Phase-1; Mozzarella
(Makes one pound Mozzarella)
1 gal whole-milk.
1 ½ tsp powdered citric acid dissolved in ¼ cup cool water
1 tsp cheese-salt
½ tablet rennet dissolved in ¼ cup cool water
1 qt cold brine solution (1/3 cup table salt dissolved in 1 qt cold
water).
Slowly heat the milk to 60 degrees F in a
stainless steel pot. While stirring, slowly add the citric acid solution to the
milk and mix thoroughly but gently.
Continue to slowly heat the milk to 90
degrees F. Remove from the burner and stir in the rennet solution. Let the milk
set undisturbed (do not stir) for at least 40 minutes (until curd separates
from sides; provides a “clean break”; and the whey is clear and yellow, not
white).
Place a colander lined with cheesecloth over
a two gallon or more pot to catch the whey drippings (retain the whey for
later). Pour the liquid through the cheese cloth to separate the solids from
the whey. Tie up the cheese cloth and let it drip drain for about 10 minutes or
until not hot to the touch. Tilt it and squeeze twist it until most of the whey
is drained out. Place the cheese in a glass bowl and microwave on high for 45
seconds. Place a new cheese cloth in the colander and pour the cheese back into
the colander. Squeeze-drain the remaining whey from the cheese and make it as
dry as possible.
Place the cheese back into the glass bowl.
Mix in the cheese-salt thoroughly with a spoon. Microwave the cheese on high
again for 1 minute. Kneed the hot cheese with a spoon; then work it like taffy
and fold it into a single cylinder (use rubber gloves as it will be hot). If it
does not kneed like taffy, heat it more in the microwave.
Once the desired shape and texture are
achieved put the mozzarella immediately into the cold brine solution and leave
it undisturbed. Move on to Phase-2 (Ricotta). After completing Phase-2, remove
the cheese from the brine solution. Rinse off the outside once with cold clear
water to remove the excess brine. The cheese is ready for use or refrigeration.
Phase-2; Ricotta
(Makes about 1 ½ Pounds of Cheese)
½ gallon whole milk
½ tsp salt (or salt to taste) (use non-iodized salt such as flake
cheese salt or sea slat).
1 ½ tsp citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup cool water.
Pour the whey back into the original heating
pot and add the mild to the whey; then place the pot in another pot of water
(double-boiler style) to avoid scorching. Heat the milk slowly to a target
temperature of 190 degrees F, stirring as needed to avoid scorching (if
scorching does occur, do not scrape the bottom; stir more frequently above 150
degrees). Once the target temperature is reached remove the milk from the
burner and stir in half of the acid solution (reserve the rest for later). Let
the milk set undisturbed for 3 minutes.
Line a colander with cheesecloth and place
it in a bowl to catch the drippings. After three minutes, scoop out the curd
with a slotted spoon and place in the cheesecloth to drain. Once most of the
curds have been scooped out, return the milk to the burner and heat it back up
to 180 degrees; then stir in the remaining acid solution. After a couple
minutes of occasional gentle stirring, scoop out the remaining curds and place
in the cheesecloth with the rest to drain. The whey should now be clear of solids
(it will be a clear-yellow not a milky-white). You should have about 1 ½ pounds
of cheese.
Let the cheese in the cloth drain until the
cheese is warm (not hot to the touch). Twist and squeeze the cheesecloth to
accelerate the draining of the whey until dripping stops. Place the cheese in a
bowl and use a fork to blend in the salt and break up clumps of cheese until a
uniform crumbly cheese is obtained. The cheese is ready for use or
refrigeration.
Makes One Pound of Cheese
1/2 gallon whole milk
(milk should be hormone free and
NOT “ultra” pasteurized; I like “Maid of Clover” brand).
3/4 tsp salt (use non-iodized salt such as flake cheese salt or
sea slat).
¼ cup fresh squeezed
lemon juice (about two lemons). If lemons can not be obtained you may use
bottled lemon juice or vinegar.
Place the milk in a large stainless steel
pot. Heat the milk slowly to 165 degrees F, stirring frequently to avoid
scorching (if scorching does occur, do not scrape the bottom; it is safer to use
a double boiler to avoid scorching). Once the target temperature is reached,
remove the pot, stir in the lemon juice and let it set undisturbed for 15
minutes.
Line a colander with cheesecloth. Pour the
whey through the cheese cloth and let the cheese in the cloth drain until the
center is no longer hot to the touch and dripping stops.
Twist and squeeze the cheesecloth to
accelerate the draining of the whey until dripping stops. Whip in the salt with
your spoon so the cheese will become somewhat fluffy. The cheese can now be
used or stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two
weeks.
Makes one pound of cheese
1 gal whole-milk.
1 ½ tsp powdered citric acid dissolved in ¼ cup cool water
1 tsp cheese-salt
½ tablet rennet dissolved in ¼ cup cool water
1 qt cold brine solution (1/3 cup table salt dissolved in 1 qt cold
water).
Slowly heat the milk to 55 degrees F in a
stainless steel pot. While stirring, slowly add the citric acid solution to the
milk and mix thoroughly but gently.
Slowly heat the milk to 90 degrees F. Remove
from the burner and stir in the rennet solution. Let the milk set undisturbed
(do not stir) for at least 40 minutes (until curd separates from sides and the
whey is clear and yellow, not white).
Place a colander lined with cheesecloth over
a two gallon or more sized pot to catch the whey drippings (retain the whey for
later). Pour the liquid through the cheese cloth to separate the solids from
the whey. Tie up the cheese cloth and let it drip drain for about 15 minutes.
Tilt it and squeeze twist it until most of the whey is drained out. Place the
cheese in a glass bowl and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Place a new cheese
cloth in the colander and pour the cheese back into the colander. Squeeze-drain
the remaining whey from the cheese and make it as dry as possible.
Place the cheese back into the glass bowl.
Mix in the cheese-salt thoroughly with a spoon. Microwave the cheese on high
again for 1 minute. Kneed the hot cheese with a spoon; then work it like taffy
and fold it into a single cylinder (use rubber gloves as it will be hot). If it
does not kneed like taffy but crumbles, heat it more in the microwave. Once the
desired shape and texture are achieved put it immediately into the cold brine
solution and let set for one hour.
Remove from the brine solution. Rinse off
the outside once with cold clear water to remove the excess brine. The cheese
is ready to eat or can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or two.
(Makes about One Pound of Cheese)
10 Cups Whole milk
Juice of 2 lemons or ¼ C. bottled lemon
juice.
Heat milk to a boil. Once boiling, remove milk from heat and add
lemon juice. Stir gently and allow to
sit, until curd separates from whey.
Drain in cheese cloth.
Saag Paneer
1 batch Paneer
3 Table spoons vegetable oil
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and
drained
8 Tablespoons melted butter
1 teas. cumin seed
3 cloves minced garlic
2 teas. ground corinader
1 teas. red chili powder
4 ounces cream
salt to taste.
Cook spinach in butter; add spices and
sauté; add paneer and stir in cream. Serve
immediately.
(Makes about Two Pounds of Cheese)
1 gallon whole milk
(milk should be hormone free
and NOT “ultra” pasteurized)
½ tsp salt (or salt to taste)(use non-iodized salt such as flake
cheese salt or sea slat).
2 tsp citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup cool water (or substitute 1/2 cup
vinegar).
Place the milk in a large stainless steel
pot; then place the pot in another pot of water (double-boiler style) to avoid
scorching. Heat the milk slowly to a target temperature of 190 degrees F,
stirring as needed to avoid scorching (if scorching does occur, do not scrape
the bottom; stir more frequently above 150 degrees). Once the target
temperature is reached remove the milk from the burner and stir in half of the
acid solution (reserve the rest for later). Let the milk set undisturbed for 3
minutes.
Line a colander with cheesecloth and place
it in a bowl to catch the drippings. After three minutes, scoop out the curd
with a slotted spoon and place in the cheesecloth to drain. Once all the curds
have been scooped out, return the milk to the burner and heat it back up to 180
degrees; then stir in the remaining acid solution. After a couple minutes of
occasional gentle stirring, scoop out the remaining curds and place in the
cheesecloth with the rest to drain. The whey should now be clear of solids (it
will be a clear-yellow not a milky-white). You should have about two pounds of
cheese at this point.
Let the cheese in the cloth drain until the
cheese is warm (not hot to the touch). Twist and squeeze the cheesecloth to
accelerate the draining of the whey until dripping stops. Place the cheese in a
bowl and use a fork to blend in the salt and break up clumps of cheese until a
uniform crumbly cheese is obtained.
The cheese can now be used or stored in
airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Makes one Pound of Cheese
2 pounds (32 oz, or one quart) of homemade yogurt at room temperature.
½ tsp salt (use non-iodized salt such as flake cheese salt or sea
slat).
Line a colander with cheesecloth. Pour in the yogurt and let it drain.
Twist and squeeze the cheesecloth to accelerate the draining of the whey. Let
it drain until it reaches the desired thickness. Next fold in the salt until
mixed well. The cheese can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator
for up to 3-4 weeks.
Buttermilk
4 C. milk
1 C. Buttermilk
Heat milk to about 90 degrees. (I heat each cup for 50 seconds in the microwave) Stir in buttermilk. Leave on counter for 12 hours.
Remember to reserve 1 cup of buttermilk for your next batch.
Makes one gallon of yogurt
1 gallon whole milk
(milk should be hormone free and
NOT “ultra” pasteurized; I like “Maid of Clover” brand).
1 cup
plain cultured yogurt of your choice
(I like “Mountain High”, original style)
5
Tablespoons dry milk
Place the milk and powdered milk in a large
stainless steel pot. Heat the milk slowly to 180 degrees F, stirring often to
avoid scorching. Once the target temperature is reached, rapidly cool to
between 110 degrees by placing the pot in a sink filled with cool water. Remove
the pot from the sink. Stir in the cultured yogurt starter and let set while
you preheat your oven to the lowest temperature setting (probably 170 degrees).
Once the oven is pre-heated, turn off the oven and turn on the oven light bulb.
Pour the milk into open quart jars or plastic containers. Place the containers
in the oven to ripen overnight (or about 12 hours).
Cool the yogurt in the refrigerator. Keeps 4
weeks.