Say Cheese
So, as previously mentioned, I got ambitious and made my own cheese on Saturday night. It was so not as messy, complicated or stinky as I expected it to be. It was actually very easy to do and tasted so much better then the stuff you purchase in the grocery store! So, next time you get that craving for something cheesy (which for me is all the time), you will have the know-how to make your own.
Ricotta Cheese: Yields 1 Pint
1/2 gal whole milk (raw milk makes delicious ricotta)
1/2 cup heavy cream (not ultra-pasteurized)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1. In a large pot, heat the milk, cream, and salt, stirring occasionally, until a thermometer reaches 180 degrees F.
2. Add the lemon juice and gently stir. Reduce heat to low until curds form. Remove from heat and let stand for a couple of minutes.
3. Pour mixture into a seive/fine strainer lined with damp cheesecloth. Transfer to the refrigerator and let drain for 1 hour. For softer curds, drain for less time, for firmer curds, let drain longer. Transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This is awesome ricotta cheese. It is delicious on crostini (toasts) with grilled asparagus, orange marmalade, or fruit compote (recipe follows). Also try it as a topping on grilled french bread along with the roasted tomatoes, basil and honey. Other classic uses are in cheesecake and lasagna. The possibilities are endless!
Autumn Fruit Compote: Yields 3 Cups
Recipe Courtesy of Lisa Boymann
2 firm pears
1 tsp lemon juice in 3 cups water
1/2 cup dried apricots
4 dried figs
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup rice syrup
2 large pieces of lemon peel
1 tsp coconut oil
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp brandy
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Wrapped in Cheesecloth:
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
10 black peppercorns
1 star anise
1-inch piece fresh ginger
1. Peel, core and cut pear into 1/4-inch wedges. Place in lemon water. Slice apricots and figs into 1/2-inch slices.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring apple juice, rice syrup, lemon peel, coconut oil, and salt to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Add cheesecloth bundle. Gently stir in pears, apricots, figs, cranberries, and brandy. Gently simmer, uncovered, until pears are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove cheesecloth. Strain liquid into a small saucepan and set fruit aside in a small bowl.
5. Boil liquid until it reduces and is syrupy. You should have about 1 cup of liquid. Remove from heat and stir in remaining lemon juice. Pour over fruit and stir in walnuts. Serve warm or cold.
Hope you enjoy making your own cheese as much as I did. I am actually using most of mine to make a new dessert later this week. Hopefully it will be a winner for the recipe contest! (No, I haven't completely forgotten about it) I'm prepping items tonight for my gnocchi dinner tomorrow night. Check back later for photos and recipes!
Ricotta Cheese: Yields 1 Pint1/2 gal whole milk (raw milk makes delicious ricotta)
1/2 cup heavy cream (not ultra-pasteurized)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1. In a large pot, heat the milk, cream, and salt, stirring occasionally, until a thermometer reaches 180 degrees F.
2. Add the lemon juice and gently stir. Reduce heat to low until curds form. Remove from heat and let stand for a couple of minutes.
3. Pour mixture into a seive/fine strainer lined with damp cheesecloth. Transfer to the refrigerator and let drain for 1 hour. For softer curds, drain for less time, for firmer curds, let drain longer. Transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This is awesome ricotta cheese. It is delicious on crostini (toasts) with grilled asparagus, orange marmalade, or fruit compote (recipe follows). Also try it as a topping on grilled french bread along with the roasted tomatoes, basil and honey. Other classic uses are in cheesecake and lasagna. The possibilities are endless!
Autumn Fruit Compote: Yields 3 CupsRecipe Courtesy of Lisa Boymann
2 firm pears
1 tsp lemon juice in 3 cups water
1/2 cup dried apricots
4 dried figs
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup rice syrup
2 large pieces of lemon peel
1 tsp coconut oil
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp brandy
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Wrapped in Cheesecloth:
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
10 black peppercorns
1 star anise
1-inch piece fresh ginger
1. Peel, core and cut pear into 1/4-inch wedges. Place in lemon water. Slice apricots and figs into 1/2-inch slices.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring apple juice, rice syrup, lemon peel, coconut oil, and salt to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Add cheesecloth bundle. Gently stir in pears, apricots, figs, cranberries, and brandy. Gently simmer, uncovered, until pears are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove cheesecloth. Strain liquid into a small saucepan and set fruit aside in a small bowl.
5. Boil liquid until it reduces and is syrupy. You should have about 1 cup of liquid. Remove from heat and stir in remaining lemon juice. Pour over fruit and stir in walnuts. Serve warm or cold.
Hope you enjoy making your own cheese as much as I did. I am actually using most of mine to make a new dessert later this week. Hopefully it will be a winner for the recipe contest! (No, I haven't completely forgotten about it) I'm prepping items tonight for my gnocchi dinner tomorrow night. Check back later for photos and recipes!
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