Ingredients
Cheese
- 5 litreswhole milk
- ¼ tspcalcium chloride in 2 tbsp water, if using shop milk
- ½ tspliquid rennet in 50 ml cool water
- 40 gfine salt
To serve
- arepas, or hot rice
- oil, if frying
Directions
- Warm the milk to 35°C (95°F) and stir in the calcium chloride if the milk is pasteurised.
- Stir in the diluted rennet with a few slow strokes, stop the milk moving and leave undisturbed for 45 minutes, until a finger pushed in at an angle and lifted gives a clean break.
- Cut the curd into 1 cm cubes — smaller than for a soft cheese, because this one has to expel a lot of whey. Leave 10 minutes, then stir gently for 20 minutes at 35°C (95°F).
- Drain off the whey, then break the curd up with your hands and work the salt through it thoroughly. Salting the curd directly rather than brining the finished block is what makes a costeño: it keeps in tropical heat because the salt is all the way through it.
- Pack the salted curd into a muslin-lined mould and press under a 3 to 4 kg weight for 12 hours, turning it once halfway and changing the cloth.
- Turn out and pat dry. It should be firm, squeaky and distinctly salty.
- Crumble over arepas and rice, or cut in slabs and fry until golden. It keeps two weeks wrapped in the fridge.
Technique
- Salt the curd, not the block. A costeño made by brining afterwards is salty outside and bland inside, and it does not keep the same way.
- Press hard and long. Under-pressed, it holds water and sours within days instead of keeping for weeks.
- Do not confuse it with queso campesino, which is the same milk left unsalted and barely pressed, and which behaves completely differently.
Substitutions
- Vegetarian microbial rennet, which works well.
- Less salt — around 3% of the curd weight — for a milder cheese that will not keep as long.
Variations
- Queso costeño molido is crumbled fine and sold loose for sprinkling.
- Fried in thick slices and served with hot chocolate for breakfast.
History
Cattle-country cheese of the Caribbean coast, salted heavily so it keeps in tropical heat.
Frequently asked questions
What is Queso costeño?
Queso costeño is a cheese & dairy from Colombia: salty pressed white cheese, crumbled over arepas and rice or eaten fried. Cattle-country cheese of the Caribbean coast, salted heavily so it keeps in tropical heat.
How long does Queso costeño take to make?
Queso costeño takes 40 min plus 12 hours pressing of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes about 600 g. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Queso costeño?
Yes, within limits. Vegetarian microbial rennet, which works well. Less salt — around 3% of the curd weight — for a milder cheese that will not keep as long.
What is the most important thing to get right in Queso costeño?
Drain off the whey, then break the curd up with your hands and work the salt through it thoroughly. Salting the curd directly rather than brining the finished block is what makes a costeño: it keeps in tropical heat because the salt is all the way through it.
