I love the idea of making my own cheese. I think it would be a super fun - and tasty - hobby. I have read about it extensively and considered investing in my own equipment and ingredients, but it hasn't happened yet. Based on my reading, mozzarella is a good place to start, and I hear it is fairly simple and dependable. However, after some frustrating experiences trying to make some Indian paneer a few years back, I've been gun shy on plunging into any further endeavors.
Labneh is a great "beginners" cheese - even simpler than mozzarella. And it starts with fermentation, in the form of yogurt. In Turkey, it's sold everywhere in tubs. It is sort of like cream cheese, but a little lighter...like Greek yogurt, but a little heavier. It makes a fantastic spread or dip. I have added garlic and herbs to it to use a veggie dip, and we've done plenty of just eating it plain, as well. Chips dipped in labneh was a fairly regular after school snack in our Turkish home. Making labneh is extremely simple. All it requires is plain yogurt, a cheese cloth, a strainer, and a bowl that the strainer can sit on top of. It also requires about 24 hours' worth of patience. I recommend full-fat yogurt all the time, but particularly for this recipe. This round was born of necessity. We have weekly milk deliveries. Some weeks it goes quickly; others, Thursday rolls around and we still have 2 bottles left, with another 3 due to be delivered. It was one of those weeks. Making yogurt and cheese is a great way to "preserve" milk, so I figured it was time. I used my own yogurt to make this (see directions at a previous post, http://sustenance-emily.blogspot.com/2011/12/fun-with-fermentation-easy-yogurt.html). Instructions: 1. Set up your straining apparatus: Get cheesecloth at a kitchen supply store or, sometimes, in the gadget section of a supermarket. (Hannaford sells it.) Cut out an 18 inch x 18 inch square of cheesecloth. Use it to line the bottom of a colander/strainer. Put strainer on top of a bowl or dish that it can sit partially on top of, so that it's not sitting on the bottom of the container, but also so that any liquid that strains off will be caught in the dish. (I set mine on a round Pyrex casserole dish.) 2. Let the straining begin. Dump 1 quart of plain yogurt into the cheesecloth. Gather up the corners and make a cute little bundle, while holding it over your straining apparatus. Twist to start squeezing out liquid. Tie off with string or clip with a clothespin. 3. Let the exercise in delayed gratification begin. Set the sweet little bundle of yogurt and cheese cloth into the strainer, over the catching container, and place in the fridge. Wait at least 24 hours. Give it a gentle twist and squeeze from time to time. The longer you strain, and the more you squeeze, the "drier" your cheese will be. Or stop part way and you'll see how Greek yogurt (which is just strained yogurt) is made. After about 24 hours, you should be able to "dump" the labneh from the cheesecloth into a suitable container. It's great as a spread or a dip, as is, or you can add yummies to it. Savory Veggie Dip/Cracker Spread: 1 batch of labneh 1 tsp minced garlic 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp dried mint Mix well. Serve. Sweet Fruit Dip/Spread 1 batch of labneh 2 tsp maple syrup 1/2 tsp cinnamon Mix well. Serve. Other ideas?
0 Comments
Turns out milk production is no longer limited to lactating women. No, this isn't some weird idea for losing weight or burning calories via hormone manipulation (although I bet you somewhere someone has tried it...) I'm talking about making milks from almonds and coconut at home. For people who don't digest milk well, or vegans, or people who want to avoid the milk industry for other reasons, finding good milk substitutes can be tricky. No, it's not hard to find milk substitutes, but notice I said good.
Soy milk was the sweetheart of the milk substitute world for the past 15 years or so. Touted as heart healthy, good for menopausal women, excellent source of protein, etc., etc., soy seemed like a great alternative. I know I used it back in my nearly-vegetarian, working-out-8-hours-a-week-but-still-unfit years. It seemed like a perfect solution. Sure, I didn't love the taste, but I could sneak it into a latte or a bowl of cereal here and there and, well, tolerate it. As it turns out (thank you researchers) processed soy is not necessarily the superfood that it has been presented as. Besides being a potential hormone disrupter, it is also implicated in the development of several types of cancer. Add to that the fact that 90% of soy grown in the US is genetically-modified and Round-Up saturated, and I'll pass on the soy milk. Thanks. (Non-GMO, organically-grown soy that has been naturally fermented to create tofu or tempeh seems to be pretty safe.) Almond milk is an interesting alternative in the sense that almonds seem to be a good food source, with lots of vitamins and minerals, protein, non-inflammatory fats, and they're pretty tasty. I thought almond milk seemed like a good option until I read the ingredients: almond milk (filtered water, almonds), evaporated cane juice, calcium carbonate, sea salt, potassium citrate, carrageenan, sunflower lecithin, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, d-alpha-tocopherol (natural vitamin E). Not terrible, but I'm not crazy about the carrageenan and the sunflower lecithin as a daily part of my diet. Coconut milk is similar if it comes in a carton, such as the Silk brand. Thickeners are added, and it's supplemented with a few vitamins. Again, nothing that's going to kill you, but things I would rather not consume daily. When I'm cooking with coconut milk, I used the canned milk. It needs to be shaken or stirred, but it works great. And no weird additives. The Vitamix my in-laws gave me for Christmas came with recipes for coconut, almond, soy, and cashew milk. I thought that was a great idea, and was inspired to try them after talking with a friend last week who made her own almond milk. She said it was really easy, and she liked that she could control the ingredients. She used the method described below, and then I will describe making coconut milk. Almond Milk 1 cup almonds, soaked for 3-4 hours 3 cups water splash of vanilla and/or honey if desired Put everything in a food processor and process for about 2 minutes. Pour through a cheesecloth to strain out fiber. Coconut milk 1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 2 cups water Put everything in food processor or blender and process for 2 minutes. Pour through a cheesecloth to strain out fiber. Both of these can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. Try different flavors (chocolate?), sweetened versus unsweetened. Use for smoothies. Coconut milk is nice in coffee or tea, if you like the taste of coconut. It's quick, easy, and you know exactly what is in it. Recipe:
1 quart milk 1/2 cup yogurt (saved from a previous batch or store-bought...make sure it contains live cultures!) Heat milk to 180 degrees on the stove (use a candy thermometer to watch temperature). Remove from heat and let cool to 120 degrees. Stir in yogurt. Pour into the jar. Place into a cooler filled halfway with warm water. Let stand at least 8 hours. Voila - you have made yogurt! Chill for 8 hours, then enjoy. I pour the milk into a large pot, turn the burner on, and place a thermometer in the pot. I have a digital thermometer with a probe that beeps when it reaches a target temperature (Acu Rite brand, ~ $11), so I program it to beep at 180 degrees, and forget about it until I hear the beep. I do stir it occasionally as it heats. Then I place the container with the milk in it on the counter and re-set the thermometer to beep at 120 degrees. Once it cools to 120 degrees, stir in 1/2 cup of yogurt. Pour into glass jars, cover, and place into cooler. This yogurt comes out thick and creamy. It is great on it's own, though I like it mixed with some chopped nuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon. For a treat, drizzle a little maple syrup on top. It's also good with berries on top. In the summer, I made this from raw milk that I was able to get the local farmer's market, and that was delicious, as well. Happy Fermenting! |
AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
All
Archives
June 2019
|