Queso Fresco The Easy Way, Version 1

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**Voted into the Foodbuzz Top 9 on July 23,2011**

Contrary to what Tex-Mex restaurants (or Mexican inspired restaurants) will lead people to believe, Mexican food is never drowning in cheese. Sure Mexican cuisine uses cheese but not to the extent that those aforementioned restaurants use. Cheese in Mexican cuisine is most often used as a light topping, light being the key word. When it is used as a filling then of course the amount required is more. Of course we have a few dishes that are all about the queso, like quesadillas, chiles rellenos, seared cheese and queso fundido. But other than that in a real authentic Mexican restaurant ,or home, you will never be served dishes with so much cheese you can barely tell what's underneath the cheese. Oh, and yellow cheese does not exist/belong on real authentic Mexican food. But that and other non-existing/belonging foods is a story for another day. Perhaps one can use the amount of cheese on a plate as a measuring point to the authenticity of the food in a restaurant.?

The Spanish conquistadors are who originally brought cheese making, and milk based products for that matter, to latin America. Later as Swiss and German settlers arrived in different parts of Mexico they introduced their own dairy processes and cheeses. Modern day Mexican cheeses range from soft fresh cheeses to firm aged cheeses. The variety is small compared to lets say French cheese, but they do their job perfectly in Mexican cuisine.

If you live in the US then chances are Mexican cheese is easy to come by. Living in Europe they are not, so I find myself often substituting with local cheese. Don't get me wrong I am not complaining and have had good results with the substitutes. But cheese making is something that I've always been curious about. To me it is interesting how milk is transformed into so many varieties of cheese. After filling my head with cheese knowledge I was ready to give it a try. Since European cheeses are abundant I thought I start off with an exotic and easy to make cheese. Queso fresco came to mind because everything I read said how easy it was to prepare.

Queso fresco or literally fresh cheese is the crumbly cheese most commonly used in Mexican cooking. The taste is mild with slight acidic undertones, it is used as a topping or filling, though it is a soft cheese it does not melt completely. This recipe I am sharing with you today is the first in several variations and experimentations I am planning for this queso. The most important thing about this recipe is that anyone can make it and you don't need any special ingredients to do so. Get the milk out and start your queso for tonight's Mexican dinner!

Easy Homemade Queso Fresco
Yields : One 240g or 1/2 lb cheese

1 liter of whole fat milk (I used 3.5% UHT)
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp fresh squeeze lemon juice, extra if needed

salt

1. In a large pot heat the milk under medium heat. Allow the first bubbles to form prior to boiling - do not bring to a boil. The temperature should be warm but not hot that sticking a finger in the mild will burn you. Turn the heat off.

2. Gently pour and stir in the buttermilk. Next stir in the fresh lemon juice. Keep stirring until curds begin to form. If no curds form after a couple of minutes you will need to add more lemon juice. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

3. Place a colander with cheese cloth over a large container to catch the whey. Pour all of the pot contents into the lined colander. BE CAREFUL the liquid is hot. Gather all sides and tie over a wooden spoon or just twist. Remove the colander and place the gathered cloth over a deep container. You don't want the curds to touch the liquid, it needs to drain off. Leave draining for 30 minutes and tightening the cloth from time to time.

4. Once drained untie the cloth and place the cheese into a large container. Salt and season as desired while working the salt into the cheese. Gather the cheese and place in a container to mould and cover. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour, until chilled or overnight.

**If leaving overnight make sure to reserves some of the liquid to pour back in the container with the cheese. Otherwise the cheese will come or stick together and become more of a softer consistency , great for spreading.

* This quick methods yields wetter curds that after left together will bind and become a softer or creamier cheeses. Perfect for spreading.

I feel the results were pretty good and considering this was the first cheese I've ever made, not bad at all. The taste was creamy, soft with very little acidic undertones. We ate half of the cheese the first day I made it. The next day the leftover cheese had come together ever more and lost a bit of the looseness in the curds. I think next time the draining time will be longer. But the taste was still very creamy and I was able to spread it on some bread. Can't wait to try a second version, spiced perhaps.

How about you, ever made your own cheese at home?

Other Homemade Cheese Recipes:

Forging Fromage, Cheese Making Group run by Girlichef

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How To Blanch Almonds

The following post is going to kick off a new series here on Spicie Foodie, Kitchen Know-How. Have you noticed the "Learn" link on the menu bar above↑ This is what it's all about "Whether you are a newbie who wants to learn to cook and bake, or you are a seasoned cook, there are kitchen fundamentals we all need to know and learn. Join me, Spicie Foodie, and my Guests as we teach you essential culinary skills, tips, tricks and shortcuts to make every culinary experience a sucess!" In the future I will be contacting or asking for you to share some of your kitchen know-how, but in the mean time I leave you with the following post.

To blanch almonds means to peel or remove the outer brown skin by briefly immersing in hot water before peeling. This is a fast and easy method that can often come in handy, and the way I blanch my almonds. When you compare the price of store bought blanched almonds to un-blanched almonds, the price can be quite significant. That of course is an added bonus that will leave your wallet happy. I also feel that the taste when I blanch my own almonds is much better than buying ready blanched almonds. Would you agree?

If you try just to peel the almonds without first soaking in hot water, it will be very difficult to peel and the almond will be damaged from the scratching of the skin.

How to Blanch Almonds :
Ingredients:
skin-on (or un-blanched) almonds
pot
boiling water, enough just to cover the almonds
strainer

bowl of cold water
paper towels

1. Bring just enough water to cover the almonds to a rolling boil. Turn the heat off, then gently pour the almonds into the pot. Allow to sit for 1 minute, then quickly strain. (You don't want to cook and soften the almonds. They need to stay crisp.) Place the almonds in a bowl with very cold water, allow to sit 1 minute then drain. Place the almonds back in the bowl and cover with cold water again. **UPDATE** If the almonds you are blanching are a bit older, the skin may be harder to remove and require longer blanching in the hot water. This can cause the almonds to become soft so make sure you get purchase almonds.**

2. Pickup an almond and gently squeeze between your thumb and index finger, pushing the skin off the almond. It should come off very easily. Repeat until all almonds have been peeled. Now spread the almonds on paper towels and pat dry.

Once dried the almonds can be used in any of your favorite recipes or enjoyed as a snack if you prefer.

Do you have a better or different method for blanching almonds? Would you like to share it?

Previous Post Using Almonds:
~ Homemade Almond Milk (Raw)
~ Caramelized Pears on Goat Cheese Crostini
~ Blood Orange Zest Rolls

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How to Roast Bell Peppers

This recipe or rather how to guide is an important one for us to learn. The reason is that once you start roasting peppers at home you will be addicted to the smell and the taste. I like to use roasted peppers in sandwiches, as toppings , to blend into sauces or soups, puree with other vegetables to create spreads, salads, and simply eating a roasted bell pepper will leave your tummy very satisfied.

The next recipe I will be sharing following this one requires roasted bell peppers so I thought I'd give you a quick lesson in case any of you don't know how to roast them. You will also notice that I didn't include measurements, the reason is that it's really up to you. I also think that adding spices and herbs really enhances the flavors of the peppers. The herbs have been put under optional because again it is up to you or to what you have available in your kitchen. Sometimes I use all and sometimes I don't and sometimes I use some, so you see it's all about how you feel that day.

Ingredients :

Bell peppers (red, yellow and orange are the best tasting)

olive oil

salt

ground black pepper

garlic powder

optional:

dried basil

dried oregano

dried thyme

1. Preheat the oven to 200c or 392f , line a baking sheet with baking paper then set aside. Rinse and slice the peppers in half then cut off the stem and seeds. Mix the spices in a small bowl until well combined. Rub the peppers with a little bit of olive oil on both the outside and inside.

Sprinkle and rub in a little bit of the spice mixture on both the outside and inside of each pepper. Place the peppers outer side up on the baking sheet.

2. Roast in the center of the oven for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the peppers. Turn the peppers halfway through or once the top begins to blacken and continue to roast until the pepper is completely soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cooled peel off the blackened and rough skin.

Leave as is or slice or dice to use as you like. For the next recipe you may want to choose to leave whole or slice, you will see.

Ok now you are ready for the next recipe coming soon.

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The perfect hard boiled egg, every time!

Today's post is a back to basics cooking lesson, How to boil an egg. The perfect boiled or hard boiled egg is when the egg is cooked all the way through and the yolk is golden , there shouldn't be a grey/green ring around the yolk. To me if a hard boiled egg has that grayish or green tone, it becomes very unappetizing. (I can picture it, grayish yolk chunks in egg salad ,,,yuck ). I think eggs are one of those foods that seem like a fairly easy to cook food, but some how can turn into a difficult food to master. Many people have problems with either over or under cooking eggs and can quickly go from delicious to disgusting. This is a fool proof method and if you try it your hard boiled eggs will come out perfect.

1. Utensils you will need are a large pot, a slotted spoon, and a large bowl. You will also need cold water and of course fresh eggs. First place the eggs in a large pot and pour cold tap water into the pot, the water should cover all the eggs by about 1 inch / or 2.5 cm. Place the pot over high heat until the water has reached a rolling boil. This means that the water is bubbling vigorously. Then immediately lower the heat to a medium low setting, and continue to boil for an additional 10 minutes.



2. A minute before the 10 minutes are up, fill half way a large bowl with very cold- ice cold water. Using the slotted spoon gently place the eggs in the bowl with very cold water, making sure that all the eggs are covered.



3. Leave the eggs in the cold water until they are at room temperature. This is a very important step because this cooling down is what prevents the yolk from turning grey/green.

Look the yolks are perfectly cooked and are a beautiful golden yellow color!! :)

I have been making hard boiled eggs this way for years and it's always a success. Now you are ready to enjoy these hard boiled eggs with a little salt and pepper,slice them to use on sandwiches, and these are also perfect to for deviled eggs or egg salad. (I will post my recipes and photos for both soon.) Now if I could only master poaching an egg ...

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