Cheese, part two

When I picked up my cheese to check on it last night, it was... leaking. Uh-oh, I thought, I hope it hasn't turned to mush. Although I had planned to wait until at least the end of February, as it's only been aging about three weeks at this point, I was worried enough to cut it open now.

It's an interesting sort of cheese. It's definitely firmer than the cheese I've been making, but it's a bit more like feta than cheddar in texture. In terms of taste-- well, it's interesting. You can tell that someday, it will be a cheddar, but it isn't quite there yet. There is a taste, but it's not hugely strong.

So: notes for next time.

1. Make sure to press the cheese with the right amount of weight for the right amount of time.
2. Make sure that the cheese is fully dry before you wax it.
3. More salt? I think it's not quite salty enough for my tastes.

Also: there is more cheese than I will eat before it gets moldy. I have about five pieces to give away; each is about three ounces. Who wants some?

Lemon-Ginger Sorbet

This is posted by request!

Lemon-Ginger Sorbet

2 c. sugar
3 c. water
juice of 7 lemons (or thereabouts-- enough so that it's as tart as you like it)
1 tbsp. honey
1/4 c. candied ginger

Combine the sugar, water, and honey in a pan over medium heat; cook until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice and the candied ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is just bubbling.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and chill the liquid. Reserve the ginger from the strainer and, once cool enough to handle, dice it.

Once the liquid is cool, follow the directions on your ice cream maker. Add the diced ginger just before it is done freezing. Enjoy!

Makes about 1 quart sorbet.

(No pictures, because it will likely be gone before I get it and my camera in the same place at the same time.)

Savory Galette- Draft

This one is a request from my co-worker, Kristin! This is sort of an anything-you-have-in-the-fridge recipe; I generally make it with what's on hand. The filling for the galette is very similar to what I use for ravioli.

Please note: It's been about six months since I last made this, and I've never written down the recipe. I'll try to cook it again this weekend and give everyone an updated version.

For the filling:
1/2 c. yellow onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lb. bacon, chopped
2 c. spinach, chopped
1 1/2 c. mushrooms, sliced
1 whole chicken breast, bones and skin removed, cut into small pieces
3/4 c. goat cheese
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

For the crust:
2/3 c. plus 2 tbsp. butter
2 c. flour
up to 3 tbsp. water, if needed
1/2 tsp. salt

To make the crust:
Cut half of the butter into small pieces and mix it into the flour. I usually use my hands, but you can also use a pastry cutter or stand mixer. Once half of the butter is mixed in, the texture should feel somewhat like cornmeal. Repeat this process with the other half of the butter, until it is all mixed together. Add enough water for the dough to stick together, but not so much that it becomes sticky. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until you are ready to roll it out.

To make the filling:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

I typically make the filling in one pan-- I cook most of the ingredients individually, but I do not clean the pan between ingredients. Start by frying the bacon in a medium skillet until it is cooked through, but not crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the pan, but leave the bacon fat in. Saute the onions and garlic together with salt and pepper until the onions are translucent, then remove them from the pan. Next, cook the mushrooms until they are squishy, then the spinach until it is limp. Finally, cook the chicken until it is no longer pink, but still tender.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together all cooked ingredients and the goat cheese until they are thoroughly combined.

To finish the galette:

On a flat surface, roll out the galette dough. Center the crust on a baking sheet. Put the filling in the middle of the crust-- there may be more filling than will fit! Add the parmesan to the filling. Fold up the edges of the crust; they should not entirely cover the filling. Sprinkle the salt on the outside of the crust (I use rosemary salt from Eatwell Farm, which is useful for just about everything).

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is slightly golden. Let the galette rest for a few minutes, until it is cool enough to eat.

Enjoy!