Blue Cheese Ball

From the Savoie recipe box · the folded, butter-spotted card

1 ball · 10 min

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2 × 8 oz cream cheese, softened
3–4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1 tsp grated onion (with its juice)
1 Tbsp celery seed
1–2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2–3 drops Tabasco
~1 cup pecans, chopped, to coat

Beat the two cheeses together. Both at room temperature, worked smooth — the cream cheese is the body, the blue is the flavor threaded through it. Leave a few blue crumbles whole for pockets of sharpness.
Season. Grate the onion right over the bowl so the juice goes in too; add the celery seed, Worcestershire (start with 1 Tbsp), and Tabasco. Taste and push the Worcestershire to 2 Tbsp if it wants more savor.
Chill until firm. At least 2 hours, or overnight. It has to be cold and stiff before you can shape it — warm, it just smears.
Form a ball. Scrape the cold mix onto plastic wrap, gather it up, and roll it into a ball in your hands (the wrap keeps it off your palms).
Roll in pecans. Press the ball through the chopped pecans until it's coated all over. Chill again to set the coat, then serve at cool room temperature — 20 minutes out of the fridge — with crackers.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Beat the two cheeses together. Both at room temperature, worked smooth — the cream cheese is the body, the blue is the flavor threaded through it. Leave a few blue crumbles whole for pockets of sharpness.

2. Season. Grate the onion right over the bowl so the juice goes in too; add the celery seed, Worcestershire (start with 1 Tbsp), and Tabasco. Taste and push the Worcestershire to 2 Tbsp if it wants more savor.

3. Chill until firm. At least 2 hours, or overnight. It has to be cold and stiff before you can shape it — warm, it just smears.

4. Form a ball. Scrape the cold mix onto plastic wrap, gather it up, and roll it into a ball in your hands (the wrap keeps it off your palms).

5. Roll in pecans. Press the ball through the chopped pecans until it's coated all over. Chill again to set the coat, then serve at cool room temperature — 20 minutes out of the fridge — with crackers.

Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.