How to make your own cheese: Juliet Harbutt
11/01/23
On Holiday Talk on Today FM, Josie spoke to Juliet Harbutt from The Cheese Web. Here's her simple cheese recipe.
Monet’s Cheese
This is the simplest of recipes used since man first learnt to domesticate animals and preserve milk. It takes barely an hour, children love it, it’s a great way of using up excess milk [by the way did you know you can freeze milk!] and is beautiful. Its light, slightly creamy texture and delicate lemony tang makes it easy to spread, easy to eat and can be used like ricotta.
Equipment & Ingredients [Yields approximately 150 gm]
1 litre fresh whole milk [can use cow or goat]
2 tbsp cream [optional]
1 juice of one lemon [ around 2 tbsp]
Add a little more if it doesn’t curdle immediately
Zest of 1⁄4 lemon
1 saucepan [with solid bottom]
1 very fine sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth
1 thermometer [not essential]
1 small cheese mould or ramekin
Edible flowers or herbs for flavour and decoration
1: Warm milk in a saucepan over medium heat to 170F [75 degrees C] stirring occasionally. Takes around 6 – 8 minutes – it’s ready when the milk starts rising up the sides of the pan.
2: Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and leave for 10-20 minutes when the milk will separate into small, uneven lumps of curd and greenish-white whey.
3: Ladle into a sieve over a bowl, sprinkle with a little salt [ 1⁄4 teaspoon] and stand for 10-20 minutes or so. Scrapping the sides down occasionally to aid draining, until the whey stops dripping. Alternatively use a jellybag.
4: Add lemon zest, S&P to taste and stir with a fork. Sprinkle chives, fresh herbs or tiny flowers into small container or ramekin and add the fresh curd on top. Press gently into the container and leave for an hour or so to absorb the flavours from the herbs etc
5: Tip onto a small plate when ready to serve and decorate with edible flowers – nasturtiums, chive heads, lavender, rosemary, viola etc or fresh herbs, cracked pepper and serve as a spread or snack.
Will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Monet’s Cheese
This is the simplest of recipes used since man first learnt to domesticate animals and preserve milk. It takes barely an hour, children love it, it’s a great way of using up excess milk [by the way did you know you can freeze milk!] and is beautiful. Its light, slightly creamy texture and delicate lemony tang makes it easy to spread, easy to eat and can be used like ricotta.
Equipment & Ingredients [Yields approximately 150 gm]
1 litre fresh whole milk [can use cow or goat]
2 tbsp cream [optional]
1 juice of one lemon [ around 2 tbsp]
Add a little more if it doesn’t curdle immediately
Zest of 1⁄4 lemon
1 saucepan [with solid bottom]
1 very fine sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth
1 thermometer [not essential]
1 small cheese mould or ramekin
Edible flowers or herbs for flavour and decoration
1: Warm milk in a saucepan over medium heat to 170F [75 degrees C] stirring occasionally. Takes around 6 – 8 minutes – it’s ready when the milk starts rising up the sides of the pan.
2: Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and leave for 10-20 minutes when the milk will separate into small, uneven lumps of curd and greenish-white whey.
3: Ladle into a sieve over a bowl, sprinkle with a little salt [ 1⁄4 teaspoon] and stand for 10-20 minutes or so. Scrapping the sides down occasionally to aid draining, until the whey stops dripping. Alternatively use a jellybag.
4: Add lemon zest, S&P to taste and stir with a fork. Sprinkle chives, fresh herbs or tiny flowers into small container or ramekin and add the fresh curd on top. Press gently into the container and leave for an hour or so to absorb the flavours from the herbs etc
5: Tip onto a small plate when ready to serve and decorate with edible flowers – nasturtiums, chive heads, lavender, rosemary, viola etc or fresh herbs, cracked pepper and serve as a spread or snack.
Will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
