Pecan & Goat Cheese Marbles

PECAN & GOAT CHEESE MARBLES

1 cup pecans (1/4 lb)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 (11-oz) log soft goat cheese

2 teaspoons minced rosemary (I used dried)

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed with side of a large knife, then chopped 

Approx. 50 large flat-leaf parsley leaves

1.  Preheat oven to 400F with rack in upper third. Toss pecans with butter, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then toast in a 4-sided sheet pan until fragrant and a shade darker, 8 to 10 minutes.** Transfer to a plate and cool completely.

2.  Chop pecans rather finely, then transfer to a wide shallow bowl.

3.  Stir together goat cheese, rosemary, coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until combined well. Form teaspoons of cheese mixture into marbles between your palms, then roll in pecans to coat and roll between your palms again briefly. Transfer to a plate.

4.  Put a parsley leaf over each cheese marble and spear together with a wooden pick.

** Watch the pecans very closely. If some happen to get a little burnt/dark, don’t worry --  it added a “smokey” taste and we still gobbled them up.  If a lot of them happen to get a little burnt/dark, toss 'em.  You want this to taste good, for crying out loud.