These recipes will bring you back to the basics. In fact, when you're finished making them, you'll have a better understanding of some of what we do here at Straus Family Creamery. You might just want to start your own organic dairy farm. Have fun!
» Lemon Cheese
» Make Butter at Home
» Make Yogurt at Home
» Queso Fresco
1/2 gallon Straus Milk (any variety)
Juice of 2 lemons
Herbs (fresh dill leaves are a suggestion)
Making cheese at home is not as tough as you think. This is a quick and easy cheese to make and can be used as a cheese spread.
Warm 1/2 gallon of milk to 165 degrees F. Stir often to avoid scorching the milk. Add the juice of two lemons to the milk. Stir and allow to set off the stove for 15 minutes.
The warm milk will separate into a stringy curd and a greenish liquid whey. Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour the curds and whey into the colander. Save the whey for baking bread if you like. Tie four corners of the cheesecloth into a knot and hang the bag of curds to drain for an hour or until it stops dripping.
Remove the cheese from the cloth and place it in a bowl. Add salt to taste - usually about 1/4 teaspoon. Mix in your favorite herbs if you like. Fresh dill leaves are a great idea. Place the cheese in a covered container and store in the refrigerator. This cheese will keep up to a week. It is a moist spreadable cheese with a hint of lemon taste.
Straus Whipping Cream
* A small (4-5 oz.) jar or plastic container with a lid that seals well.
Put a small amount of cream (about half an inch) into the container and shake well.
You'll be making three different things. Do you know what they are?
First the cream will be whipped into whipping cream. But if you keep on shaking, the whipping cream will start to separate into something solid and something liquid. The whitish liquid you see is a sweet buttermilk (not sour like you get in the store) and the lumps that look like popcorn - are butter! You can drain off or drink the buttermilk. It tastes like sweet nonfat milk. And what you have left is a sweet cream butter. If you like, add salt, and spread it on a cracker or piece or bread.
Make Yogurt at Home
We encourage you to eat Straus yogurt. But if you want to try making some yourself, here's the recipe.
5 cups of Straus Organic Milk (whole, reduced fat or nonfat)
1/4 cup Straus Organic Whole or Nonfat Plain Yogurt
In a heavy 4-quart pan, heat milk, stirring frequently over medium heat to 185 degrees. Remove from the heat and let it cool to 110 degrees.
Place yogurt in a bowl. Gradually stir in the cooled milk a little at a time, stirring until smooth. Cover the bowl with a moist clean towel in a warm place (about 90 degrees). Your unlit gas oven is a perfect place. The pilot light should be on, of course. Let the mixture sit until it thickens around the edges, about 5 hours or overnight. The longer it sits in the warmth, the more cultures will grow and the more sour the yogurt will become.
Place the bowl in the refrigerator until completely chilled. Your yogurt should last about 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container. Serve with your favorite topping (fruit, honey, granola, etc.) or strain it to make a yogurt cheese. Yumm!
Note: It has also been suggested that trying 1 teaspoon of yogurt to 4 cups of milk makes a thicker yogurt. It's a matter of preference and of testing the waters. There is some flexibility here. So experiment a bit and see what you like!
Quesco Blanco is a South American cheese that is similar to the Indian cheese, Panir. It makes a great cooking cheese because it does not melt.
gallon Straus Milk (any variety)
1/3 cup vinegar (cider, grain or herb vinegar)
Warm the milk to 195 degrees F. You should have a cooking thermometer. Stir the milk to keep it from scorching. When the milk is at 195 degrees F., stir in the vinegar. Turn the heat off and let the hot milk set for 10 minutes. The milk will quickly coagulate into solid white curd particles and a clear greenish liquid whey.
Line a colander with fine cheesecloth and pour the curds and whey into the colander. Hang the bag of curd to drain for one hour or until the curd has stopped dripping whey. Remove the cheese from the cloth. It will be a solid mass of curd and may be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator until ready for us.
Queso Blanco can be cut into half-inch cubes and used in a variety of dishes. Because it doesn't melt, it works wonderfully in all types of recipes. Supposedly, it is the only cheese which can be deep-fried without melting. You can add it to soups, stir-fried vegetables or pastas. The cheese will take on the flavor of the surrounding food and spices. By itself, the cheese has a very milk and distinctly sweet taste.