Randy Chandler
Goat cheese is a versatile, creamy, and spreadable cheese with a complex tang. It is incredibly simple to make at home, with just three ingredients and no specialty equipment needed. Making your own goat cheese allows you to control the texture, tartness, and dryness. You can also customize it with various herbs, spices, and nuts to create unique flavors and textures. For example, you can encrust goat cheese in herbs, spices, or innovative alternatives like wasabi pea crust.
How to encrust goat cheese
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Goat cheese, wasabi peas, olive oil, wasabi paste, vinegar, mayonnaise, sugar |
| Equipment | Food processor, sieve, cheesecloth, baking sheet, ice-water bath, saucepan, colander |
| Steps | Grind wasabi peas into a coarse powder, slice goat cheese into disks, coat in olive oil, dredge in wasabi powder, bake, combine with peas and greens |
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What You'll Learn
Using wasabi peas as a crust
Warm goat cheese with a wasabi pea crust is a unique and innovative dish that is sure to impress. The wasabi peas, a popular cocktail snack, provide a creative alternative to bread crumbs and deliver a punch of flavour.
To make the wasabi pea crust, you will need:
- Wasabi peas
- Goat cheese log
- Olive oil
- Wasabi paste
- Rice wine vinegar
- Mayonnaise
- Sugar
- Salt
Firstly, prepare the wasabi pea crust mixture. Place 1 1/2 cups of wasabi peas into a food processor and blend until a coarse powder forms. Transfer this powder to a large plate. You can adjust the amount of wasabi peas used to achieve your desired quantity of crust mixture.
Next, slice the goat cheese log into 1-inch thick disks. The number of disks you cut will depend on how many you wish to serve. For each disk, pour a small amount of olive oil onto a plate and turn the disk in the oil to completely coat it. Then, dredge the oiled disk in the wasabi powder, ensuring all sides are coated, and shake off any excess powder.
Once all the disks are coated, place them on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about an hour. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Remove the coated goat cheese disks from the refrigerator and bake until soft and hot in the centre, which should take around 7 minutes.
To serve, place the baked goat cheese disks on a bed of greens and peas. Combine blanched peas, pea shoots, and any remaining whole wasabi peas in a bowl. Season with salt, and drizzle with a wasabi paste dressing. Toss to coat, and serve immediately with the warm goat cheese.
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Flavouring with herbs
When it comes to flavouring goat's cheese with herbs, there are several approaches you can take. You can either make a herbed goat cheese spread or a marinated goat cheese log.
Herb Goat Cheese Spread
To make a herb goat cheese spread, you can use fresh or dried herbs. Fresh herbs are recommended as the ingredients are so minimal. However, freeze-dried dill can work well. Dill is the star of this spread, with flat-leaf parsley adding an extra dose of brightness. You can also add extra virgin olive oil, either blending it with the other ingredients or drizzling it on top. Combine all the ingredients in a mini food processor and pulse until blended. You can also finely chop the herbs and mix everything together by hand, but it is especially important for the goat cheese to be at room temperature if mixing by hand. This spread can be served on crusty sourdough bread, with crackers, or veggies. It can also be used as a sandwich spread, stuffed into an omelette, or tossed with pasta.
Herb Marinated Goat Cheese Log
To make a herb-marinated goat cheese log, you will need to line a container with a thin layer of olive oil. Then, lay down a layer of sliced goat cheese and top with fresh herbs, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with more olive oil and continue with another layer of cheese and herbs. The goat cheese mixture should be completely covered by a thin layer of oil. Cover and set aside at room temperature for an hour or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. This marinated goat cheese can be served with slices of fresh baguette or crunchy crackers. It can also be used as a sandwich spread, crumbled on pizza, or tossed with arugula and used as a salad dressing.
Herbs to Use
You can use a variety of herbs to flavour your goat cheese, including rosemary, parsley, thyme, dill, mint, basil, chives, and tarragon. You can also add spices such as za'atar, Italian seasoning, or dried oregano.
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Using a cheesecloth to drain the cheese
Preparing the Cheesecloth
First, ensure you have the right type of cheesecloth specifically designed for cheesemaking. It is recommended to use a fine cheesecloth, and it is important to double or triple the layers to prevent the small curds from falling through. You can also wet the cheesecloth with spring water and squeeze out the excess before use.
Draining the Cheese
Place the prepared cheesecloth inside a sieve or colander. The sieve can be placed over a large bowl to collect the leftover whey, which can be used in other recipes. Alternatively, you can hang the cheesecloth from your faucet to allow for dripping. Slowly ladle or pour the mixture of heated goat's milk, citric acid or lemon juice, and vinegar into the cheesecloth. Allow this mixture to drain for about an hour. The longer you let it drain, the thicker your cheese will be.
Adding Salt and Flavors
Once the cheese has drained sufficiently, it's time to add salt to the mixture. Sprinkle the salt over the cheese and gently mix it using a spatula or fork. At this stage, you can also add herbs, spices, or other flavorings of your choice. Mix well to ensure even distribution throughout the cheese.
Cleaning the Cheesecloth
Cleaning the cheesecloth immediately after use is crucial. Never let the curds dry on the cloth. For dried bits, a warm soapy soak with mechanical agitation, such as using your fingernails, can help remove them. Rinse the cheesecloth thoroughly in hot water, and consider doing a caustic wash and an acid soak for sanitization, depending on your water chemistry.
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Adding salt to the cheese
Salt is an essential ingredient in making goat cheese. It not only adds flavour but also acts as an antiseptic and extends the shelf life of the cheese. When making goat cheese, it is important to use a non-iodized salt, such as kosher salt or cheese salt, as iodine can inhibit the growth of the necessary cultures and bacteria in the cheese.
There are two main techniques for salting goat cheese: before and after moulding. Before moulding, coarse or fine salt can be added to the cheese paste or sprinkled onto the surface of the cheese. This technique helps control the growth of microorganisms and gives the cheese its characteristic look and taste. After moulding, the cheese can be immersed in a brine solution, which is a bath of saltwater, to absorb more salt.
When adding salt to the cheese, it is important to consider the desired flavour and texture. The amount of salt added will impact the taste and how long the cheese will last. Too much salt can make the cheese too salty and difficult to eat, while too little may not provide the desired flavour or preservative effects. Finding the right balance is key.
Additionally, salt can be used in combination with other ingredients to enhance the flavour of the cheese. For example, herbs, spices, and other flavourings can be added to the cheese along with the salt. This allows the flavours to mix and infuse, creating a more complex and delicious cheese. Allowing the cheese to sit for several hours or overnight after adding salt and other flavourings helps the flavours to meld and mature, resulting in a more refined and tasty product.
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Baking the cheese
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Remove the coated goat cheese disks from the refrigerator.
- Place the disks in the oven and bake until soft and hot in the centre, about 7 minutes.
- Remove the baked goat cheese from the oven.
Your warm goat cheese with a wasabi pea crust is now ready to be served! Combine the blanched peas, pea shoots, and remaining wasabi peas in a large bowl. Season with salt, and drizzle with wasabi paste dressing. Toss well to lightly coat, and divide among 6 salad plates. Place one goat cheese disk on each plate, and serve immediately.
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Frequently asked questions
It is best to use full-fat goat's milk to make goat cheese. Avoid low-fat goat milk if possible, and avoid ultra-pasteurized milk as it won't curdle in the same way.
There are many ingredients that can be used to encrust goat cheese, including dried herbs such as chives, thyme, rosemary, and lavender, or dried herbs and spice blends such as tarragon, za'atar, and basil. You can also encrust goat cheese in chopped nuts (raw or toasted) or ground wasabi peas.
To encrust goat cheese, first slice the goat cheese log into disks. Dredge the disks in olive oil, then in the chosen encrustment, shaking off any excess. Refrigerate for one hour, then bake until soft and hot in the centre.
Encrusted goat cheese can be served with a salad of sugar snap peas, snow peas, and pea shoots, or with a beetroot, carrot, and beet greens salad. It can also be served with a vanilla custard blended with lemon juice, or with a glass of pinot noir.
