Homemade Goat Cheese
By: Tricia
Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010 - 8:45am

Ingredients




1 quart pasteurized goat’s milk (avoid ‘ultra’-pasteurized)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 clove freshly grated garlic
a few pinches herbs de provence

freshly chopped parsley

coarse salt, to taste

Preparation

1 In a medium saucepan, slowly heat milk until it reaches 180 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let stand until milk starts to curdle, about 15-20 seconds. If milk does not curdle, add a little more lemon juice. 2 Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Ladle milk into colander. Pull up and tie the four corners of cheesecloth together and hang on the handle of a wooden spoon, set over a stockpot or very deep bowl. Allow to drain until the consistency of slightly dry cottage cheese is reached, about 1-1.5 hours. Transfer to a bowl and fold in salt, herbs and garlic. Serve immediately atop warm crostinis. Can be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 1 week.

About


Cheese. There is nothing quite like eating cheese! Depending on my mood, I love the nuttiness of a hard manchego paired with a sweet homemade jam (quince or a mellow marmalade) and a hard piece of toasted crostini; or a creamy, creamy feta. While living in Greece several summers ago, I discovered Bulgarian Feta--I would buy it in slices from the feta counter (yes, imagine your specialty grocery store's cheese counter--except it is all different kinds of feta!), a few fresh tomatoes still warm from the sun and just eat them together on my walk home, juices running down my hands and arms probably with a huge grin on my face. But I digress, because there is a special place in my heart for a good goat cheese too. And luckily for me (and maybe you too!) it is very easy to make.
When I first saw this recipe, I had to read it a few times because the photos were so stunning. My eyes kept roving over the screen, drinking in the milky-white images--of what?--and once it registered--homemade cheese--I set to work making some myself. With a huge grin on my face :).
I've made it a few times since my first try, trying a new fresh herb chopped finely and stirred in, or just eating it naked--with a sprinkling of sea salt. And each time I feel a little surprised at how easy it is to do! (Both make it AND eat it, that is). And the flavor is wonderful, mellow, with a hint of the lemon--which I absolutely love mingling with the sea salt and/or fresh herbs. I toast up some bread I've made, or a baguette I've picked up in the oven sprinkled with a little olive oil and wa la! It becomes the best hor d'oeuvres, snack, lunch, dinner, or all of the above.
I highly recommend giving this a try! Pick up some fresh goats milk (pasteurized is better than ultra-pasteurized if you can find it--I've used both with good results though...) from the store, grab a few lemons, and sniff through the fresh herbs checking to see which ones look the best and go from there. Serve it to your friends and they will be wildly impressed. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me :). Cheers!