"Queso blanco" is Spanish for "white cheese" and you can whether buy or make your own. This cheese is amazing for spicy Mexican recipes like enchiladas and it is simple to make. Queso blanco has a creamy, mild flavor and it is crumbly in texture.
This cheese is similar to Indian paneer or Greek feta cheese because it is made in a very similar way. This cheese is basically made from pressed cottage cheese curds, which have had the whey removed. A lot of Mexican families make their own cheese because it is used so often.
If you order tacos from an authentic Mexican food vendor, they will come with queso blanco crumbled over the top, although a lot of habitancy assume Monterey Jack is the cheese or choice in Mexico. This cheese unmistakably originated in Spain and made its way to Mexico and Latin America with the conquistadores but Mexicans love it and use it in many recipes.
Queso blanco makes a great replacement for ricotta in lasagna. You can also slice it and serve it on crackers with a slice of tomato and some fresh basil or with some smoked ham. If you are wondering about the variation in the middle of queso blanco and queso fresco (because they are very similar cheeses), the sass is that queso blanco is made with cow's milk and queso fresco is ordinarily made with a aggregate of cow's milk and goat's milk.
Recipe for Queso Blanco
The following method is unmistakably simple to follow. Pick a "live" yogurt for this recipe. That means one, which has active cultures in it. Store the terminated cheese in the refrigerator for up to a week. This method makes about a pound of queso blanco.
What you will need:
- 1 gallon whole milk
- 1 cup live yogurt or buttermilk
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 2 teaspoons non-iodized salt
How to make it:
Put the milk in a clean stockpot made of stainless steel and heat it to 90 degrees F. You will need a digital thermometer for this. Add the buttermilk or yogurt and stir. Cover the pot and let it sit overnight or for a minimum of four hours. The milk will be sour and thick.
Heat the aggregate to 185 degrees F and stir it so the milk does not scorch. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the vinegar slowly. Stop adding vinegar if the curds and whey begin to separate. Let the aggregate sit for ten minutes.
Line a colander with white cotton or a fine woven towel (not cheesecloth because it is too porous) and pour the aggregate straight through it. Let it drain for half an hour, then empty the curds into a bowl and stir in the salt. Put the cheese in a holder and chill it until you are ready to use it. Alternatively, you could press the cheese for a join of hours in a mold and then air-dry it for a day at room temperature.
How to Make Your Own Queso Blanco