The inaugaural post of the Gulu Gormet re-opening is in honor of Katie, who I first met when she came up to me in the street to tell me that she was selling cheese so that she could stay home with her babies. We’re so thankful that Katie loved Jesus so very passionately and is now dancing in his presence!
Homemade cheese
The quantity of milk necessary varies depending on your needs. You will only get at most half of your original quantity (most of milk volume is liquid which will be drained off). For a large crowd, I use 6 Litres to make paneer for dinner. For pizza topping (ricotta style), 2-4 litres are sufficient because I drain less whey so the end volume is larger.
Ingredients:
Milk
Vinegar OR lemon juice
Salt (optional)
Butter or margarine (optional)
Herbs, garlic (optional)
Materials:
Pot, wooden stirring spoon, heat
Cheese cloth or large fine strainer
Colander or coarse strainer (to place the cheese cloth in while draining)
Instructions:
Heat milk to boiling, then turn off the heat. Add your acid (vinegar or lemon juice) 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring gently. When the milk starts to curdle, you’ve added enough. If the whey (liquid) is still milky cloudy, add a little more until the whey is clear(ish). Let your separating milk sit for 20 minutes then pour into cheese cloth or large FINE mesh strainer inside a colander. Let the cheese drain until it is the consistency that you desire.
If desired, collect the draining nutritious whey to use in smoothies, soaking beans, pancakes or in any recipe requiring water or milk. Remember that if you used vinegar, you’ll taste a slight vinegar taste so if you plan on using the whey in a sweet recipe, use lemon juice instead (fresh lemons work best).
I use this method to make ricotta style cheese (mix in crushed garlic and herbs, let it marinade, then make a pizza with it = YUM!), a slight thicker cheese (for enchiladas, lasagna, etc.), and paneer (press the cheese while draining so that much of the liquid drains, leaving a loaf of cuttable cheese). The cheese won’t melt like regular rennet based cheese, but still delicious! I’ve also made a cream-cheese-like dip by whipping it, adding butter and other flavors (like my own caramel). Try making your own cheese and combining with a small amount of purchased cheese to stretch that rare and expensive cheese.
Gulu Gourmet 