Blue Cheese and Spiced Walnut Terrine

Ingredients

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 16 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
  • 2½ ounces soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet)
  • 2½ ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup chopped green onions
  • 2 tablespoons brandy
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
  • Red leaf lettuce

Directions

  1. Mix kosher salt, cumin, cardamom, and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and sauté until light brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over nuts and sauté until sugar melts and turns pale amber, about 4 minutes. Transfer nut mixture to a bowl with spices; toss to coat well. Let cool. Coarsely chop nuts.
  2. Lightly oil an 8½x2½-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with plastic wrap so that the plastic extends over the edges. Combine 12 ounces of blue cheese, goat cheese, cream cheese, and butter in a processor and blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in green onions and brandy. Mix parsley and chives in a small bowl.
  3. Spoon ⅓ of the cheese mixture into the bottom of the lined pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle ⅓ of the remaining crumbled blue cheese evenly over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle ⅓ of the nuts over the blue cheese. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the herb mixture. Repeat layering. Spread the remaining cheese mixture evenly over the top. Fold the plastic over the cheese to cover. Refrigerate overnight. Cover the remaining blue cheese and herbs separately and refrigerate. Store remaining nuts at room temperature.
  4. Line a platter with lettuce leaves. Unfold plastic from the cheese. Carefully invert the mold onto the platter; remove the pan and plastic. Sprinkle the terrine with the remaining blue cheese, nuts, and herbs.