then coat with the reserved parsley and walnuts.  

6.Serve chilled or at room temperature with hearty crackers. Store the cheese ball well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.