Cottage Cheese

[The Chili Monster]

My aunt recently descended on Suusex for her annual visit from North Devon.
This year, she has bestowed us kindly with enough plain cottage cheese to choke an elephant or herd.
Now I like cottage cheese but I can see it heading for the bin unless one kind individual (or several) can suggest ways to pep it up.
Your suggestions, as always, are gratefully received.

[ina]

Mix with plenty of fresh herbs - particularly chives, and eat with new potatoes ( a bit early for your own), or baked potatoes, or freshly baked wholemeal bread.

Or mix with a bit of cream and fruit, for dessert.

(Why on earth did she bring all that cottage cheese? Is it home made? You could freeze some of it, btw - that would postpone the problem of what to do with it.)

[The Chili Monster]

(Why on earth did she bring all that cottage cheese? Is it home made? You could freeze some of it, btw - that would postpone the problem of what to do with it.)

I dunno, Ina - i think it's her speciality. Her late husband was into homebrewing and she gave us all loads of the stuff ... it might as well have been Special Brew!

Wow, didn't know you could freeze the stuff ... I don't mind cottage cheese in moderation ... so I'll probably do that.

Thanks!

[Millymollymandy]

Could you get the recipe off her?!!

[Andy Hamilton]

Yes, please I would not mind that recipe I love the stuff. -

hmm look at the date this was posted only took me a year to notice it

[Millymollymandy]

... and a year later we are still waiting for Chilli to reply!

[The Chili Monster]

Well, if I read her handwriting correctly, here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1 Gallon Milk (now I know why there seemed so much...)
4 oz. Mesophilic Starter Culture
1/4 tab Rennet (no idea if that's tablespoon or tablet but I'm guessing the latter)
..

1. Mix 1 gallon fresh milk with 4 oz. of mesophilic starter.

2. Mix 1/4 tab Rennet into two tablespoons of COOL water. Mix this into the milk thoroughly using a whisk and stirring for at least 5 minutes.

3. Then cover and set aside for about 20 hours at room temp ( 21 C).

4. The milk should be a firm curd within 20 hours, however the full 20 hours is needed to develop the correct flavor.

5. After 20 hours cut the curd into 1/2 inch cubes.

6. Allow the curds to firm up for 15 minutes.

7. Over the next 30 minutes slowly raise the temperature of the curds to (43.5.

8. Cook for an additional 45 minutes at 43.5 C

9. Stir the curds often to prevent them from matting.

10. The curds should have greatly shrunken and sunk to the bottom of the pot.

11. Line a colander with a cheesecloth and drain the curds.

12. Allow the curds to drain for 5 minutes.

13. Lift the curd filled cheese cloth from the colander and repeatedly dunk into a bowl of ICE COLD water for at least three minutes.

14. Drain the curds and place in a bowl.

15. Season the curds with a teaspoon of salt, herbs, etc. Use more or less to taste.

16. . Place the cheese into a sealable container into a refrigerator. A few tablespoons of cream may be added if desired.

Now, I've not tried to make this personally, and I'm too lazy to try. I'm assuming that this process is not dissimilar to that used to make tofu?

[ina]

Mesophilic starter?

And rennet in tablets?

Maybe somebody knows what that equates to in veggie rennet (which is liquid) - but more importantly, where can you get that starter culture? I generally use buttermilk as a starter...

[The Chili Monster]

Ina wrote:

Mesophilic starter? Confused

And rennet in tablets? Confused

Maybe somebody knows what that equates to in veggie rennet (which is liquid) - but more importantly, where can you get that starter culture? I generally use buttermilk as a starter...

Right here: www.cheese-yogurt-essentials.com/shop/index.html