Review of Crotten de Chavignol cheese: beneficial properties, chemical composition and contraindications for use. How is a delicacy eaten, what are the recipes for culinary dishes with its participation?
Crotten de Chavignol cheese is a product that is extremely useful for digestion. Made only in France, exclusively from goat's milk. It has a mild and slightly sour taste. Having tasted the cheese a little, the taster will feel a nutty and herbaceous flavor. Sometimes citrus notes can be present in it. Crotten's flesh has a soft texture and a white crust around the edges (often with a bluish tinge).
Features of the preparation of Crotin de Chavignol cheese
Finding the original French Crotten in domestic stores is quite difficult. When ordering a product via the Internet, you will have to spend money, and there is also a risk of buying a fake. For a delicacy, learn how to make Crotin de Chavignol cheese yourself.
In France, this type of cheese is prepared in March, when the goats are brought out on a green pasha and the milk yield rises. Spring cheese is said to have a milder flavor than autumn cheese. Depending on the ripening stage, several varieties of Crotten cheese are distinguished:
- Semi-dry - this product is aged for only 12 days and has a special softness and juiciness.
- Bluish - the cheese is infused for at least 21 days, due to which the moisture from the head evaporates, and the weight of the product becomes less.
- Blue - aged for 1-2 months, has a sour taste, firm pulp and high fat content (45%).
- Very dry - it is easy to guess from the name that this type of cheese is aged for the longest period of time, 4 months. The product becomes so hard that it can crack or crumble at any time. Because of this consistency, Crotten cheese can only be used in cooking for grating.
Any of the above types of cheese can be made at home. Step-by-step recipe for Crotin de Chavignol cheese:
- Boil 3 liters of goat milk and chill to 32 ° C.
- Add starter cultures to milk: mesophilic (37 ml) and thermophilic (25 ml). These substances can also be used in powder form. Please note that if you add frozen starter cultures to milk, the temperature of the liquid should be slightly higher - 34 ° C.
- Bring the starter milk to 32 ° C and maintain this temperature until the whey is drained.
- Add 1 g of clalcium chloride, previously diluted in a little water, to the milk.
- Stir the resulting milk mixture thoroughly and pour 30 ml of PC and GEO mold aqueous suspension into it. To prepare such a solution, you need to take a medium-sized glass, pour 200 ml of boiled, but cooled to room temperature water into it and dilute the following ingredients in it: GEO powder taken at the tip of a knife, the same amount of PC and 1/2 tsp. sodium chloride (salt). Such a solution must be infused for 12 hours and only then added to milk. Therefore, prepare it in advance.
- Wait 10 minutes for the moldy suspension to dissolve in the milk, and inject the enzyme into it to curdle the milk.
- Wait until the milk curdles into a large curd curd and cut it into 1.5 cm vertical strips.
- Wait 5 minutes and start stirring the curd. Stir 3 times for 20 minutes.
- Drain most of the whey from the curd so that the liquid lightly covers the surface of the curd.
- Transfer the cheese to special crotten dishes.
- After 60 minutes, turn the cheese head upside down.
- Turn Crotten over again after 2 hours. Repeat the action after 4 hours.
- Now the delicacy can be left alone for 12 hours. It is important that the temperature in the room is not too high or low (the norm is 18-23 ° C).
- Make a brine - dissolve table salt in a little water. Place the cheese in it for 1 hour.
- Remove the cheese from the brine and send it to dry in the refrigerator or other cool room. It is important that the cheese head is on the wire rack - this is necessary for better separation of moisture from the product.
- Turn the cheese after 12 hours of drying.
- Spray all sides of the cheese with the remaining moldy water and place the product in a container with a lid (it is more convenient to do this with a spray bottle).
- Place the cheese in a cold ripening area.
- Turn the cheese twice a day for the first 7 days of ripening. Then turn the product once a day. Remember to use a paper towel to wipe off any excess moisture when turning the cheese. It is also necessary to wipe the walls of the plastic container.
- After 2 weeks of ripening, the cheese will become moldy. At this point, it must be wrapped in food foil and kept for another 2 weeks. As a result, you should have 600 g of cheese. Bon Appetit!
See also the peculiarities of making Cel-sur-Cher cheese.
Composition and calorie content of Crotin de Chavignol cheese
The standard composition of Crotin de Chavignol cheese has practically not changed over time; modern cheese makers, as before, prepare a delicacy from goat's milk, rennet and salt.
The calorie content of Crotten de Chavignol cheese per 100 g is 329 kcal, of which:
- Proteins - 19.7 g;
- Fats - 26, 9 g;
- Carbohydrates - 1, 25 g;
- Ash - 5, 08 g.
Macronutrients in 100 g of cheese: Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na), Phosphorus (P) and more.
Trace elements in 100 g of Crotin de Chavignol cheese:
- Iron, Fe - 0.28 g;
- Selenium, Se - 11 μg;
- Zinc, Zn - 0, 883 g.
Vitamins per 100 g of product:
- Vitamin A, retinol - 204 mcg;
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.881 g;
- Vitamin B3, niocin - 1.3 mg;
- Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid - 2, 15 mg;
- Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.252 g;
- Vitamin B9, folacin - 89.5 mcg;
- Vitamin E, tocopherol - 0.535 g.
See also the composition and calorie content of Betmal cheese.
Useful properties of Crotin de Chavignol cheese
The benefits of Crotin de Chavignolle cheese lie in goat's milk, which is rich in beneficial bacteria. With the help of this delicacy, you can improve the functioning of the digestive tract, strengthen the immune system and bones.
The main beneficial properties of Crotten cheese:
- Improves digestion - contains probiotics that have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. A person with good digestion has a stronger immune system, which means that they are less likely to get sick. Beneficial bacteria can even fight cancer cells.
- Strengthens bone tissue, prevents headaches - thanks to calcium, which not only strengthens the skeleton, but also has a beneficial effect on the entire human nervous system.
- It quickly energizes the body and does not clog the blood with fat - there is no harmful cholesterol in goat milk and contains a minimum amount of saturated fat.
- Improves the condition of the skin and hair - thanks to the vitamin and mineral complex.
On a note! Vacuum packaging and cool air will help preserve Crotten's nutrients. Therefore, be sure to wrap the cheese in plastic wrap before placing it in the refrigerator.
Contraindications and harm Crotten de Chavignol
An allergic person can feel the harm of Crotten de Chavignol cheese - among the population of our country there is often an individual intolerance to goat milk.
Also, goat cheese is characterized by high acidity and is contraindicated for people suffering from the following pathologies:
- gout;
- gastritis;
- stomach ulcer.
Crotin de Chavignoles recipes
Crotin de Chavignol is often used in traditional French cuisine. For example, it is a constituent ingredient of a dish known in France - baked cheese on fresh lettuce leaves. This delicacy is usually paired with Sancerre wine. Also, goat cheese goes well with fruits and fresh aromatic bread. Crotten is even made into sweet pancakes.
A few simple recipes using Crotin de Chavignol cheese:
- Potato and cheese pie … Mix 1 tbsp. wheat flour with a pinch of cumin and the same amount of turmeric. Crumble and add 100 g feta cheese and 120 g butter (cut into small pieces) to the dough. Pound the dough into crumbs, add 1 chicken egg to it and knead until elastic and homogeneous. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the cheese and potato filling. Boil 400 g of jacket potatoes, peel and mash. Pour 5 tbsp of potatoes. l. heated milk. Add 2 tbsp to the filling. l. softened butter. Use a pusher to puree the mixture. Then add 4 small beaten eggs to it. Season the filling with pepper and salt to your liking. Add 300 g of young Crotin de Chavignol, cut into small cubes. Stir the filling again and start shaping the pie. To do this, prepare a baking dish with high sides and brush it with butter. Lay out the bottom of the mold with dough so that high sides form from it (it is more convenient to level the dough with your hands). Beat 2 chicken eggs and pour over the dough. Place the filling on top of the eggs and wrap the dough over it, which should protrude around the edges. Bake the cake for at least 50 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
- Stuffed zucchini … Peel 6 small zucchini and boil them in boiling water for 7 minutes. Peel and cut 500 g champignons into thin slices. Chop 1 onion and 2 garlic cloves. Fry mushrooms, onions and garlic in vegetable oil (no more than 10 minutes). Cut the boiled zucchini in half, peel them and cut into cubes. Add the prepared zucchini to the mushrooms. Chop 1 medium-sized tomato here. Stir the contents of the skillet / saucepan and simmer under a closed lid for 3-4 minutes. Cut 200 g goat cheese into small pieces. Add to the prepared vegetables in the pan and stir. Stuff the zucchini with the resulting filling and bake the blanks in the oven for about 10 minutes. You can serve stuffed zucchini paired with rice. Boil the rice according to the instructions on the package and mix the porridge with fresh chopped parsley.
See also recipes with Rocamadour cheese.
Interesting facts about Crotin de Chavignol cheese
Crotin de Chavignol was first cooked in the 14th century. However, professional chefs started talking about this product much later. The first written mentions of cheese appeared in 1829.
According to legend, Chavignol cheese was prepared exclusively for home consumption by the wives of ordinary working peasants and winemakers. Housewives made small loaves of cheese to give to their husbands, who went to work in the fields or vineyards all day.
The product has a compound name:
- In ancient times, the French called an earthen lamp, which was filled with fuel oil, "Crotten". The heads of goat cheese resembled the shape of just such a lamp. However, some historians cite as an example other versions of the origin of the name "Crotten", because in translation from Old French it means "horse dung". Cheese makers could call long-aged cheese, which took on a dark brown color, as dung.
- The word "Chavignol" refers to the village in which the cheese was first prepared. This settlement is distinguished by a small number of inhabitants - no more than two hundred people live in the village.
In modern times, like many other types of French cheeses, Crotten has a special AOC certificate, which indicates the permissible regions and technology for the production of cheese. This type of product is only allowed to be produced in the Chavignol region.
Most often, on the shelves of domestic stores, you can find cheese similar to Crottin, but with a different name - "Crottin de Champcol". This product is an uncertified version of Crotten and shares most of the flavor of the original.
Watch a video about Crotin de Chavignolle cheese:
Crotin de Chavignol cheese is a very healthy product that is difficult to recover from. You can even cook it at home. Crotten is ideal for preparing restaurant dishes at home: add a few pieces of this delicacy to a regular vegetable salad, and the dish will immediately become more original.
