As part of my focus on healthy eating for 2013, I've resolved to cut out as much cheese as possible as a way of avoiding the extra calories and high fat content involved. However, a lot of my favorite dishes call for some form of cheese... which has left me wondering how to get around this issue. After poking around on the internet for a few days, I decided to try making queso fresco. It seemed like a good option because it would be fresh and preservative free. Unfortunately, it isn't a melting cheese so it won't work quite the same way a cheddar or something would in recipes. However, I think it turned out pretty well! It was definitely easy and very straightforward, plus it was surprisingly adaptable. I didn't have cheesecloth and none of the stores around me stock it so I used our cheapest/worst dishcloth (it's completely useless). It's pretty thin but I went ahead and attacked it with a fondue fork to give it a few more holes for the whey to drain through. Just make sure your towel isn't one that will shed fluff or have colors that will run while the cheese is draining!
You can flavor the cheese with whatever you have on hand. I went with cilantro/coriander (using both names so as to not confuse my American or British friends) because I knew I was going to use it with a few Mexican dishes this week. The cheese will last as long as the milk would have so it's a good idea to get milk with the latest expiration date you can find, but avoid ultra-pasteurized versions.
Recipe inspired by: www.homesicktexan.blogspot.com
Ingredients:
2 L of whole milk
1/3 cup of lime juice
salt
1/3 cup of cilantro/coriander
Method:
Pour the milk into a pan (non-aluminum) and heat over medium-high heat until the milk is almost boiling and then add the lime juice. Lower the heat to medium and stir gently to help the curds form. It won't look very impressive at this stage (Homesick Texan likens it to cornmeal dropped in milk) but let it sit for about 5 minutes or until it seems to have formed a good amount of curds. Drain into a colander lined with cheesecloth or a thin dishcloth. Tie the corners together to create a sling and hang from the faucet so that it can drain easily. Leave for approximately four hours and then unwrap and store in the fridge.
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| Fondue fork attack! |
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| Milk ready for the lime juice |
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| Curds forming |
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| Draining |
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| End result! |
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| Inside: Cilantro/Coriander |
You can flavor the cheese with whatever you have on hand. I went with cilantro/coriander (using both names so as to not confuse my American or British friends) because I knew I was going to use it with a few Mexican dishes this week. The cheese will last as long as the milk would have so it's a good idea to get milk with the latest expiration date you can find, but avoid ultra-pasteurized versions.
Recipe inspired by: www.homesicktexan.blogspot.com
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 L of whole milk
1/3 cup of lime juice
salt
1/3 cup of cilantro/coriander
Method:
Pour the milk into a pan (non-aluminum) and heat over medium-high heat until the milk is almost boiling and then add the lime juice. Lower the heat to medium and stir gently to help the curds form. It won't look very impressive at this stage (Homesick Texan likens it to cornmeal dropped in milk) but let it sit for about 5 minutes or until it seems to have formed a good amount of curds. Drain into a colander lined with cheesecloth or a thin dishcloth. Tie the corners together to create a sling and hang from the faucet so that it can drain easily. Leave for approximately four hours and then unwrap and store in the fridge.
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