Ellen's Basil Boursin

This Boursin knockoff comes together in a food processor in about as long as it takes to peel the garlic. The store-bought version is delicious but expensive; this version uses a tub of cream cheese as the base and lets fresh herbs do the heavy work. The chopped black olives are the twist that takes it beyond classic Boursin into something briny and Mediterranean.

The order of operations matters here. Process the garlic and herbs first to break them down properly. Adding everything at once leaves you with stringy bits of basil and chunks of garlic that won’t blend smoothly into the cream cheese. Pulse the herbs first, then add cream cheese, then fold in olives by hand to keep them coarse rather than pureeing them in.

Fresh herbs only. Dried basil tastes like sawdust in raw applications and dried chives have no flavor to speak of. The whole point of this spread is the bright, vegetal punch of just-cut herbs against the richness of the cream cheese.

Let it chill for at least an hour before serving. The flavors meld and intensify as it sits, and the texture firms up to proper spreadable consistency. Serving immediately means you taste raw garlic, which can be aggressive.

Pro Tips

• Use full-fat cream cheese at room temperature for the smoothest blend. Cold or low-fat versions seize up and turn grainy.
• Salt-cured Mediterranean olives (Kalamata or oil-cured) give more flavor than canned California black olives.
• Make it a day ahead. The flavor improves substantially overnight as the herbs and garlic infuse the cheese.

Variations

• Add ¼ cup of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes for a Mediterranean version.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of crumbled feta for tang and bite.
• Roll the chilled spread into a log and coat with extra chopped fresh herbs for a fancy hostess-gift presentation.