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Grape & Goat Cheese Truffles



Does anyone else dream in cheese?

A sweet triple cream brie, silky soft, spread on a buttery cracker. The kind of melt-in-your-mouth goodness that can only be enhanced by the perfect glass of wine. A certain dimly lit ambiance that lulls you into a perfect indulgence laden euphoria. . .

Hmm. Is that just me? Well, now you know my creepy fromagerie fantasies. Don't judge.

Anyway when I'm looking to satisfy my cheesiest urges, I head over to a local restaurant called Roy. It hits every single point delineated above. It's got a cool 60's lounge vibe, a great price point, and is seriously delicious. Did I mention they sell awesome funky art that really breaks up the whole "Santa Barbara landscapes" monotony that we call an art scene up here? But I digress. . . most importantly it's where I discovered my newest love: grape & goat cheese truffles!

Now normally I would never take on the task of "I tasted this in a restaurant and shall use my uber skills to recreate it at home".

Believe me, I know I'm not that good. But something about these little bursts of sweet cheesy crunchy goodness gave me this motivational push to say "yes I can!"

So here you go, my at home version of Roy's grape & goat cheese truffles. They are seriously impressive, and seriously easy.

Which we all know is the best combination ever!

Adapted from What's Cooking America


Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pistachio nuts, shelled, chopped rough (about 1 cup)*
8 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
24 seedless red grapes,
stems removed and wiped clean
* Your favorite nuts (such as walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans) may be substituted for the pistachio nuts.

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. In blender or food processor, process nuts until finely chopped.
Put one 1/2 tablespoon of the goat cheese in the palm of one hand and in it roll a grape, shaping the mixture around the grape to coat. Repeat process with remaining grapes and chill on a sheet pan for 15 minutes.
Roll the cheese-coated grapes in the nut mixture to cover completely and chill for 30 minutes or until
Makes 6 to 8 servings.