Paneer Cheese and Fresh Herb Hors d’oeuvres

One thing I love about summer is locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables and then, of course, the satisfaction I get cooking with vegetables and herbs from our backyard garden.  This year I added a new herb, nasturtium and the day I bought it, I knew something special needed to be created with this beautiful plant.  The look of the herb is what grabbed my attention right away. The leaves remind me of a lily pad and are perfect for layering.  In the picture above, the drizzled honey looks like droplets of water which to me is a picture of pure freshness.  Everything homegrown or homemade.  That brings me to paneer cheese and fresh herb hors d’oeuvres.  Yes, homemade cheese, a herb from the backyard and local honey.   Summertime freshness and everything is good for you!

I’ll start with nasturtium (tropaelum).  It’s easy to grow, can handle the sun, and can thrive in poor soil.  All parts are edible including the flower which adds a lot to a salad.   Here’s an interesting fact about the flower; it has as much vitamin C as parsley and contains more lutein than any edible plant. Lutein is a carintenoid found in leafy vegetables like spinach and kale.  It’s good for us! And for the taste, it’s peppery and that’s why the search was on for a flavor to balance the punch.  Honey was the perfect add on and when I saw the recipe for paneer cheese I thought it could be just the balance I was looking for to bring the flavors together.

I know what you’re thinking; cheese – you’ve got to be kidding me!  Well, let me tell you it’s easy to make and when you’re done it’s like – WOW I just made cheese!    The pictures you see in this post are from the first time I made paneer and the recipe is really just that easy.  You will love having a fresh cheese in your fridge and incorporating it into your dishes. Paneer is the most common type of cheese used in traditional Indian and Pakistani cuisine.  It’s used in curries, wrapped in dough, deep fried or served with spinach.  It’s similar to a ricotta or goat cheese and it can be cut or spread.

You begin by boiling whole milk and then adding a food acid.  For this recipe, lemon juice is used. In the picture above, the lemon juice has been added and the curds are formed and separating from the whey.  First step.  You’re almost done!

The mixture is drained in a cheesecloth-lined colander leaving just the curds.  Rinse and lightly salt. Gather the cheesecloth and twist to squeeze out any remaining water.  The sack is then placed on paper towels, a weight is added and in about 20 minutes you have paneer cheese.  Just that simple.

Here is the cheese with the cheesecloth to the side.  I used a heavy skillet filled with canned goods to weigh it down.  This helps release any moisture and forms the piece of cheese.  See how easy?

I used a variety of herbs and crackers and spreading it on toasted bread and topping with tomatoes and herbs was delicious.  Just a slice of cucumber topped with paneer and a herb will work too. Now it’s time for you to give paneer cheese and fresh herb hors d’oeuvres a try and I promise, you won’t be disappointed.  Pin and save the recipe and please add a comment on your favorite way to use your fresh herbs and vegetables.

Thanks for stopping by,  Rose

Paneer Cheese and Fresh Herb Hors d'oeuvres

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

This cheese is easy to make and is used in traditional Indian and Pakistani cuisine. I first saw the recipe on Jennifer Pallian's blog, foodess.com

Author: Sock Box 10

Recipe type: cheese and fresh herbs

Serves: 1 lb.

Ingredients

• 12 cups whole milk
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• pinch of salt to taste

Instructions

1. Heat milk in a large pot until it comes to a boil
2. Remove from heat and add lemon juice.
3. Stir for about 30 seconds and the milk will begin to curdle. If it doesn't, add another tablespoon of lemon juice.
4. Let stand for 10 minutes.
5. Pour into a cheesecloth-lined colander.
6. When most of the liquid is drained, rinse with cold water. This gets rid of the lemon taste.
7. Pick up the corners of the cloth and twist into a ball squeezing out as much of the moisture as possible.
8. Open and stir in a dash of salt and add more if you like.
9. Wrap up again and twist the cloth to the side and flatten into an oval shape.
10. Place on a paper towel-lined plate and flatten with the twist to the side.
11. Add a weight. I used a skillet filled with canned goods.
12. Allow the paneer to drain with weight for 20 minutes.
13. Remove the weight and cloth and the cheese is ready to use.

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