Ricotta- Let Me Count the Ways

Let me start by saying this I don't like ricotta. I don't like it in lasagna, I don't like it in cheese ravioli. It's dry, and powdery, and shouldn't even be allowed to call itself cheese. Let me come back to that.
About a month ago, I saw on another blogger's site something about cheese-making. I was intrigued. I clicked, and followed, and clicked and followed, and found that there was this thing called Cheesepalooza. It was starting this year, and it was a world-wide cheese-making class that would take place over the internet. Each month a new cheese would be attempted by the participants. I told my mom right away. About four years ago she bought me a cheese-making book, but I was so daunted by the lengthy list of special ingredients, I never pursued it. I make buttermilk at home. That's about it. And sometimes my 2-year-old makes homemade cheese in his cup when he throws it under the hutch.

So, after reading the details about this 'Cheesepalooza', and with some encouragement from a kind lady in Canada, I decided to join. Several experienced cheese-makers would be helping us, guiding us along the way. For the first month, the challenge was ricotta. Nobody in the house likes ricotta. I don't even like cottage cheese, and that's what people use in place of ricotta. There are few things I don't like. 1. Cottage cheese. 2. Cauliflower 3. Canned tomato soup. 4. Ricotta. That's about it. Anything else...oh wait, add foi gras to that list. It could have been the preparation, but at this point I am going to say I don't like it. I will eat just about anything (oh, and those shrimps with the eyes....can't get past that) Anyway, I decided I would make the ricotta anyway, because more often than not when you make something at home it is a completely different creature than what you get at the store. Also, I know I would like ricotta gnocci, so worst case scenario I could whip up a batch of that, or baci di ricotta, these little ricotta doughnuts (need I say more) that are deep fried (still not convinced) dusted with powdered sugar, and devoured before they are cool enough to be handled.
So, I had a few options up my sleeves. I finally got around to making it, after countless delays, and something wasn't right.  It didn't separate, there were little baby curds floating in a milky substance. I called for help. Now, this is exactly why I wanted cheese-making friends. I thought I had done something wrong, but what, I had no idea.Turns out, it wasn't my fault. You can add a bit more citric acid, or even vinegar to help it along. If I had tried again I would have done the same thing again, which probably would have yielded the same results. I would have, more that likely, given up.
Instead, this story had a different ending. I called for help and my cheese-making friends encouraged me to try again, giving ideas for what went wrong. I tried again. What I have now is about two pounds of soft ricotta (I didn't let mine get too dry) that is just amazing. My husband and I tried it in a bowl with honey. Wow. So smooth and creamy, it is like cream cheese but not as tangy and much softer. As I was eating it, I thought about olives, a little bit of orange zest and some crostini. I couldn't wait to do some experiments.
My two older boys both wanted some, so I spread a bit of plain ricotta on a piece of whole wheat pita. The middle son took a little bite and said, "Wow, Mom, that's really good! It tastes like butter!" He ate more of it, and then today he was asking for more of that cheese that I made. It's a pretty good feeling. I have included two recipes for crostini, and I am sure I will make the baci di ricotta, if not tonight tomorrow night, because that's how we roll.

Homemade Ricotta
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid
1 gallon whole milk
2 teaspoons salt, divided

Heat heavy cream, citric acid, whole milk, and 1 teaspoon of salt over medium heat to 185 degrees in a large pot. Occasionally scrape the pot with a rubber spatula.

Meanwhile, rig up your cheese draining apparatus. I used a bowl, a sieve, and some muslin. Muslin takes a while to drain (like 4 hours), so you might want to use cheesecloth. I would expect that would drastically cut the draining time.

Watch for the separation of curds. It will look like this. Cover with a lid and allow to sit for ten minutes.
 Ladle the curds into your muslin or cheesecloth. Once it has drained, tie it up and hang it over something to finish dripping. I hung it in the shower, but make sure you rinse that whey down because its pretty slippery. Store in a container.

• Appearance: tiny, grainy curds
• Nose (aroma): almost none, just milky
• Overall Taste: like rich cream cheese, but not as tangy
• Sweet to Salty: sweet
• Mild (mellow) to Robust to Pungent (stinky): very mild
• Mouth Feel: (gritty, sandy, chewy, greasy, gummy, etc.): smooth and creamy

 These two uses for ricotta are very similar, and yet so different. They showcase the fresh cheese's texture and taste.

The first I made with fresh tomatoes from my garden, cracked black pepper, a mixture of olives, a bit of the olive brine drizzled on top, and grated orange zest.  A salty bite, with the fresh tomatoes and cool ricotta, was just perfect.

The second I made with peaches, fresh basil from my garden, some crumbled pecans and a drizzle of honey. The flavors were so fresh and delicious, it was like dessert but without the guilt.

Pasta with Chicken and Lemon

I don't know about you, but I am always trying to find ways to get vegetables into what we are eating. Sometimes I dice them and throw them in soup, with pasta, or into a starch. Often, I have a giant pile on each person's plate, hoping the sheer magnitude will force them to eat at least half.
I recently realized my husband is throwing away his vegetables when he clears his own plate. I hadn't noticed right away because he always comes back with a giant pile of rice doused with Tabasco and that's all I can think about. After a minute or two I realize he ate a lot of vegetables, and as I open my mouth to ask how they were I realize he threw them away. It has only taken me two or three years to catch on to this. A couple weeks ago at dinner I finally confronted him.
"Did you throw your vegetables away?!!" I already knew the answer.

Zucchini Tomato Gratin

I haven't met very many snooty foodies. I actually, haven't met very many foodies. Sure, I see them on TV, read about them in magazines, and look at their cookbooks. Acting like they are too good for the ingredients available at the grocery store, and implying that everyone should be able to drop $120 on lobster to mix into some pasta for a summer lunch. They throw around phrases nobody understands, and flaunt French like they were born doing it. It's fun to watch for a little while, then it starts getting old. I love reading about food, different cultures, and how food brings people together. I don't, however, love reading about surfers and chefs summering at their beach houses, catching fresh fish and foraging for wild herbs in a weekend vacation that would have paid to feed half the population in Cambodia. I believe in efficiency in the kitchen. That means I am not going to spend $25 on a random ingredient just because a celebrity chef acts like I can't live without it.
Don't get me wrong. I am a foodie. I read everything I can get my hands on about food. Not about celebrity chefs,

Black Bean and Cumin Soup

There is a funny point at the turning of the seasons where we feel like the last season is still here, but the calendar tells us  the season has changed. So it is now, in these beginning days of April. Chilly nights and wind-driven rains make us feel like winter hasn't left yet, but the budding irises, freesia, and fruit trees tell us spring is on its way.

Happy Autumnal Equinox

I like soup. There is something downright homey about a pot of soup simmering away all day on the stove, tantalizing everyone with its aromas, and the occasional rattling lid. Whether it is for a first course, or just served with a grilled cheese sandwich as dinner, I am really quite fond of soup. It changes so easily, and can accommodate so many extra ingredients. Just a dash of this, a dab of that, and a handful of chopped vegetables (that would otherwise be left to eventually meet their end in the compost pile) and you can change a soup entirely. Add some cream or noodles, voila. A bit of shredded beef or some shrimp, some beans and fresh herbs and you are crossing continents. I cannot say I had anything to do with this recipe. I wish I could say I altered the ingredients, or improved upon it in some way, but you can see it in all its glory right here, exactly the way I found it.

There was a large pile of fresh, ripe tomatoes sitting on the counter, wondering if they would be left to shrivel or turned into something marvelous. I wanted to redeem them, I truly did, but I was trying my best to use what was in the fridge.
But, I was in one of those moods. The mood where I don't leave the kitchen until the sink is full of dishes and the counters are lined with cooling racks, loaded with goodies. The unfortunate part was, its not quite cool enough to do that so the entire house was a bit warmer than was appreciated. It always happens when the mornings start getting cooler, and I get that fall itch to start making soups, roasts, and sweet goodies.
I wanted to blog about this, not so I could share some wonderful recipe I developed, but so next fall, when I feel like defying the last of summer's heat, I will know just where to find the perfect recipe to use up the last of those fresh, garden tomatoes.
Serves 4
Soup

3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large or 4 small cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
4 cups chicken  stock
Lid
6 1-inch slices from a large loaf of sourdough or bread of your choice, buttered, cut into cubes and toasted until hard.
1 tablespoon grated raw onion
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar (or more to taste)
Make soup: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap garlic cloves in a tight foil packet. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil. Add foil packet of garlic to tray. Place on center rack of the oven and roast until tomatoes are brown and tender (garlic will be very tender), about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Unwrap garlic packet and peel cloves. Transfer cloves, tomatoes and any accumulated juices to a blender or food processor and pulse machine on and off until tomatoes are a chunky puree. Transfer tomatoes to medium pot and add thyme, crushed red pepper and stock and bring to a boil Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.
Create cheddar lid: Preheat oven to 350. Arrange four ovenproof soup bowls, crocks or large mugs on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. Stir grated onion into the warm soup. Float bread cubes in each bowl and divide grated cheese generously over top. Bake soups on tray for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbling and brown at the edges. Serve immediately.

To Soup or Not To (Spicy Sausage and Fennel Soup)

I felt like it was very appropriate to write about soup today. It is one of those wonderful things we can look forward to in the wintertime. On a cold winter day, there is nothing quite as satisfying as coming home to a bowl of something that has been simmering on the stove all day. Soup is so versatile. It can be made from all kinds of  vegetables, pretty much anything you have lying around. You can just chop up a bunch of stuff and throw it in there and it will pretty much end up delicious. As I am writing this I am going through different soups in my mind. I think I am going to make a spicy sausage, potato, and kale soup (zuppa toscana) again. So good and satisfying! We also love roasted butternut squash soup around here. Chicken noodle, turkey and dumplings, and spicy wonton soup. French onion soup made it to our Thanksgiving Dinner, year before last. A delicious and flavorful addition to your holiday buffet. Minestrone ("the big soup" or "the one with many ingredients") is delicious with just about anything you want to throw in there. Noodles, zucchini, tomatoes, sausage, chicken, etc. you name it, throw it in there.

There is another soup we really enjoy, and that is a spicy sausage and fennel tomato soup. It is an adaption of one of Rachel Ray's recipe adaptions. You begin by browning some spicy sausage with olive oil. After that, saute some onions, garlic and fennel until soft. You add beef stock, tomato puree and some spices, and viola! A wonderfully flavorful and satisfying soup. It is especially good with a grilled cheese sandwich, made with brown sugar ham and provolone or manchengo cheese on sliced, fresh artisan bread.

I know what we are having for dinner tonight....

Spicy Sausage and Fennel Soup

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 pound hot Italian sausage (if you prefer you can use mild)

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, smashed

3 cups beef stock

1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Place a large pot on the stove over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and sausage. Brown sausage and remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Reduce heat to medium and add fennel, onion, and garlic, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the beef stock, cooked sausage and crushed tomatoes. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes, or until the soup has thickened.

Serve with grilled ham and cheese....yummy!