kicking back and some farmer's cheese with stone fruit

Waking up this morning with the knowledge that I had a day off I felt almost giddy and I began to make my list…

It begins with the morning ritual of a walk with my hubby and the dog and then off for coffee at a favorite local hangout.

After the legal addictive stimulant had done its handiwork, it was time to get serious. Should I finally crack open one of the many books that I’ve been meaning to get to or should I hit the beach? Or what about heading out to some of my favorite antique shops to find a lovely treasure that needs a new home? Gardening? Trying out that new recipe?

But after some thought I decided to text a good friend to see if she was up for lunch…thankfully for me she was.

Enjoying the relaxing outdoor atmosphere of my favorite local restaurant Ramos House, it was sheer bliss knowing that the most difficult thing ahead of me was deciding what to order from the menu.

I decided to start with the stone fruit with farmer’s cheese, a mix of peaches, plums and nectarines. It was the perfect start.  Especially since stone fruits are at the peak of the season right now, and with the addition of some fresh mint and blueberries it couldn’t have been a better precursor to my savory main course.

But the thing that took it over the top for me was the farmer’s cheese. The delicate creaminess and slight tang were the perfect accompaniment for the fruit. This cheese has a very creamy mouth feel and can be used in many different applications that call for ricotta and it works beautifully in lasagna as well. It is a little difficult to find, although I’ve seen it in some specialty food stores, but it couldn’t be easier to make yourself.

The process starts by basically taking 1 gallon of whole milk and bringing it up just to the boiling point (190°) over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pot.

When the milk begins to reach the 190° point, small bubbles will begin to appear at the edges, turn off the heat. Stir in about ¼ cup lemon juice into the milk and a pinch of salt, and the milk will curdle. You may need to wait 10 to 15 minutes for the curds to fully form.

 Line a sieve or colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth, and pour the milk through the cloth to catch the curds. This may take a few hours, what is left in the cheesecloth is the Farmer's Cheese. The liquid is the whey. Some people keep the whey and drink it, but I throw it away. Gather the cloth around the cheese, and squeeze out as much of the whey as you can. Wrap in plastic, or place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator. This yields about 1 pound of cheese.


Enjoy!
Shannon

a daughter's request

The apple doesn’t seem to fall too far from the proverbial tree with regards to my daughter. I have to admit it gives me a certain pleasure when I see some of the similarities that we share. There are of course those characteristics that may not be so pleasing, and I find myself at those moments looking at my husband asking “what’s up with that?” He usually just smiles, and then I know. Ahh…yes, she gets’ that from me.

But for now, we will focus on the positive. My daughter who is getting ready to start her third year in college isn’t home quite as much anymore. But when she is and is needing to relax, she goes into the living room turns on the TV and finds one of the myriad of cooking shows that are saved on TIVO. Her favorite one is Barefoot Contessa. She loves Ina’s soothing voice, down to earth style and easy to follow recipes.

Recently she saw an episode in which Ina made a yogurt cheese and layered it with fruit and some additional flavors. It seemed so simple we didn’t even need to print up the recipe; we just decided to wing it.

In my version I made the yogurt cheese by draining a large container of plain yogurt in some cheese cloth that was folded over to make four layers.

I lined a strainer with the cheesecloth and set this over a bowl to let the liquid drain off overnight. In the morning there was about ½ cup of liquid in the bottom of the bowl and the yogurt was now much thicker in consistency. In Ina’s version she added some vanilla and a small amount of peach nectar. I decided to take the peach nectar (about 1 cup) and reduce it down in a saucepan until it was thick and syrupy, reduced to about ½ cup. Then adding the reduced peach nectar to the yogurt cheese until it was the consistency and flavor that I wanted.  I added almost the whole amount of reduced nectar to the yogurt. To serve, layer the yogurt with some sliced toasted almonds, some sliced peaches and fresh raspberries and you have a wonderful way to start your day!

Enjoy!
Shannon

commander in cheese

Roquefort is renowned throughout the world as the “King of Cheeses”. It was named after a village in the south of France and is infamous for its pungent smell and characteristic blue veins of mold.

The story behind the origins of Roquefort blue cheese has been romanticized in an old legend. It begins with a young shepherd who was minding his flock of sheep in the hills of Roquefort when he suddenly sighted a beautiful maiden in the distance. Determined to find her he left his dog to guard the sheep and hastily placed his lunch-bread and ewe’s milk curds in the nearby caves to keep cool. The shepherd was away for days, looking for his maiden. Unfortunately, he never found her. The shepherd, dejected, returned to his sheep tired and hungry. When he took his lunch out of the caves, he found that the bread and milk curds were moldy. His hesitation was brief due to his hunger. With some trepidation, the shepherd took a bite and was pleasantly surprised to find that his moldy lunch tasted so good! Roquefort was born.

Whether this story is true or not, the fact remains that Roquefort is delicious. True, it is an acquired taste, and many are thrown off by its strong smell. But this is a pity, because Roquefort’s moist and creamy texture is a delectable experience not to be missed.

If you are on the fence about this cheese, why not give this recipe a try. It is the classic paring of a sweet tender pear with the salty pungent cheese. Put together in a pastry shell and filled with a simple mixture of cream and eggs. This lovely tart is a perfect lunch dish or served for a light dinner.

Enjoy!
Shannon





Pear and Roquefort Tart
Serves 6

1 recipe for pastry
6 oz. Roquefort
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and sliced into small dice
2 eggs
1 cup cream
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Salt
Freshly ground pepper



After preparing your pastry dough following the link above, place one round of the uncooked pastry dough into a 10” tart shell with removable bottom.


Scatter prepared pear onto the pasty shell evenly. Then using your fingers break off small chunks of the Roquefort cheese and place in between the pear pieces.

In a small bowl beat the eggs lightly, add the cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Mix together well. Pour mixture over the pears and cheese. Bake in a 425° preheated oven until set. About 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

a bit peckish and a vacancy

There are some days when I just don’t feel like cooking. I would rather be lollygagging around in the garden keeping up on what is blooming or in need of a little pruning. On one of those days I stumbled upon a hummingbird nest that had been vacated, and now the branch that supports that little work of love is proudly displayed in a glass of water by my kitchen window.

I was getting hungry after my foray in the garden and just not in a mood to make some big production in the kitchen.

While rummaging around in the pantry looking for something to satisfy I came upon some Carr’s wheat crackers. I also had a few dates hiding behind the pickle jar in the fridge and just enough French Brie in the cheese drawer to justifiably smear on a handful of the crackers.

It may sound like a quirky combination, but rest assured it was delicious. Brie when properly ripened and brought to room temperature is soft and creamy. The flavor is rich, and savory with a slightly salty note. Dates, with their extraordinary sweetness and chewy texture, when paired with the Brie make for a toothsome snack.

So even though the little nest I stumbled upon in my garden had been empty and deserted, my hunger is now satisfied by that tasty tidbit.

Now…what to make for dinner.

Enjoy!
Shannon

a little lunch and a word on labne

I love the back-palate fieriness that radishes give. Pair that with some hard-cooked farm-fresh eggs, a bit of flaky sea salt and a simple toasted crostini smeared with some homemade Labne and you have a perfect breakfast, lunch or mid-day snack.

Labne is a cheese made from drained Greek style yogurt. It is a Middle Eastern favorite and very easy to make at home. It is delicious used as a spread and can be used as a substitute instead of butter.

When raw materials are this alluring, it just makes me smile.

Enjoy!
Shannon

Line a fine sieve with 2 layers of damp muslin, allowing the muslin to overhang. Combine thick natural yogurt, such as Greek-style yogurt, and a little salt in a bowl (this helps draw out the whey). Spoon into the muslin. Draw up the corners of the muslin to cover the yogurt mixture and knot securely. Thread a wooden spoon through the knot and place over a bowl to drain in the fridge for 2-3 days or until the yogurt is very thick. Labne can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.