Mexican Cheese Primer

Mexican cheese is readily available where I live, not expensive and yet I admit, I am often bewildered when I go to buy it. What's the difference between Cotija and Queso Anejo? Will Panela melt or crumble? If Quesadilla cheese is good for quesadillas, is Enchilado cheese for enchiladas? I have finally made sense of Mexican cheeses, thanks to lots of great information from the California Milk Advisory Board and some generous samples from Cacique, the largest Hispanic cheese brand in the US. Cacique has very detailed descriptions of all their cheeses as well as recipes when you're ready to dig in even further.

Don't be afraid to buy Mexican cheeses because you are not sure what to do with them. They are actually very easy to use and enjoy and often available in supermarkets. And they can be used in all kinds of dishes, not just traditional Mexican cuisine. Many are similar to cheeses you already know, like feta or mozzarella. It was the Spaniards who introduced cows and goats to Mexico as sources of meat and milk, so it's not surprising that Mexican cheeses bear a resemblance to European cheeses, especially ones from the Mediterranean countries including Spain, Italy and Greece.

When thinking about Mexican cheese, it's better to extend the category to Mexican dairy and divide everything into three categories, Fresh Cheeses, Aged Cheeses and Cream. I've listed the most popular and commonly available cheeses first.

FRESH CHEESES
Many fresh, or un-aged Mexican cheeses will soften but do not actually melt. Some of these cheese can be crumbled or fried. Of the fresh cheeses, only Queso Quesadilla and Oaxaca are melting cheeses.

Queso Fresco
This is the most commonly used Mexican cheese. Most similar to feta, it's mild, buttery and slightly salty, it softens, but it doesn't melt. It's typically used on salads and refried beans and it's perfect for enchiladas. You could easily use this cheese on any kind of salad, even Greek salad, in cheese spreads, blintzes, or in corn pudding.

Panela
Panela is a really fun cheese! It softens but does not melt and can be pan-fried like halloumi. Put it on salads, in potato casseroles, omelets and in sandwiches. You can also crumble it over spicy dishes. It is very mild in flavor.

Oaxaca
Like a braided mozzarella or string cheese, it does melt and gets stringy when hot. Use it for stuffing, especially in chile rellenos but also on lasagna, pizza or nachos.

Queso Quesadilla
A buttery melting cheese for use in quesadillas, but also in any grilled cheese sandwich and has an almost nutty buttery flavor. It's similar to jack cheese.

Requeson
The sweetest Mexican cheese, and very soft and grainy, like ricotta. Use it in desserts.

AGED CHEESES
Mexican aged cheeses will last longer, and are all firm because more moisture has evaporated, but range from crumbly to very hard. Of the aged cheeses, Asadero, and Manchego are melting cheeses.

Cotija aka Queso Anejo
The most strongly flavored cheese, most similar to parmesan or romano cheese but quite as dry. A little packs a punch! This is the cheese to use with corn, roll the cooked cob in mayonnaise then coat it in crumbled cotija and sprinkle it with cayenne and drizzle it with lime. Use it in place of parmesan as a topping on pasta or in a Mexican style Caesar salad.

Asadero
A buttery, mild melting cheese you can use in quesadillas, nachos or in grilled cheese sandwiches. It's very creamy and similar to fontina in flavor but like provolone in style, especially in the way you use it, sliced and draped over food to create a melted layer of cheese. You could use this on a cheeseburger or even melted in fondue.

Manchego
In Spain Manchego is made with sheep's milk cheese, but the Mexican style of Manchego made in the US, is made from cow's milk and more similar in flavor to a mild cheddar with a nutty flavor. It melts extremely well. You could use it in grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta dishes, or in Mexican dishes like queso fundido or chile rellenos. It's also great on a cheeseburger or in macaroni and cheese.

Enchilado
It is coated in mild chile, giving it a distinctive color and flavor. There are two versions, Enchilado and Enchilado Anejo, an even more aged style. It is a crumbly cheese that does not melt. It is milder than cotija and can be used as a stuffing in enchiladas or chile rellenos.


CREAM
There are creams from other Latin American countries but the Mexican style is generally most common. Try to find one without stabilizers if possible.

Crema aka Crema Mexicana
Think creme fraiche or thin sour cream, this rich yummy cream is thick but still liquid and not as firm as sour cream or American style yogurt. Drizzle it on spicy dishes, enchiladas, soups, chilaquiles. Crema can be used in cooking and on dishes as a finishing touch.

Day 128! Norway - Fiskesuppe - Salmon Chowder - Up Next, Oman

The inspiration for tonight's Norwegian Fiskesuppe, or fish soup, comes from my friend, Astrid, a Norwegian woman now living on the African island of Mauritius, whom I have the great honor and pleasure of knowing through our mutual foodie blogging. Astrid has been kind enough to share a slew of recipes from her childhood in Norway. Although this was not one of Astrid's, she mentioned that salmon is a staple in her beautiful homeland...and, since it was on sale at the market today, it didn't take me long settle on this lovely chowder. So after a full day of yard work, cleaning out my gardens and pruning my roses, this chowder was the perfect end to a beautiful day. Thank you Astrid for your friendship and generosity!

Located in northern Europe, the Nordic Kingdom of Norway occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula as well as Jan Mayen, the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway is the second least densely populated country in Europe and shares borders with Sweden, Finland, Russia and  Skagerrak Strait. Norway's extensive coastline faces the North Atlantic Ocean and Barents. A little known fact many may not know, is that this country has extensive reserves of petroleum, natural gas, mineral, forests, sea food, fresh water and hydro-power and is the world's largest producer of natural gas per capita outside of the Middle East. Lastly, Norway is socially and economically progressive and supports a Scandinavian welfare model, universal health care, subsidized higher education and comprehensive social security.

Cuisine in Norway draws on natural resources found throughout the land in the mountains, wilderness and along the coast. Unlike many European countries, Norway's cooking traditions focuses on game and fish. Moose, reindeer, duck, fowl, lamb, salmon (smoked and salted-sugar cured gravlaks), shellfish and herring are all staples in the Norwegian diet. Sauces using juniper and lingonberries, along with dill and spicy mustard season the food.

Fiskesuppe - Salmon Chowder (Adapted from norway-hei.com)

1 pound fish fillet (I used salmon, skin removed)
6-7 cups diced, new potatoes
1 cup carrots - diced
1 cup celery - diced
1/3 cup red and green peppers
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup instant potatoes
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup chives and dill for garnish
3 cups seafood stock
3 cups milk
1 cup cream or half-and-half
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and garlic until transparent.

Place potatoes, carrots, stock and salt in a soup pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Add remainder of vegetables and simmer.

In a separate bowl, whisk instant potatoes and milk. Add this gradually while stirring.

Add fish and stir until soup thickens. Lower the heat. Crumble the fish into smaller pieces when it's cooked. Add cream gradually while stirring, but do not let it boil.

Season with freshly ground black pepper, Worcestershire and salt to taste. Turn heat off and let rest for a few minutes.

Garnish with fresh chives and dill before serving.

Final Assessment: Delicious! Pretty to look at, full of flavor and not overly filling. This was perfect served alongside a salad and crusty bread. A+

Day 127! Nigeria - Shuku Shuku Nigerian Coconut Cookies - Up Next, Norway

With bathing suit season rapidly approaching, I have been very good about picking healthy recipes from each of the countries I've cooked in recently. But, well, it's been quite a work week, so representing the beautiful country of Nigeria tonight are traditional coconut cookies to soothe the soul and satisfy my sweet tooth. Chewy, rich and macaroon-like, these coconut cookies are delicious eaten alone or with a glass of Black Mountain Chardonnay (thank you, Marylou), which is available for under $10 at Trader Joe's. Cheap is Good...Which my husband once said when I asked him if my recently "highlighted" blonde hair made me look cheap. But I digress.

Located in west Africa,  Nigeria is a Federal Constitutional Republic comprised of 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Nigeria shares its land borders with the Republic of Benin, Chad, Cameroon and Niger. Its coast lies on the the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean. Nigeria is the most populated country in the world, as well as the most populated country in the world where the majority is Black. Roughly half of the population is Muslim, the other half being Christian with a small percentage practicing traditional religion. Nigeria is a geologically and anthropologically important country, as human habitation dates back to 900 BCE.

Cuisine in Nigeria is primarily traditional, but has important influences from Portugal, India, Persia, Great Britain and North Africa. Food is generally spicy and deeply seasoned using chili peppers, herbs, palm, coconut and peanut oil. Jolof rice, tomatoes, onions, cassava spinach, peppers and coconuts are all staples in the Nigerian kitchen. Goat, chicken, fish, stews and skewered meats are just some of the foods enjoyed in the country.

Shuku Shuku -Nigerian Coconut Cookies (Recipe adapted from Food.com)

1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup caster or superfine sugar (I ran regular sugar through my Cuisinart)
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut, sugar and egg yolks to form a stiff dough. Squeeze into 1-inch balls.

Combine flour and baking in powder in a bowl and mix lightly to combine, then roll coconut balls in flour mixture to coat.

Place on a baking sheet, spacing about 2-inches apart.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

Final Assessment:  These were delicious and very much like macaroons, which I love. I used large flake coconut, and I don't know if fine flake would have made the cookies have a creamier texture. Regardless, they were very good, easy to make and required ingredients most of us have on hand. 

A First Taste of San Antonio

Sometimes you visit a place and experience just enough to know you want to come back. That's how I feel about San Antonio, famous for the Alamo, Tex Mex food and the riverwalk. Moments after arriving as I saw the flat barges on the river, I immediately thought of Mexico, and indeed, Mexico is just a few hours away by car.


But Mexico isn't the only influence, San Antonio has German heritage too since Germans settled in Texas Hill Country starting in the 1830's. That's why you find German style beer, which it turns out is awfully refreshing with spicy food or humid weather or both.

So it actually makes a lot of sense that John Besh would open up an outpost of his NOLA restaurant Lüke in San Antonio. The food is inspired by the Swiss, German and French food he learned to cook while living in Europe and the New Orleans style food he grew up eating, and of course a focus on what's local. At Lüke you can dig into Texas raised chicken or gulf shrimp "en cocotte" or jaegerschnitzel and somehow, it all makes sense.


The restaurant is located in the the Embassy Suites San Antonio Riverwalk hotel, which just recently opened. I hadn't stayed in an Embassy Suites hotel in a long time but I was pleasantly surprised. The rooms and lobby were spacious, and design elements mirrored the rambling natural feel of the riverwalk, which is right below the large picture windows on the ground floor. The location was great for poking around downtown and exploring by foot, taking in a bit of the fabulous Art Deco and Neo-Gothic revival architecture.


Just a few blocks from the hotel, I enjoyed the Museo Alameda, with its combination of art and cultural displays especially the Siqueiros, Tamayo and Rivera paintings and the historical recreation of a small local shop. Just outside the museum is the covered market, which feels very much like a tourist market in Mexico. I'm sorry I missed the actual farmers market!


It was too crowded with Fiesta revellers for me to get a table at Mi Tierra, a cafe, panaderia and a cultural landmark in San Antionio. But I did get a sneak peek...


...and also of the colors of Fiesta. I love this smiling face!




Another highlight for me was actually my breakfast at Taco Taco, another more recent dining institution and so typical of San Antonio where more often than not a blend of cultures and influences is what makes the city all the more interesting. Here a Greek woman makes her versions of Tex Mex food and the locals can't get enough. In fact they stand in line for her superb homemade flour and corn tortillas wrapped around chorizo, scrambled eggs and super creamy refried beans. Is the secret to her tender tortillas olive oil? Is it Greek honey drizzled on the I-can't-stop-eating-them sopapillas? Who knows. And really it doesn't matter. Taco Taco like the rest of San Antonio seems to embody fusion in all the right ways. It feels good and tastes even better.

My thanks to the Embassy Suites and the San Antonio CVB for hosting me on my first trip to San Antonio

Day 126.5 - Dandelion and Caramelized Carrot Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts and Feta Cheese

One of my favorite PBS radio programs is The Splendid Table with Lynne Rossetto Kasper. I can't decide what I love more about the show - the wonderful recipes and call-in advice she gives, or her voice. Lynne's voice smiles - which makes me smile. No matter the subject, her passion inspires me (and all of her other listeners, I'm sure) to try new food and recipes. If ever there was a reason to support public radio funding, this is one of the best - that's my plug and I'm sticking to it.

So last weekend while cooking, smiling and listening to her show on WBUR, she offered up a quick and elegant recipe on Dandelion and Caramelized Carrot Salad that I knew I had to try. Many thanks to Lynne and The Splendid Table - I can't wait to hear what you do next week!

I didn't have goat cheese on hand, and I didn't have pistachios, but I did have feta, pine nuts and acres of extremely healthy spring dandelion weeds greens, in my back yard. We don't use chemical fertilizers because of our dog - hence our lovely, organic dandelions, just waiting to be picked for tonight's splendid salad. By the way, be sure to wash your greens thoroughly to avoid unwanted protein.

Now the next time you look out your window and see a field of much maligned dandelions, don't despair! Smile and pick yourself a few handfuls of these lovely, baby bitter greens for dinner. You'll truly be eating off your land, even if you don't have a garden,  and you'll be glad you did.

Dandelion and Caramelized Carrot Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts and Feta Cheese (Recipe Adapted from Lynne Rosetto Kasper)

Salad:
4 large handfuls (1 to 1-1/4 pounds) of dandilion leaves or other tart greens, thoroughly washed and spun dry
1/2 to 2/3 cup toasted pine nuts
12 ounces fresh feta cheese

Dressing:
4 to 5 tablespoons red or white wine or sherry vinegar
1 generous tablespoon dark grainy mustard
1/3 cup minced sweet Vidalia onions
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
The oil from the caramelized carrots and more if needed

Carrots:
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips about 3-inches by 1/16 inches
6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 to 3 generous pinches of sugar

Heat the greens on individual plates. Scatter with the nuts and crumbled feta cheese.

For the pine nuts, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Scatter pine nuts on a cookie sheet and toast for about 3-5 minutes, being careful not to burn the nuts. Remove from oven and reserve.

For the dressing, take a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, onion and salt and pepper to taste.

To caramelize the carrots have 3 or 4 layers of paper towels on a cookie sheet near the stove along with a slotted spoon. In a 12-inch slope-sided skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high for a few moments. It should sizzle when you drop a piece of carrot in it, but not smoke.

Salt the carrots and gently drop them into the oil. Cook, turning with the slotted spoon for 30 to 45 seconds until they are browning. Quickly scoop them up with slotted spoon, shaking off their oil, and spread them on the paper towel. Sprinkle them with the sugar.

Stir the garlic into the oil for a few seconds until it barely picks up color and scoop it out to drain on paper towels. Cool the oil in the pan off the heat for a few minutes.

To finish the salad, scatter the carrots and garlic slices over the salads.  Blend the oil in the pan into the dressing spoon it over the salads. Serve immediately.

Final Assessment: I loved, loved, loved this salad, because I am a huge fan of bitter greens. The caramelized carrots, crispy garlic, feta and pine nuts all topped off with the Vidalia onion dressing was sublime. My husband thought the greens were a little too bitter, but loved the rest. If you try this recipe, be sure to use baby greens, the full grown dandelion leaves will be too tough and bitter.