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Queso de Burgos
Created by Chef Isabel
Queso de Burgos is the fresh cheese of Castilla y Leon, white, mild, barely pressed, and eaten young. The whole trick is a clean rennet set and gentle draining.
Queso de Burgos belongs to Castilla y Leon, and more exactly to Burgos: a fresh, white, unaged cheese set with rennet, drained lightly, and eaten within days. It isn't a cured Manchego and it isn't a tart lemon cheese. It should taste clean and milky, soft enough to tremble when you cut it, firm enough to hold a slice.
The method that decides it is the curd. Warm the milk gently, add the cuajo, the rennet, and leave it alone until it sets cleanly. If you stir too soon, you break the curd into little grains and the cheese drains dry and rubbery. Cut it slowly, ladle it gently, and let gravity do most of the work.
In Burgos the old cheese was made with sheep's milk, and that gives the fullest taste. If you're far from Castilla and can't get it, use the best whole cow's milk you can find, not ultra-pasteurized, and add a little cream if the milk is thin. It will be milder, but still honest. No hace falta haber pisado Espana. Pésalo, no lo adivines, and eat it fresh.
Ingredients
whole sheep's milk, or whole cow's milk if sheep's milk is unavailable
Quantity
2 liters
heavy cream (optional)
Quantity
120ml
use only if the cow's milk is very lean
liquid animal rennet
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
diluted in 2 tablespoons cool non-chlorinated water
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| whole sheep's milk, or whole cow's milk if sheep's milk is unavailable | 2 liters |
| heavy cream (optional)use only if the cow's milk is very lean | 120ml |
| liquid animal rennetdiluted in 2 tablespoons cool non-chlorinated water | 1/4 teaspoon |
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