May 23, 2006.
#13
Spanish cheese-makers use three types of milk:
from sheep, cows and goats.
Blends of these milks are also used to produce their cheeses.
A great variety of cheese comes as a result of climatic
and geographical differences and from farming customs
steeped in age-old traditions.
Manchego
(Sheep's milk, Spain)
Manchego comes from La Mancha.
It is aged a minimum of 60 days and may be as mature
as three or more years. The salty, nutty, somewhat tangy flavor
intensifies as the cheese ages, but is always on the pleasantly mild side.
For this reason, it is a cheese that few dislike.
Pairings:
Quince Paste
Salted Almonds
Liquid Pairings:
Merlot
Spanish Reds
Cava
Mahon
(Cow's milk, Spain)
A bite of Mahon transports you to a grassy hillside on the Island of Menorca,
overlooking the Mediterranean. Tangy and as salty as the sea air,
younger wheels are semi-soft but can become almost crumbly as they age.
As the flavor intensifies with age, so does the color,
giving the rind a rusty orange hue and the paste a yellowish tinge.
Pairings:
Quince Paste
Salted almonds
Liquid Pairings:
Spanish reds
Chardonnay
Garrotxa
(Goat's milk, Spain)
A mildly herbal and milky flavor with a hint of tanginess
and a semi-firm texture that becomes deliciously creamy in your mouth.
The flavor is so pleasant that it has converted many people
who previously thought they did not like cheese made with goat's milk.
Liquid Pairings:
Chardonnay
Cava
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And you thought I couldn't think about cheese!!
Beth Carozza, my Spices, Rices and 'Shrooms person,
is in the hospital.
Get well Soon, Beth!!!
NEW
Bean of the week
Rice Beans
The rice bean is not, as some believe, just a dwarf version of white kidney beans,
it is a completely different species (Vigna umbellate) that has its origins
in Northeast India, Northern Burma and Northern Thailand.
This tiny pulse-like bean has cooking qualities closer to lentils than to beans,
most important of which is the fact that they don't need to be soaked before cooking.
The nutritive value of rice bean is exceptionally high.
The dried seeds contain high amounts of protein.
In Asia the beans are frequently cooked with, or instead of, rice,
often in soups and stews. Since its introduction into Europe
in the 1860s it has slowly built a popular following,
and it has very recently become popular in this country.
They have a mild, slightly sweet flavor.
Try making a delicious cold salad with rice beans as the main ingredient,
with diced tomatoes, bell peppers and onion, fresh sweet corn, and a light dressing.
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NEW
Rice of the week
Carnaroli Rice
Carnaroli is an Italian White Rice grown in the Piedmont and Lombardy regions of Italy.
Considered to be one of the finest of the rices used to make Risotto,
Carnaroli is a short, plump grain.
It's in the same family as Arborio Rice, however, the grain is larger.
When cooked it has a creamy texture with the inner germ kernel remaining firm.
This Rice can absorb much more liquid than other rices.
It is used primarily in the Italian Dish, Risotto.
Risotto is often considered the pasta of Northern Italy.
Suggested Use:
Carnaroli Rice is used primarily in Risotto dishes,
which often reflect the seasons.
In Spring use Baby Vegetables, in Summer Tomato and Basil,
in Autumn Wild Mushrooms and in Winter Seafood.
Serve as an entree or side dish.
The Cheese Lady has the rice, the mushrooms, the freeze-dried shallots
and the parmesan for this recipe!!!
Simple Mushroom Risotto
Recipe courtesy Food Network
Ingredients
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
5 ounces dried mushrooms (porcini or other wild dried mushrooms)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallots, minced
2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
1/2 cup white vermouth
2/3 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper
Directions
Heat the stock and ladle 2 cups into a medium bowl.
Add dried mushrooms and let soak for 20 minutes,
then drain, reserving the liquid.
Pour liquid through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towels
to catch any grit. Add mushroom liquid back to warm stock.
Keep stock heated over medium heat.
Pat soaked mushrooms dry and saute in a large skillet
with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Heat remaining olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Add shallots and cook until softened. Add rice and cook, stirring,
until the rice becomes translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add
vermouth and stir until absorbed by rice. Add warm mushroom stock to rice,
1 cup at a time, stirring constantly. All stock must be fully absorbed
before the next cup of stock is added. After about 20 minutes,
the rice should be tender but not mushy, it should have a creamy texture.
Add more stock if needed. Fold in Sauteed mushrooms, Parmesan,
and season with salt and pepper. Let stand for a minute
before serving. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.
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Good-bye from Elle
and her grandma,
The Cheese Lady