Catalan Kitchen LogoThe Catalan Table
Updated Sheet: 9/5/2023
A traditional dish crafted with timeless ingredients, offering a smooth texture and a flavor that evokes memories of home.
dairy
traditional
boiled
soup
main dish
healthy
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Ingredients

    Step-by-step Guide

    Updated sheet: 09/05/2023

    • Gather all the necessary ingredients before starting to cook, including the spices and vegetables, to ensure you have everything on hand and nothing is missing for the process.
    • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius to ensure uniform and optimized cooking for dishes that require baking.
    • Cut the vegetables into uniformly sized pieces, approximately one square centimeter, to ensure even cooking.
    • In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat for about two minutes, until the oil is hot but not smoking.
    • Add the chopped vegetables to the skillet and sauté for approximately 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and start to brown.

    Fork Blaus

    • Note: The day before, take a piece of commercial blue cheese weighing about 6-7 grams (Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Cabrales, etc.) and cut it into small pieces. Place it in a glass with milk, stir well, and let it sit at room temperature until the next day. The following day, strain the mixture through a fine sieve before adding it to the milk pot.
    • Note: This process requires attention throughout the day.
    • Note: Using sheep's milk yields nearly double the amount compared to cow's milk. With 4-5 liters of sheep's milk, cheese is produced, whereas the same quantity of cow's milk results in only 0.5 kg of cheese.
    • Note: When making cheeses with raw, unpasteurized milk, they must be aged for at least 2 months to ensure no pathogenic bacteria are present (if present, the cheese will swell). We need 4 liters of milk (cow, sheep, or goat), which can be raw or pasteurized.
    • If pasteurizing, you can choose slow pasteurization at 62°C (thermized milk) for 30 minutes or quick pasteurization at 72°C for 15 seconds.
    • If using fresh milk from the supermarket, we must add calcium chloride at approximately 0.3 ml per liter, which is about 1.2 ml for 4 liters. Dissolve the calcium chloride in Water (Never in Milk). Roquefort: with sheep's milk.

    Gorgonzola: with COW's milk

    • If using pasteurized milk from the supermarket, we must add calcium chloride at approximately 0.3 ml per liter, which is about 1.5 ml for every 10 liters of milk.
    • Dilute the calcium chloride in water (never in milk) before mixing it with the milk. For the starter culture, use one sachet of 9.3 grams of Choozit 4001 LYO 50 DCU mesophilic culture (Danisco) for 100 liters of milk. For aged cheeses, the recommended dose is 0.93 grams per 10 liters of milk, or 0.37 grams per 4 liters.
    • Use 0.3 grams (equivalent to 4 doses of the mini measuring spoon) of Choozit 4001 LYO 50 DCU mesophilic culture per 4 liters of milk.
    • Alternatively, you can use 60 ml of natural kefir per 4 liters of milk, which is equivalent to 1/4 cup.
    • Add a dose of Penicillium Roqueforti (or the culture prepared the previous day, strained through a chinois to remove solid parts). For sheep's milk, it's preferable to use lamb rennet, although calf rennet is also suitable. For cow's milk, calf rennet is recommended. The usual dose is between 3.5 and 5 ml per 10 liters of milk.
    • For raw sheep's milk: use 2.5 ml of rennet per 10 liters in spring and summer, and 3.5 ml per 10 liters in autumn and winter.
    • For raw cow's milk: the dose is 5.0 ml of rennet per 10 liters in both spring and summer as well as in autumn and winter.
    • For pasteurized milk, use fresh pasteurized milk and add 6.0 ml of rennet per 10 liters. Ensure you use non-iodized sea salt for the cheese salting.

    Procedure

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C to ensure even temperature when baking the dish.
    • Rinse and dice the vegetables into small cubes to ensure even cooking.
    • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil until hot.
    • Add the diced vegetables to the skillet and sauté for 5-7 minutes until tender.
    • Add the chosen protein and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes.
    • Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir well to distribute the seasonings.
    • Transfer the contents of the pan to an oven tray and place it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
    • Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow all the flavors to meld.
    • Serve the dish with a garnish of fresh herbs for a refreshing touch.

    If previously We Want to pasteurize the milk

    • Heat the milk in a bain-marie, stirring constantly to ensure it heats evenly and to prevent it from sticking to the container. Once the desired temperature is reached and the heat is turned off, the bain-marie allows for maintaining a constant temperature for the required time. For slow pasteurization: heat the milk to 62°C and maintain this temperature for exactly 30 minutes.
    • After slow pasteurization, reduce the temperature as quickly as possible to 22°C by immersing the pot in a bain-marie of cold water. Change the water if necessary to keep it very cold and achieve a rapid temperature drop.
    • For rapid pasteurization: heat the milk until it reaches a temperature of 72°C. Maintain this temperature for 15-20 seconds, monitoring with a thermometer to ensure accuracy.
    • Immediately afterwards, reduce the milk's temperature to 32°C by immersing the pot in a cold water bath. It is important that the water is very cold to ensure a quick and efficient temperature drop.

    If we work with raw milk

    • Heat the milk to 32°C while stirring constantly, ensuring that the temperature remains uniform for about 10 minutes.

    Cabrales: Scald the milk to 27ºc

    • Heat the milk to a constant temperature of 27°C, stirring gently to ensure an even distribution of heat.

    Add the starter culture

    • Add the kefir yogurt (or dilute the culture dose in a cup of milk, never in water, and add it to the milk) ensuring that the milk is at room temperature.
    • Add the Penicillium Roqueforti culture filtered with a fine chinois sieve, ensuring that all lumps are removed.
    • Stir gently for 1-2 minutes to ensure all ingredients are well mixed.

    Let rest for 1 hour at 32ºC

    • Place the preparation in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap or a tightly fitting lid.
    • Let the mixture rest in a temperature-controlled place at 32 ºC. You can use an oven turned off with the light on or a heater to maintain a constant temperature.
    • Keep the preparation resting for 1 hour, ensuring the temperature remains stable and checking the fermentation process if necessary.

    Add the Rennet

    • Dilute the dose of rennet in a tablespoon of Water (Never in Milk). Let it rest for 1 hour at 32 ºC. After this time, check if the cut is clean. If it is still not clean, let it rest for another hour. Cut the curd into cubes approximately 2-3 cm in size in three successive series of cuts, allowing 5 minutes between each series of cuts. Make two orthogonal cuts and then the most horizontal cuts possible. Keep the curd at 32 ºC and stir gently for 45-60 minutes.
    • Stir the curd every 5 minutes throughout the process. Stir until, when you take a piece of curd and press it with your fingers, it recovers its shape when released. While stirring, maintain the constant temperature of 32 ºC; if necessary, apply heat occasionally. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes. If you wish to use the whey for future rind washings, separate 1 liter of whey and add 15 grams of sea salt while it is still warm. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container for the maturation Washings.

    Prepare the Molds by Lining

    • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius to ensure the molds are at the appropriate temperature for baking.
    • Line the bottoms of the molds with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking and breaking when unmolding.
    • Grease the sides of the molds with butter or non-stick spray, ensuring the entire surface is well covered to facilitate later unmolding.

    Cabrales

    • In a non-stick skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes.
    • Add the Cabrales cheese to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Stir the cheese gently until it completely melts, which will take between 3 and 5 minutes.
    • Once the cheese is fully melted and has a creamy texture, remove the skillet from the heat and serve immediately to fully enjoy its intense flavor.

    Gorgonzola

    • First, place the curd in a cheesecloth set over a colander, and let it drain for 30 minutes to allow the curd mass to come together.
    • Place a plastic wrap over the side of the sink and carefully pour the curd onto it to prevent it from breaking.
    • Next, crumble the curd into pieces approximately 1 cm in size, ensuring there are no excessively large pieces.
    • Fill the mold lined with cheesecloth, gently adapting the curd inside without pressing too much, to allow the cheese's characteristic textures to form.

    Melting the cheeses so they acquire a

    • Let the cheeses rest for 15 minutes and then turn them to the other side. Repeat this process a total of 3 times to ensure an even distribution of heat and flavor.
    • Let the cheeses rest for an additional 30 minutes and turn them again. Repeat this process 2 times, ensuring the cheeses rest well between each turn.
    • Let the cheeses rest for 2 hours and turn them once more to facilitate the maturation process.
    • Allow the cheeses to rest for an additional 2 hours and turn them once more to complete the process. Ensure that the cheeses are kept at an appropriate temperature for aging throughout the entire process.

    Xerigot for future Washed maturation

    • Separate 1 liter of whey and place it in an airtight container to prevent the entry of air and contaminants.
    • When the whey is still warm, add an amount of salt depending on the type of rind you wish to achieve. For a typical rather white rind, add 15 grams of salt per liter of whey. Make sure to stir well until the salt is completely dissolved.

    Tirant to Blavosa

    • Store the container in the refrigerator at a temperature of approximately 4°C. This container will be used over the next month as we continue treating the cheeses, checking them every few days to ensure they maintain their quality.

    Drain the Whey

    • Flip the cheeses every 8 hours during the maturation process to ensure even drainage of the whey.

    Salads

    • Salt the top, bottom, and sides of the cheese uniformly. Leave it to rest in a cool, dry place for 24 hours.
    • The next day, carefully turn the cheese to prevent deformation and lightly salt the opposite surface. Place it back in a cool, dry place to allow it to drain for another 24 hours.
    • After two days, remove the excess salt by gently running your hand over the entire surface of the cheese to ensure no salt is left accumulated.

    Air-Dried

    • Turn the cheeses every 8-12 hours to ensure even ventilation and to prevent settling. Cabrales: Leave them at room temperature for approximately 7 days to allow for an initial natural fermentation, then move them to the aging cellar to continue the process.
    • Aging: When the cheeses no longer show visible moisture, we can begin the aging process, which should be carried out in a cellar with a controlled temperature between 10-12 °C and a relative humidity of 80-85% to achieve the optimal aging point.

    First Stage

    • Leave the cheese for 15 days at a controlled temperature of 4ºC to 5ºC with a humidity of 95%. The best option is to place it in the fridge inside a container with a little water at the bottom, some spacers, a rack, and place the cheese on top of the rack to ensure proper ventilation.
    • Turn the cheeses daily to ensure even maturation on all sides.
    • Wash the cheeses with the salted whey that we have reserved or with a brine solution (15 grams of salt per liter), every two days, for a whole week.
    • After 10-12 days, make about 12-14 holes evenly distributed on both sides and the edges of the cheese to promote internal maturation.

    Second Stage

    • Leave the cheeses in the wine cellar at a constant temperature of 8 to 10°C with a relative humidity between 90% and 95%. Place the cheeses between two racks and wrap them with two layers of aluminum foil. Then, place them inside a container with a little water at the bottom, ensuring that there is a rack separating the cheeses from the bottom of the container. Preserve for a period of 2 to 3 months.
    • Turn the cheeses every 3 days to ensure even maturation and to prevent excess moisture buildup in specific areas.
    • At 2 months of maturation, check if the cheeses have achieved the desired texture and flavor to determine if they are ready for consumption.

    Final Stage

    • After 2-3 months, if the product has not been consumed, transfer it to the refrigerator at a temperature of about 4ºC. Vacuum packed, it can be preserved for up to 5 months.
    • Cabrales: Mature the cheese at a temperature between 8ºC and 12ºC for a period of 3 months. Every 15 days, moisten or immerse the cheese in brine to ensure it retains the necessary moisture.
    • Penicillium Roqueforti Molds: To encourage the presence of P. Roqueforti molds, ensure a more intense salting of the rind and maintain a temperature below 10ºC.

    Unwanted

    • Molds of the Mucor genus: These are recognized by their gray color with hairy filaments (also known as cat's fur) and have a slimy texture when removed. They are non-toxic and do not affect the cheese's taste, but they are unsightly, and almost everyone chooses to remove them. To remove them, gently scrape the rind with a knife, dragging the molds until they are completely gone. This process can take between 5 to 10 minutes. A more intensive salting can prevent the appearance of Mucor in the future.
    • Pseudomonas aeruginosa molds: These molds can appear if the cheese has been set to mature before the rind has completely dried during the airing phase. They are vividly colored molds, often in shades ranging from green to fluorescent yellow. They are non-toxic, but can impart a bitter taste to the cheese. Carefully remove them using the tip of a knife, ensuring they are extracted without leaving residues. This process can take about 5 minutes.
    Recommendations & Tricks
    • One day before starting the recipe, take about 6-7 grams of a blue cheese like Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or Cabrales, cut it into small pieces and place them in a glass with milk. Stir well and let it sit at room temperature overnight. The next day, strain the mixture with a chinois before adding it to the pot of milk.
    • If your day is very busy, prepare the ingredients the night before to facilitate the cooking process the next day.
    • Using sheep's milk will allow you to obtain almost double the amount of cheese compared to cow's milk. With 4-5 liters of sheep's milk, you can make a full cheese, whereas with cow's milk you only get 0.5 kg.
    • When making cheeses with raw milk, ensure they mature for at least 2 months. This will help eliminate any possible pathogenic bacteria, and if there are bacteria, the cheese may swell.
    • For this recipe, you can use 4 liters of milk, whether it's from cow, sheep, or goat. You can choose between raw or pasteurized milk according to your preference or availability.