This Saturday Jeremy and I experimented with making a hard cheese for the first time. We have made mozzarella and ricotta multiple times, but until now didn't have the correct equipment to do a hard cheese. Enter the Cheesy Press, it applies up to 50 pounds of pressure, to remove remaining whey and harden the cheese into shape.
First, we took our milk, 1 and a half gallons, and put it in our double boiler system. We added calcium chloride, which makes the curds firmer, and we heated the milk to 90 degrees.
At 90 we added our mesophilic culture, which inoculates the milk with friendly bacteria, gave it a quick stir and let it sit for 45 minutes.
It was time for the rennet, which causes the curds to form. I stirred it for a minute, and then we let it sit again for 45 minutes.
45 minutes later and the curds had formed into a nice solid block. We cut them in to small squares like shapes.
Then gave it a very gentle stir.
At this point, it was getting so close! We had been at it for over 2 hours. Now we just had to increase the heat slowly so that the temperature is 100, about half an hour. We needed to drain off all the excess whey that we could.
After an hour of cheese hanging it was time for us to mill and salt the curds.
Then It was time to load up the cheesy press and start pressing! First at 10 pounds of pressure, then 20 then 50 and after that, we had a pretty solid piece of cheese.
Now we let it sit out and get a rind, wax it, and let it age. Thankfully for only a month!
In a large saucepan, combine cornmeal and salt. Gradually add boiling water, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
Spread polenta into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook chorizo over medium heat for 10 minutes, drain. Add tomato sauce; cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.
Spread over polenta; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
Goat Cheese Quesadilla with Cilantro Chutney
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
About 1 inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
Large pinch of salt
1/2 fresh poblano chile, chopped
½ cup plain yogurt
6 tortillas
Olive oil for brushing
8 ounces fresh goat cheese
In a food processor or blender puree the garlic with the ginger, cilantro, sugar, salt, fresh chili and yogurt. Whril untill it forms a green slightly chunky paste.
Make the quesadillas: lay out 6 tortillas then spread them first with the cilantro mixture, then a layer of goat cheese on 3 and top with other tortillas.
Lightly brush the outside of each sandwich with olive oil and cook, one at a time, in a hot heavy nonstick skillet. Brown several minutes over a medium heat until lightly golden in spots, pressing down on them a bit with the spatula as they cook. Flip over carefully using the spatula; when the second side is speckled with brown and gold, the cheese should be melted. Remove from the pan and cut into wedges. Serve immediately.
This was an excellent meal all around, very satisfying, but the star of the meal was hands down the Goat Cheese Quesadilla with Cilantro Chutney. The flavors it created were above and beyond many other dishes I've eaten. The other dishes were amazing as well, the simplicity of the Calabacitas, and the amazing flavors of the Chorizo Polenta Bake, it came together so well. This was definitely a feast worthy of repeating.
This Saturday Jeremy and I experimented with making a hard cheese for the first time. We have made mozzarella and ricotta multiple times, but until now didn't have the correct equipment to do a hard cheese. Enter the Cheesy Press, it applies up to 50 pounds of pressure, to remove remaining whey and harden the cheese into shape.
