Calorie content and composition of French Chaurs cheese. Features of cooking. How is the product useful and to whom is it contraindicated? Shaurs serving rules, culinary recipes.
Chaurs is a soft French cheese produced in the region of the same name. It is made from cow's milk, the ripening period is short - 2-4 weeks. The history of the product begins in the XIV century, the monks of the Abbey of Pontigny were the first to prepare it. In 1977 he was awarded the AOC certificate, which guarantees that Schaurs with the appropriate label meets the highest quality standards and is produced in a specific geographical area. The heads are cylindrical and small in size: diameter - from 6 to 11 cm, weight - from 200 to 450 g. Cheese must be wrapped in paper. The crust is hard, with a thick layer of mold of the genus Penicillium Candidum. The pulp is creamy, firm and brittle. The taste is creamy, with a pronounced sourness and aroma of nuts, fruits and mushrooms. Cheese is usually served before or with dessert, accompanied by Burgundy wines or champagne.
Features of making Shaurs cheese
The main difficulty in preparing Shaurs is to ensure certain temperature conditions for ripening. In general, the technology is quite simple, and with a number of specific ingredients at hand, you can easily reproduce it at home.
Chaurs cheese recipe (1.5 kg):
- Put a large saucepan on the fire, pour milk (8 liters) into it, heat it, stirring gently, to 25 degrees and turn off the heating immediately. The temperature must be monitored with a special milk thermometer.
- Place mesophilic cultures on the milk surface - Flora Danica (1/4 tsp) and Uglich Bioantibut (1/8 tsp), as well as white mold Penicillium Candidum and Geotrichum Candidum (0.05 g each). After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the cultures to the bottom with a slotted spoon.
- Add rennet (2 drops) to room temperature water (15 ml) and put it in a saucepan also carefully using a slotted spoon - this time you do not need to wait.
- Close the pan with a lid, leave for 12 hours - all this time, it is advisable to maintain a temperature of about 25 degrees. If the room is cool, you can wrap the pot in a blanket.
- Drain the whey, transfer the curd mass to the molds, leave for 8-10 hours. It is better to spread the cheese in portions, lightly pressing, so that the excess whey is immediately gone.
- Drain the drained serum from the mold trays, turn the head over and leave for another 8-10 hours.
- Remove the cheese from the molds, sprinkle with salt (1/4 tsp per head), rub it thoroughly.
- Place the heads in a container, close it tightly with a lid and refrigerate. You need to try to maintain the optimal ripening temperature - 10-13 degrees, as well as humidity - 95%.
- Turn the heads every day, after about 7-10 days, mold will appear, when it grows over the entire crust, you can already eat the cheese. At this stage, the taste will be very delicate, creamy, reminiscent of Philadelphia cheese. If you want a more pronounced flavor, leave the heads to ripen.
In production, cheese usually matures in 2-4 weeks, however, there are also limited batches with a ripening period of 8 weeks. Such Shaurs has a richer original taste that is appreciated by gourmets.
Note! Before preparing cheese, be sure to wash with soap and sterilize all tools used.
- Chicken breast stuffed with cheese … Buy chicken breast fillets (600 grams), not bone-in. Cut each filechka lengthwise and beat off well. Cut the Shaurs (100 grams) into slices, place a slice or several (to taste) on each prepared fillet. Roll up the rolls. In a bowl, combine flour (3 tablespoons), salt and pepper to taste. Beat 1 egg in a separate bowl. Pour the bread crumbs (100 grams) onto a flat plate. Roll the roll first in flour, then in an egg and finally in breading. First fry over high heat until a delicious crust forms, and then bring the meat over medium until tender.
- Hearty Mango Sandwich … Chop 4 slices of whole wheat bread and dry in a toaster or skillet without oil. Chop the cheese (50 grams), mango (2 pieces) into slices, mint and walnuts (to taste) finely chop into large squares. Place the prepared ingredients on the bread in the desired order.
- Broccoli cream soup … Chop 1 onion finely and fry in a skillet until golden brown. Boil water (2 cups) - you can take meat or vegetable broth as a base. Add broccoli (300 grams) and onion, cook for 5-7 minutes. Chop a baguette (1 piece), fry in a pan in olive oil, cool slightly and rub with garlic. Cut the Chaurs (100 grams), spread into slices on prepared bread. Add cream (50 ml) to the soup, salt, pepper and your favorite spices to taste, whisk in a blender. Ladle soup and serve with chopped parsley and shaurs sandwiches.
- Beetroot risotto … Bake the beets (1 piece) and beat half in mashed potatoes with a blender. Pour vegetable broth (600 ml) and puréed beets (100 ml) into a saucepan, heat well. Pass the onion (1 piece) and garlic (2 cloves) in a frying pan, add arborio rice (150 grams) - no other risotto will work. Pour in red dry wine (1 tablespoon) and beet broth (1 ladle). Cover, cook for 15 minutes, gradually adding broth as it boils. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cut the apple (half) into cubes and add to the almost cooked rice along with the sliced cheese (50 grams). Stir, cover and turn off heat. Cut half of the remaining apples and beets into strips, mix with arugula (30 grams) and walnuts (30 grams), drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, salt to taste. Serve the risotto with the salad.
- Baked eggs … Chorizo sausage (100 grams) finely chop and place on the bottom of a small mold, pre-greased with butter (2 teaspoons). Pour cream (100 ml) on top, add Shaurs pieces (100 grams). Break the eggs (2 pieces) directly into the mold, being careful not to damage the yolk, salt and pepper and send to the oven, preheated to 180 degrees, for 15-20 minutes.
Chaurs Cheese Recipes
Chaurs cheese is a versatile product in the kitchen. First of all, it is an excellent independent snack. It is usually served with apples and white wine, however, it is not forbidden to eat cheese with rose and red wines, champagne and even port.
In France, with Chaurs, they also like to serve the delicacy anduyette, which is sausages made from pork giblets (intestines and stomachs).
However, in many other more familiar recipes this cheese will be appropriate:
If we compare Shaurs with more famous cheeses, it is worth saying that it is very similar to Brie, and therefore in any recipe where this cheese is used, Shaurs can also be used.
Interesting facts about Shaurs cheese
Chaurs began to be produced in the Middle Ages in the village of the same name, located in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Today, production has gone beyond the village, but is concentrated mainly in the specified region.
The cheese is produced in private cheese mills and large factories. For preparation, both unpasteurized and pasteurized milk is used, but always of high quality and from naturally fed cows. As a rule, fresh milk is used on private farms, and pasteurized milk is used at enterprises.
The history of cheese began in the 14th century, it quickly gained popularity among the people, and by the 16th century it reached the royal table. He was very fond of not only the nobility, but also the King of France, Charles the Handsome.
There is a museum in Schaurs dedicated to the history of the cheese of the same name.
The product is produced all year round. Summer varieties have a brighter flavor as the cows feed on fresh grass.
Gourmets love a special Shaurs with "character", it ripens for more than 2 months wrapped in straw and plantain leaves, so the cheese has a special bouquet of taste and aroma.
Watch a video about Shaurs cheese:
Chaurs is a soft French cheese that is very similar in taste and texture to Brie. Usually served with apples and light wines. Well complements salads, sandwiches, soups, and main courses. When used wisely, Shaurs is not only tasty, but also healthy. However, if the recommended norms are exceeded or in the presence of certain contraindications, the product may be harmful.
