A detailed description of the Shabziger cheese and the production algorithm. Nutritional value and vitamin and mineral composition, use in cooking. History and distribution of the variety.
Shabziger is a Swiss hard cheese produced in cone-shaped heads weighing 100 g. Packaging - paper cups, not knowing what is inside, you might think that it is sour cream or yogurt. Texture - dense, crumbling; eyes - numerous, but small and uneven in shape; the color of Shabziger cheese is slightly greenish or lemon. The taste is creamy, sweetish-spicy, with a slight bitterness, which reminds of itself for a long time as an aftertaste. The aroma is cheesy, herbal. No crust is formed. This product is popular in the United States, where it is sold under the name Sap Sago.
How is Schabziger cheese made?
The initial raw material for the production of the original variety is skimmed raw cow's milk or buttermilk left over from the preparation of butter. Lactic acid bacteria are used as a ferment, but no rennet is added for fermentation. Therefore, the variety can be introduced into the diet of vegetarians who have not given up dairy products.
How Schabziger cheese is made:
- The milk is heated to 32 ° C and the remaining whey from the previous batch is added. As soon as the curd mass rises to the surface, it is removed, and the juice of fenugreek (blue clover or sweet clover) is poured into the white whey and re-acidified, but this time with citric or tartaric acid. The formation of a dense curd curd is awaiting.
- The curdled cheese mass is called Ziger. Without kneading, the curd is removed, left for a day on the drainage table to separate the whey, and then laid out in steel containers.
- This is precisely the difference: Shabziger cheese is not made, like other hard varieties, forming, salting and only then sending it to the fermentation chamber. The first stage of aging takes place in sealed tanks. The duration of this stage is 7-9 weeks. Temperature - 10-12 ° С.
- After fermentation, the cottage cheese is transferred into a vat, re-crushed, mixed with salt and again laid out in layers in metal containers, but the lid is no longer covered. The temperature in the chamber does not change. At this stage, it is important to maintain a low humidity of 65-70%. This will help to avoid the introduction of foreign microorganisms.
- After 4-9 months, hard cheese is crushed to a pasty state and mixed with crushed fenugreek. The intermediate product is called "Schabziger paste".
Next, pre-sale preparation of the product is carried out: the paste is pressed into cups and placed in a chamber for 1-2 days so that the cheese is finally compacted. After that, it is transported to retail outlets or expensive restaurants.
Some manufacturers deviate from the original Shabziger cheese recipe and do not mix the crushed cheese mass with fenugreek, but lay it out in layers. In this case, the color of the cones changes: the surface of the formed heads becomes marbled, green streaks appear on it. This subspecies of the variety is considered more expensive and is made to order.
There is another method of production of Shabziger cheese, which is preferred in the United States. The milled curd mass is immediately pressed into 100 g of cone-shaped forms, mixed with chopped sweet clover, and only then sent to the chambers for ripening. When preparing this method, the properties of the final product change: the bitterness increases and the structure becomes denser.
Composition and calorie content of Shabziger cheese
The fat content of a product made from re-fermented skim milk is less than 3% with respect to dry matter. It can be safely included in diets for those who are losing weight and obese people.
The calorie content of Shabziger cheese is 133-137 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 33-35 g;
- Fat - 0.8 g;
- Carbohydrates - 0 g.
Interestingly, the vitamin complex of fenugreek and hard cheese is dominated by the same components - retinol, tocopherol, niacin, as well as group B - B1, B2, B3, B12, therefore, in the final product, their number is 1.5 times more, than usual. An additional nutrient is ascorbic acid.
Macronutrients per 100 g:
- Potassium - 480 mg;
- Calcium - 880 mg;
- Phosphorus - 340 mg;
- Magnesium - 60 mg;
- Sodium - 860-1000 mg;
The high amount of sodium (up to 1000 mg per 100 g) in the composition of Shabziger cheese is explained by the method of preparation - salting.
Among the trace elements, iron, selenium, zinc, manganese were isolated.
Useful properties of Schabziger cheese
Centrifugation of raw materials, double fermentation and fermentation in closed tanks reduce microbiological hazards. There are no reported cases of poisoning with this product. Therefore, it can be freely included in the diet of children, people with reduced immunity, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly. A low-calorie, high-nutrient variety can help you recover quickly from surgery, including abdominal surgery.
Benefits of Schabziger cheese:
- Creates favorable conditions for the existence of flora in the small intestine, which contributes to an increase in general immunity.
- The speed of peristalsis increases, fermentation and putrefactive processes disappear. When consumed in the morning 4-5 times a week, it will help to forget about constipation.
- The smell from the mouth is improved.
- Reduces blood cholesterol levels and removes toxins.
- The tandem of phosphorus and calcium normalizes muscle function, increases bone strength and improves joint mobility.
- Normalizes water and electrolyte balance and increases insulin production.
- It stimulates the production of red blood cells, supports the functions of the bone marrow, and prevents degenerative changes in the body.
The healing effect of green Shabziger cheese was appreciated by official medicine. It gently increases acidity without overloading the digestive organs, and prevents the aggressive effects of digestive juices. The production of enzymes increases, but at the same time, thanks to amino acids and easily digestible milk protein, a protective film forms on the surface of the mucous membrane. That is why an unusual food product is advised to be introduced into the diet with a reduced appetite.
This variety can be called universal. It has no age restrictions for use, improves tone after overload - mental or physical, improves mood and speeds up falling asleep, prevents depression and the development of anemia.
It is advised to introduce Shabziger cheese into the daily menu for women who torment themselves with constant unbalanced diets.
