Siobhan, Ciarin, and Chevre

                                                           
Siobhan adores Ciarin—I can’t imagine why.  He adores chasing her madly around the pasture…Ciarin is a goat—a Nubian goat, of considerable size and dubious pedigree.  His name means “little dark one” in Gallic; it refers not to his color, but to his dark sense of humor.   Theirs is a strange and beautiful friendship…

 Perhaps it was Ciarin that first inspired me to make chevre (a soft cheese made from goat’s milk).  Unlike Ciarin, chevre is sweet and mild…  It is also fairly easy to make; the only ingredients needed are pasteurized goat’s milk, citric acid, cheese salt, and herbs for seasoning.   We often buy fresh goat’s milk from a nearby farm to use in our cheese-making. We grow our own garlic and herbs, so the flavoring is fresh as well.  Siobhan and I sometimes make our chevre plain, and sometimes with Herbs de Provence.  Today we are making  herbed chevre with garlic and rosemary...

   

                 Recipe For

Chevre With Garlic and Rosemary

Ingredients:

    

      * 2 qts. pasteurized goat’s milk

      *1 tsp. citric acid

      * 1 tsp. cheese salt (to taste)

      * 1 tsp. fresh or dried rosemary, finely chopped

      * 1 tsp finely chopped garlic

Supplies Needed:

• Stainless steel double boiler
• butter muslin or fine cheesecloth
• colander
• cheese molds
• candy thermometer

Instructions:

*Measure citric acid into ½ cup water and stir; set aside.

* Add water to bottom pot of double boiler; bring to a low boil.

*Pour milk into top pot of double boiler; add citric acid/water mixture and salt to milk; mix     

 thoroughly.

 *Heat milk to 180 deg. – 185 deg; do not allow to boil.  Stir often to prevent scorching.  Remove from heat when you see coagulation (white and yellowish separations in the milk.

*Allow to sit undisturbed for 10 – 12 min.

*Line colander with cheesecloth; slowly pour milk into colander. (This will strain the whey from the curds, leaving the curds in the cheesecloth.)

*Gently mix in garlic and rosemary; When curds stop dripping, spoon into cheese molds; gently press to evenly fill molds.  Place molds on a flat pan lined with paper toweling; let sit 30 min. to allow excess whey to drain.

* Hold cheese mold upside down over plate or storage container, and tap gently but firmly to remove cheese from mold.  Cover cheese and store in refrigerator for up to one week.





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