Buratta Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

I have been reading about Buratta fresh mozzarella cheese for quite some time from other food blogs. I finally found some at Trader Joe's and brought some home to try. 

Here is Wikepedia's definition:  Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is also defined by some sources as an outer shell of mozzarella filled with butter or a mixture of butter and sugar. It is usually served fresh, at room temperature. The name "burrata" means "buttered" in Italian.

Let me just say, the concept and idea of it was  much more appealing to me than the cheese itself.  It was so very bland and the texture was just too mushy for my taste.  The Husband wasn't thrilled with it either.  It came in two 4 ounce balls and we still have one left.  It has a very short shelf life due to its freshness.  I was lucky to be given some beautiful Roma tomatoes (along with pears and apples) from a co-worker's garden, so another salad Caprise will be in order later in the week.  I'm glad I tried this cheese, but in the future I'll stick to the basic fresh mozzarella.

Who Knew?

Who knew that making homemade ricotta cheese could be so easy?  15 minutes.  That's it.  I don't know if it's really cost effective or if I'll do it again, but I made cheese today!  As the recipe lists, it takes a milk, cream, Greek yogurt, lemon, and salt. All reasonably priced, but it also requires cheesecloth which at $4.00 for a small piece, is fairly pricey.  I think if I were to make this again, I would experiment with doubled up paper towel.  I've read you can rinse out cheesecloth and use it again. I'm too lazy for that nonsense. Just saying!

The final amount of actual cheese is approximately two cups.  I used a cup of it on a simple pasta dish where the ricotta could shine.  I roasted some medium/small tomatoes with some salt, pepper, and olive oil for about 1 1/2 hours at 275 degrees, creating some slightly wrinkled and caramelized tomato jewels.  Pasta with a few dollops of fresh ricotta cheese, roasted tomatoes, some shreds of fresh basil, salt and pepper, and a drizzle of good olive oil made a divine dinner that reminded me of summer.  I really want summer to be here now.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

1 quart whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup whole plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium saucepan, add whole milk, heavy cream, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and kosher salt, whisking to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture begins to curdle.

While the mixture is warming up, line a colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Set the lined colander over a tall bowl.

Once the mixture curdles, pour into the colander. Let drain for about 5 minutes for a creamier ricotta. Drain for about 15 minutes for a dry ricotta. Transfer the ricotta to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

A Local Cheese Company

There is a local company called Willamette Valley Cheese Company here in Salem, Oregon who make such delicious cheeses. I am a big proponent of supporting local companies and buying local when possible. These cheese products are a great example of what excellent things one can find locally.Today while at the fish market I was inspired by the beautiful Dungeness crab and seeing the Willamette Valley Cheese Company aged cheddar on the shelf right above the crab, I thought of crab melts to serve for dinner tonight. Though it may seem deceptively simple, it turned out to be a rather rich and extravagant supper. I perused the Internet and made up a recipe using components of a number of recipes I found.

I used the aged cheddar cheese in the base of the recipe but in order for the crab melts to have the traditional look, I topped them with a bit of orange cheddar and broiled until melted and bubbling hot. I was able to make these using my toaster oven, another plus. This recipe will be in my "keeper" file!

Crab Melts

(makes 2)

1/3 lb. crab meat

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. chopped chives

2 Tbsp. finely chopped celery

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

A pinch of garlic powder

1/8 tsp salt

A pinch of black pepper

Extra grated cheese for the tops

2 English muffins, split

Mix the first 7 ingredients together well. Divide equally on top of each of the English muffin halves. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes until heated completely through. Take out of oven and turn to Broil. Top each muffin with some grated cheddar cheese. Broil until cheese is completely melted and bubbly.

Homemade Salad Dressing

When we are in the mood for a "big salad" dinner, I always try to make it special with the freshest produce I can find, some wonderful freshly made french bread and best of all, homemade bleu cheese salad dressing. In a matter of minutes, this dressing can be mixed together and put in the fridge for a couple of hours so the flavors marry and voila, the tastiest bleu cheese dressing you've ever had.

Mind you, I have tasted a couple of bottled/jarred bleu cheese dressings that aren't bad, but they all tend to have such strong vinegar taste - probably for preservative sake. This recipe makes a rich dressing (a little goes a long way) with big chunks of cheese and the flavors of the garlic and a slight undertone of acid from the lemon. It lasts about a week in the refrigerator. Leftovers are also good as a dip for veggies such as celery and carrot sticks.

Bleu Cheese Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 medium garlic clove, minced very fine

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

3-4 oz. crumbled bleu cheese

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Combine all of the ingredients together until well combined. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours so flavors are well combined. Serve with green salad or as a dip for crudities.

Cheesemaking 101

Do you know that you can make your own cheese without turning on a stove or stirring or separating curds from the whey? Well, you can and it's as easy as buying a tub of Greek yogurt and having a little patience.Here is what I learned in the latest edition of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine. Take a tub of Greek yogurt, either whole milk or 2% which is what I used, and put it in a colander lined with a double layer of cheesecloth. Put the colander over a bowl and put a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the yogurt. Then set a plate a 1/2 inch or so smaller than the diameter of the colander on top of the yogurt and set a something heavy on top of that, such as some canned food product. Let this sit in the refrigerator for 48 hr. Once it has drained, you get the most lucious soft cheese which can be used in a variety of ways. It has a taste very similar to goat cheese, with that yogurt tang but it is so much creamier and smoother than goat cheese. I used mine as a substitute for mozzarella on top of crackers with basil and tomato, a sprinkle of olive oil, salt and pepper. You could also roll the balls in herbs or perhaps poppy or sesame seeds for an attractive addition to an appetizer plate.

Cosmopolitan Quiche

When I was a fresh out of college, a month didn't go by when I didn't purchase a copy of the latest Cosmopolitan magazine. I read it cover to cover hoping Helen Gurley Brown and her staff could teach me the secrets of being a successful single gal in the 80's. They tried to teach me how to wear fashionable clothes, put on my makeup the right way, how to accessorize and most importantly, how to turn my man on so no other girl would steal him away.

Alas, none of these lessons really took with me at the time. But one very invaluable lesson I learned from my Cosmopolitan magazines was how to make the most fabulous quiche ever. I think quiche is one of those dishes that comes in and out of favor and whenever I make one I think to myself "why don't I make this more often?" It covers so many yummy food bases: eggs, bacon, veggies, cheese, half and half and it is very easy to make if you go with the pre-made pie crust. So with that, I share with you my all time favorite quiche recipe.

Cosmopolitan Quiche

1 9 inch deep dish frozen pie crust (Prebake for 10 minutes at 375 deg)

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

8 slices bacon

1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese

1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and wrung out of extra moisture

1/4 cup finely diced onion

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Fry bacon, drain and crumble. Saute onion until lightly browned.

Beat eggs, half and half and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. After pie crust is pre-baked, put bacon and onions on bottom of crust, then spinach, then grated cheese. Carefully pour egg/cream mixture over the top. Place unbaked quiche on a cookie sheet (in case of spills) and bake for 30-35 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Baked Goat Cheese and a Salad

Not a very clever title today. I haven't done enough salads on my blog so I decided to include this one which was served for dinner this weekend along with Seafood Fettucini Alfredo. Though the salad tasted good, I was disappointed by the baked goat cheese. It just didn't get brown which I thought would happen. The failure I believe goes to the fact that I baked the cheese in a baking pan as opposed to the baking sheet called for in the recipe. It pays to follow instructions! All in all it was a nice salad and I would definitely make it again. (P.S. I know Gladys, yours wasn't plated as nicely as the one shown above!)
Mixed Greens Salad with Baked Parmesan Goat Cheese
1 5.5-ounce log creamy goat cheese (such as Montrachet), chilled

1 egg

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

1/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

6 cups (4 ounces) mixed lettuces

Cut goat cheese log into 4 equal rounds. Place egg in a shallow bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Spread flour in a shallow medium bowl. In another shallow medium bowl, mix panko, parmesan, thyme and cayenne. Coat each cheese round completely with flour, then dip into egg, letting excess drip off, then coat well with panko/parmesan mixture. Place on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Whisk together lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Add shallots and tomatoes to dressing and set aside. (Dressing can be prepared 2 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)
To bake goat cheese, arrange a rack at center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake cheese, uncovered, until heated through and coating is light golden brown, about 6 minutes. Watch carefully.

To serve, toss greens with enough dressing to coat lightly, and mound salad on 4 salad plates. Garnish each serving with a baked goat cheese round.

Makes 4 servings.

The Alchemy of Cooking

I love the magic of cooking. I love how you can take the most simple of ingredients; a sprinkle of yeast, a bit of sugar, a few cups of flour, mix it together, let it sit for a couple hours and voila - a beautiful bread dough

I made pizza dough with a delicious recipe that I've had around for awhile. It is very simple to make and very easy to work with once it's risen. Pizza is a great thing to try at home as there are endless possibilities for toppings. I like to divide the pizza into two parts; one with a meat choice and one vegetarian side. Tonight's pizza included tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese topped with a dry salami on one side and garlic olive oil, mozzarella, Parmesan and a sprinkling of fresh basil on the other side.

Really, homemade pizza is a fairly quick dinner once you have finished the dough and it has risen to all of it's glory. Just spread or roll the dough out onto your pan, slap on the toppings, pop it into the oven for 15-20 minutes and there you have it.

Pizza Dough

1 Tbsp dry active yeast (1 envelope - I use fast acting)

1 1/4 cup warm water (under 110deg F)

1/4 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp olive plus a little extra for greasing the pan

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

Place the yeast, 1/4 cup of warm water and sugar into mixing bowl. Stir and set aside until the yeast foams, about 10 minutes.

From This - a few ingredients - yeast, water, sugar.

Add the remaining water, olive oil and cheese. Using the dough hook of your electric mixer, mix on low speed just to blend. Still on low speed, add the flour one sixth at a time. Add the salt and continue mixing until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 3-4 minutes. While the dough is mixing, flour your work surface and grease a large mixing bowl with some oil.

Remove the dough to the floured work surface and knead for a minute or two to form a smooth ball. Place the dough in the greased bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

To This - a lovely, soft malleable dough. It's magic!

Once the dough has doubled in bulk, turn it out onto a floured work surface, roll it or stretch it with your hands into a circle or square until the dough is approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place dough onto a greased baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal (I omitted this step and it came off the pan just fine).

The Pizza ready for the oven.

Distribute your topping choices over the pizza dough and set the baking sheet in the top third of the oven which has been set to 450 degrees. Bake until the crust is golden brown the the cheese is bubbling, approximately 15-20 minutes. Enjoy a wonderful, flavorful pizza!

Cheesy Pesto Lasagna

I made a totally lazy version of lasagna using prepared tomato sauce and fresh lasagna sheets and it turned out quite well. Here is what made it a step above Costco's frozen lasagna (which isn't half bad). I mixed some of my homemade pesto in with the ricotta cheese and it really gave it a great basil/garlic taste. I also used some Paul Newman's Marinara Sauce and it too was fairly tasty. Putting together the whole thing couldn't have been easier.

This size lasagna would easily serve a family of four as opposed to how I usually make my lasagnas; big enough to feed a small army. Sometimes I forget that I am only cooking for two and I overdo it on size. Leftovers are great but not for 5 days in a row!

Cheesy Pesto Lasagna

4 sheets of fresh lasagna sheets

1 16 oz jar of marinara sauce

1 cup of pesto

1 1/2 cups of ricotta

1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese

Grease an 8 inch square baking pan. Mix ricotta cheese and pesto together until blended. Pour enough marinara sauce over the bottom of pan to cover. Place lasagna sheet over sauce. Cover sheet with ricotta/pesto mixture, dollop marina sauce over ricotta then sprinkle with both mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Continue layering in this manner ending with pasta covered with marinara sauce and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. Remove foil and place under broiler until cheeses are brown and bubbly. Watch carefully as cheeses can burn quickly. Let sit for 15 minutes before cutting to ensure everything holds together nicely.

A Culinary Eggs-Periment

I've never made, nor for that matter, have I ever eaten a souffle. Reading various recipes over the years, they always seemed doomed for disaster. Have we all not heard of the harried cook making a special supper of a souffle for his/her company and it falling before it ever reaches the table? Additionally, it is something that has to be timed so that your guests are seated and ready when the main event comes out of the oven. A souffle awaits no one.

Since one of my goals of this cooking blog is to venture out and try new (and sometimes scary) recipes, now is as good a time as any to try my hand at the classic cheese souffle. I searched through a few of my cookbooks and have decided to go for the recipe included in Julia Child's very complete and thorough The Way To Cook cookbook. Since Julia's recipe is so detailed and there are so many souffle recipes available, I am not going to write out this recipe today.

One of the things I like about the idea of a cheese souffle is that the ingredients are so very simple: eggs, milk, cheese, butter, a few seasonings, lots of air and voila, an impressive dish. I was able to obtain local eggs, milk and wonderful Tillamook extra sharp cheddar cheese, thus practicing my utilization of local products for the majority of this recipe.

In reading this particular recipe, the process seems quite simple. I made a bechamel sauce and when thickened, added the seasonings then the 4 egg yolks after the sauce had cooled a few minutes. I whisked each one individually until well incorporated.

This stood for a few minutes while I got out the much beloved Kitchenaide mixer (Thanks my darling man, The Husband, for the best gift you ever gave me) and beat 5 egg whites until stiff, shiny peaks formed. In everything I've read about souffles, this is a key step. Apparently if the whites are overbeaten, it will result in a dry, tough souffle. The next step was to fold the sauce mixture into the whites. I took a large dollop of the whites and stirred them into the sauce to lighten the mixture, then gently folded the sauce into the rest of the whites using the classic folding method of cutting through the mixture in the middle, going down to the bottom and repeating until everything was well incorporated. The grated cheese was also folded in a handful at a time. The key to this process is to not overfold and deflate the volume of the whites.

This mixture was poured into my prepared dish which I buttered and dusted with 2 Tbsp of parmesan cheese. I then attached a greased aluminum foil collar around the dish using straight pins in order to create a method for the souffle to rise above the top of the dish without collapsing on itself.

The oven was preheated to 400 degrees and when I put the souffle in, I turned it down to 375 degrees where it baked for 25 minutes. Accoring to the instructions, it is imperative that the oven door is not open during the first 20 minutes of cooking or the souffle will deflate like a man in a cold shower.

The souffle actually needed 30 minutes in my oven but it turned out just fine. It was very tasty, airy, perfectly seasoned and most cheesy. It was served with asparagus, tomatoes dressed with a touch of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, crusty french bread and a glass of sauvignon blanc. Though it was a fine dinner, it may be awhile before I attempt again, as it was a lot of work and, call me a redneck if you will, scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese are just as good with far less effort. I'm glad I gave it a whirl and now I can check that off my list of things to do before I die!