Looks can be deceiving. Especially when it comes to the NERGI®fruit berry.
While scanning over the vibrant array of fruit at the greengrocer I wouldn’t have given this fruit a second glance. Surely, with their deep green skins they must be as sour as vinegar! When they are soft to the touch, they are ripe and when you halve them they look like baby kiwis. Although it’s a berry fruit and not part of the kiwi family, there are some similarities in flavour. One marked difference between this berry and the kiwi is that the former isn’t nearly as acidic as the latter, which in my books makes it the more pleasant fruit.
NERGI® is sustainably farmed, handpicked and there’s no need to peel them. A quick rinse under the tap will do. They can be enjoyed any time and anywhere but they are particularly ideal for kids’ lunch boxes and healthy snacking. Apparently, you can cook them too but for me, as with most fruit, NERGI® is best enjoyed in their prime simply on their own, unsullied by other flavours.
On that note, here is another easy way to enjoy them – with cheese and nuts. In this case, goat’s cheese was used but blue cheese, albeit in smaller amounts, would work too. My 5 year old daughter loved preparing these little balls with me and skewering them with the fruit afterwards.
Whizz up the pecan nuts into little pieces that they resemble fine gravel. Finely chop a handful of chives and mix in with the nuts. If you’re wondering why the goat’s cheese has a slight grey tinge to it, I used goat’s cheese logs that had special ash rind and blended them coarsely. Roll little balls, about 3cm (just over 1 inch) in diameter, with the cheese and then dunk them in the nut mixture to cover.
For an extra splash of colour, I alternated the kiwi berries with sweet piquanté peppers, which worked really well. Grapes can be used too with the cheese balls.
These canapés are excellent to serve at a cocktail party but whatever you do, don’t forget Aperol Spritz!
Fancy the beautiful crockery in the photos? You can buy them here at the Dot Com Gift Shop.
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Books on Small Bites
- Canapés
- Party-perfect Bites
- The Party Food Bible
- Make Mine a Martini
- The Ritz London Book of Drinks & Cocktails
Nergi with Pecan and Goat’s Cheeseballs
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Total 60 minutes
Servings 20
Author: Michelle Minnaar
These kiwi berries with goat’s cheese are perfect for cocktail parties.
Ingredients
- 300g (10oz) goat’s cheese
- 100g (3oz) pecan nuts, crushed
- handful of chives, finely sliced
- 10 Nergi/kiwiberries, halved
Instructions
- Mix the pecans and chives together and flatten out on a plate.
- Crumble the goat’s cheese.
- Roll the goat’s cheese into 3cm balls then cover them with the pecan mixture.
- Thread half a kiwi berry onto a cocktail stick, then add the cheese ball.
- Repeat the process until all ingredients are used up.
Recipe Notes
For added variety, use grapes or peppadews along with the kiwi berries.Nutritional values are for the cheese balls only.
Courses Starter
Cuisine International
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 20g
Amount Per Serving | ||
---|---|---|
Calories 73 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 6.9g | 11% | |
Saturated Fat 2.8g | 14% | |
Sodium 71mg | 3% | |
Total Carbohydrates 0.7g | 0% | |
Dietary Fiber 0.6g | 2% | |
Sugars 0.2g |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Aha goat’s cheese-ball. Yum yum.
Sticky barbeque mini sausages on sticks
I like roll mops x
Cheese & pickle because its so simple.
I would say I like anything cheesy is my favourite x
I love cream cheese and salmon, a classic mix
I love cream cheese and salmon, a classic mix
I like a caramelised red onion and goats cheese tartlet
I like a caramelised red onion and goats cheese tartlet
Love Roll Mops
Smoked Salmon On Mustard-Chive And Dill Butter Toasts like we had in a posh hotel
Smoked Salmon On Mustard-Chive And Dill Butter Toasts like we had in a posh hotel
I would have to say that my favourite Canapé is Wasabi Shrimp With Avocado On Rice Cracker
Mini Yorkshires, with pink beef and horseradish sauce.
I love them, because they are sooooo delicious! Nom nom
I like Mini jacket potatoes, topped with soured cream and chives
smoked salmon bites
smoked salmon bites
can’t resist smoked salmon blinis
It’s all about mini potatoes with cheese and bacon 🙂
It’s all about mini potatoes with cheese and bacon 🙂
Sesame prawn toasts – they are just scrummy, and the perfect mix of textures
I also like olives and halloumi.
I also like olives and halloumi.
Anything with halloumi as its my favourite kind of cheese
Anything with cheese, especially halloumi as I love the saltiness and texture.
baked camembert and cranberry sauce x
baked camembert and cranberry sauce x
baked camembert and cranberry sauce x
Smoked Salmon blini! X
cheese and pineapple
smoked salmon blinis
Mini samosas
ive never eaten any!
ive never eaten any!
Goat’s cheese and tomato crostini , love these, easy to prepare but so delicious!
Smoked Salmon blini
Smoked Salmon blini
Love anything with smoked salmon
Smoked Salmon because I absolutely love it 🙂
Smoked Salmon because I absolutely love it 🙂
anything with goats cheese
I’m not sure what my favourite canape is – i do like mini mozarella and pesto bites though.
You can’t beat some retro cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks when you want to bring back thise memories! I’m also subscribed
You can’t beat some retro cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks when you want to bring back thise memories! I’m also subscribed
I don’t think I’ve tried a canapé but they look lovely
Cheese beignets – I love anything cheesy and these are so tasty, such a treat!
Cheese and apricot, always reminds me of the first holiday with my wife …. happy days then and 20 years later 🙂
Cheese with pickle x
Mini goats cheese and carmelised onion tarts – I love goats cheese!
Pineapple and cheese – still a child!
Salmon and cream cheese blinis
goats cheese and caramelised onion swirls
Smoked Mackerel, Horseradish and Beetroot Canapes.
Baked camembert and cranberry sauce on little pieces of french baguette, yum!
Baked camembert and cranberry sauce on little pieces of french baguette, yum!
Fine Cheese Company’s gruyere and pistachio mini biscuits are great with a G&T!
Im not sure as I havent tried them, but would like too 😀
usually olives and halloumi
I enjoy Mini jacket potatoes with a range of fillngs or dips, including my favourite, cheese and chives! I just think they are so cute and tasty!
Sun-dried tomato and rosemary palmiers (Lorraine Pascale’s recipe!)
cream cheese and salmon
cream cheese and salmon
salmon, cheese and pickle
I don’t eat canapés but yours look delicious