Miso, Bacon and Asiago Cheese Ball
As I write this we are still in that Christmas/New Years limbo where no one knows what time it is and everyone is full of cheese. So to honour such a time I present to you – Not my grandmas cheeseball!
I grew up in a cheeseball family – not like ‘oh my family likes to make a cheeseball for Christmas I’m talking about how every December my Grandma Phyllis would make the cheeseball and it wasn’t for an event, it just existed so that every time you you opened the fridge you could have a little cheese ball snack and any time someone popped by out came the partially eaten cheese ball.
It was pink from canned ham and covered in nuts and I avoided it like it was from a dimension my undeveloped child palette couldn’t comprehend. That being said Philly wasn’t really an adventurous eater so I’m sure if I tried it I would have survived but I wasn’t about to risk it.
Phyllis hated onions so passionately you’d think they had personally wronged her, and honestly she probably wouldn’t even have tried this Caramelized Onion, Miso, and Asiago Cheeseball but she would have said ‘that looks great Livvy’ and eaten the crackers around it.
So even though this isn’t my Grandma’s cheeseball, and its not even a ball its a disc for a better cheese to pecan ratio- it still reminds me of her and I will continue to honour the tradition of being a cheeseball family.
Prep?
- Onions can be cut and stored in the fridge the day before cooking.
- Bacon can be cooked and onions caramelized one day before assembling.
- Pecans can be toasted any time prior to assembly.
Equipment
- 8″ Frying Pan
- Tongs
- Box Grater
- Chefs Knife
- Cutting Board
- Plastic Wrap
- Spoons
- Paper Towel
- Plate
- Rubber Spatula
- Stand or Hand Mixer (Optional)
Miso, Bacon and Asiago Cheese Ball
Course: UncategorizedDifficulty: Easy10-16
servingsIngredients
226g Bacon
2 Small Sweet Onions (2 Cups Diced)
250g Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp Miso Paste
2 Tbsp Chives
1 Cup Asiago (Shredded)
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Cup Pecans
Directions
- Add bacon to a cold 8″ pan and heat over medium.
Be sure to separate the slices but its okay that they aren’t flat and that they touch.
Use tongs to flip and turn bacon occasionally to promote even cooking until the slices are cooked through and crispy.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. - While the bacon cooks dice your onions.
When the bacon is finished remove all but 2 Tbsp of the bacon fat and return to medium heat with the diced onions.
Stir the onions occasionally until they start to gain colour and then more frequently until they are golden and incredibly soft, approximately 30-40 minutes then set aside to cool.
Note: If there are parts of your pan that look like they might start to burn add water 1 Tbsp at a time until the pan cools down. - While your onions cook do some prep work!
Finely chop the bacon, shred the asiago and finely chop the chives and reserve in the fridge. - When the onions are finished cooking either use a stand mixer, had mixer or rubber spatula in a large bowl to soften the cream cheese and fully incorporate in the miso paste.
When the miso and cream cheese are fully mixed fold in the bacon, Asiago, chives and 8-10 turns of freshly cracked pepper. - Use a damp paper towel or clean cloth to moisten a clean work surface and then lay two sheets of plastic wrap on top being sure to overlap by at least two inches.
Moistening the counter will help the plastic wrap stick to it and prevent sliding.
Transfer the cheese ball mixture to the center of the plastic wrap.
Bring the corners up to the center and hold in one hand then use the other hand to twist making a fully enclosed cheese package.
Flatten into a disc and then transfer to the fridge for at least two ours. - While the cheese ball chills heat a dry pan over medium heat.
Once the pan is hot add the pecans and toast stirring frequently until fragrant then remove from heat and when they are cool enough to handle roughly chop them and set aside. - When the cheeseball is fully chilled press the pecans into the surface and serve alongside crackers or as part of a spread.
