Description of Carré de l'Est cheese and peculiarities of its production. Energy value, composition, benefits and harms when consumed. Cooking Uses and Variety History.
Carré de l'Est is a French cheese with a washed crust made using pasteurized cow's milk. Smell - creamy, with a haze aroma; taste - creamy, with sourness, smoked bacon flavor; texture - viscous, soft; color - pale yellow. The crust is natural, beige or brownish, covered with white mold fluff. The shape of the heads is a parallelepiped. Available in 3 versions: sizes - 6, 6-7, 5 cm, weight - 125-150 g; dimensions - 9-11 cm, weight - 100-300 g, with dimensions 18-21 cm and weight 0.8-1, 2 kg.
How is Carré de l'Est cheese made?
The feedstock is pasteurized at a temperature of 72 ° C for 40 minutes. Manufacturing is seasonal - from May to October, but the best, most expensive heads are produced in the summer. The cows that graze in the meadows of Lorraine have the most aromatic milk with the smell of fresh herbs and a natural content of crops reminiscent of probiotics.
Carré de l'Est is made, like Camembert, using the same technology, but with some peculiarities. Fungal cultures are introduced in 2 stages - in a small amount at the beginning of the production process and the remainder before leaving to ripen. That is why mold grows only on the crust and is not activated inside the head.
The milk is heated to 32 ° C and dry mesophilic starter is poured in, allowed to soak, calcium chloride is poured in and everything is mixed. Only then add white mold powder and coagulant. You can use not only calf rennet, but also a substance of plant origin.
Carré de l'Est cheese is prepared for both vegetarians and ordinary consumers, in farms. Dairy factories produce large batches without thinking about individual categories of consumers.
Curdling takes up to 40 minutes. The curd is cut into fairly large cubes - with edges of 1, 5 cm, maintaining a constant temperature, waiting for the release of serum. The cheese grains are kneaded in cycles - 20 minutes each, each time allowed to settle for 20 minutes. When the curd layer sinks to the bottom of the vat, the liquid is partially drained. Readiness is determined by the quality of the intermediate raw material - it should stick together even with slight compression. This process ensures the firmness of the future cheese.
Transfer the curd into molds by hand pressing. Oppression is not established. Leave to separate the liquid for 8 hours at room temperature, turning over for the first 2 hours every 30 minutes and 1 time every 2 hours the rest of the time.
After the cheese mass has compacted so much that it can be removed from the mold, wipe the surface from all sides with salt and leave for 12 hours to dry. To exclude the introduction of extraneous flora, it is better to use a maturation chamber, providing a temperature of 14-16 ° C and a humidity of 75-80%. Turn the heads every 4 hours.
When the surface becomes dry to the touch, the temperature in the chamber is lowered to 10-12 ° C, and the humidity is increased - 85-90%. The first week, the position of the heads is changed 2 times a day, excess moisture is removed, and then the already formed crust is washed daily in brine with dissolved cultures of white mold. The liquid is not drained in order to increase the activity of the Penicilium fungus. The duration of maturation is 4-5 weeks.
There is another way to make Carré de l'Est cheese loaves. Since the shape is a parallelepiped, self-pressing is often carried out on a drainage table. After the excess liquid drains, the cottage cheese monolith is cut into cubes of the desired size and only then set for drying and fermentation. The end result does not depend on the process technology.
Composition and calorie content of Carré de l'Est cheese
There is an opinion that due to the fact that various additives are introduced into the feed of cows, and antibiotics are injected to maintain health, when consumed, not only trans fats and harmful cholesterol enter the body, but also substances that have a negative effect on humans. However, in the manufacture of this variety, the milk yield obtained after grazing in the meadows is used, that is, no harmful products enter the animal's body.
The calorie content of Carré de l'Est cheese is 291 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 21 g;
- Fat - 23 g;
- Carbohydrates - 0.1 g.
Fat content relative to dry matter - 40-45%.
In a small amount, the vitamin complex contains components of group B - riboflavin, thiamine, choline, niacin, pyridoxine, calcium pantothenate, folic acid and cobalamin. However, calciferol and retinol predominate. Small amount of tocopherol. Mineral substances - calcium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, manganese, iron - are presented much more generously. They provide a beneficial effect on the body.
The composition of Carré de l'Est cheese contains 103 mg of cholesterol (per 100 g) and amino acids, both nonessential and irreplaceable.
The recommended daily portion is 50-70 g per day. When using such a piece, you can replenish the daily reserve of isoleucine by 45%, lysine by 40%, valine by 50%, histidine by 30% and tryptophan by 30%. A gourmet sandwich eaten for breakfast will help you avoid having to worry about snacks before lunch, which will help you lose weight.
Given the relatively low calorie content for fermented milk products of this type, the variety can be introduced into a diet for weight loss. This improves the tone of the body and helps to maintain performance.
The benefits of Carré de l'Est cheese
Cow's milk delicacy is a reliable supplier of calcium. This substance is necessary not only to strengthen bone tissue, but also to support the performance of the cardiovascular system and the formation of muscle tissue.
Benefits of Carré de l'Est cheese:
- Prevents the development of atherosclerosis.
- Increases the activity of beneficial intestinal flora, accelerates the movement of feces through the intestines, reduces the aggressive effects of digestive juices.
- Stimulates the production of enzymes for the digestion of food.
- Increases salivation, which reduces the likelihood of caries and inflammation in the oral cavity.
- Increases the ability to control emotions, accelerates impulse conduction, maintains tone and improves mood, promoting the synthesis of serotonin, the hormone of pleasure.
- Promotes increased immunity, has a weak anti-inflammatory effect.
Regular consumption of Carré de l'Est speeds up metabolism, starts a fat burning program, and prevents the formation of a fat layer. Prevents atherosclerosis and reduces the production of atypical cells. This variety is especially useful for women 43-45 years old - it stops the production of atypical cells in the area of the milk ducts and helps to avoid depression in this difficult "transitional" age.
If you haven't tried fermented milk products with mold before, then you can start your acquaintance with the Carré de l'Est cheese. Pasteurized milk was used in the manufacture, fungal cultures do not develop in the texture, and the edible moldy crust can be cut off. Microbiological hazard is low.
Contraindications and harm of Carré de l'Est cheese
Despite the small amount of mold on the crust and its absence in the pulp, there is a high risk of developing allergic reactions not only with individual intolerance to penicillin, but also with lactase deficiency. Aging is short-term, there is almost no transformation of milk protein, so it is better not to risk it.
Carré de l'Est cheese can cause harm when overeating in people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. There may be: nausea, vomiting, heaviness in the epigastrium, the formation of edema. In addition, this variety contains a high amount of an essential amino acid - tryptophan. An overdose of the substance causes headache attacks, can lead to sleep disturbance and insomnia, nightmares.
You should temporarily abandon the salty delicacy in case of exacerbation of inflammatory processes from the urinary system. Salt in a piece of 50 g - almost 0.7 g. The recommended dosage is reduced with frequent attacks of arthritis or gout, so as not to provoke a worsening of the condition.
One of the contraindications to use is hypertension. This disease also requires a decrease in the amount of salt in the diet. It binds water, causes an increase in pressure and even thickening of the blood. The risk of developing ischemia and atherosclerosis increases.
Carré de l'Est cheese recipes
The culinary uses of this variety are unlimited. Sauces, hot dishes, casseroles and soups, snacks and salads are prepared with it. Served on a cheese platter or on its own, its sour taste matches perfectly with rustic bread, nuts, lettuce, honey and figs. A rare occasion - it is served with watermelon and melons.
Recipes with Carré de l'Est cheese:
- Cheese-breaded lamb … The meat of a young lamb (preferably a sheep) is cut from the back, the fat is removed and the chops are made. For breading, whisk melted butter with chopped Carré de l'Est, crushed hazelnuts, salt and pepper. Separately sprinkle breadcrumbs on a plate. Put meat in a saucepan, stew until half cooked, allow to cool. Then each piece is dipped in an egg-cheese mixture, and then rolled in breadcrumbs. Bake until tender in the oven at 180 ° C.
- Cheesecake … Cut off the "fluffy" crust from the cheese, grind 350 g of shortbread cookies - for this it is better to use a food processor or blender. If there are no household appliances at hand, the cookies are folded into 2 plastic bags (1 can break) and rolled with a rolling pin until they can be crushed to the consistency of flour. A packet of butter is heated and mixed with sand crumbs. Form a cake base in a baking parchment tin. Put away for 1/4 hour in the refrigerator, on a shelf. Mix 900 g of soft cheese with a glass of granulated sugar, 5 eggs, 100 g of fat sour cream, lemon zest and lemon juice. Knead (or interrupt) until a homogeneous structure is obtained. Fill the frozen form with the filling and bake at 160 ° C, placing a bowl of water on the bottom of the oven. Readiness is determined by eye. The base should brown and the filling should thicken, but not completely. Take the cheesecake out of the oven, allow it to cool to room temperature, and then wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 5-6 hours. Before use, baked goods should be slightly warmed up at room temperature, for at least 30 minutes.
- Cold cream … Rub 4-5 radishes on a fine grater, peel off, and chop a small onion until puree in a blender bowl. Then remove the onion and beat 100 g of butter until foamy. The container does not need to be washed, as onions, radishes, 200 g of Carré de l'Est are again put into the fat foam, pepper is added. Stir until everything turns into a smooth sauce. Cool before serving.
- Peach dessert … Peaches are caramelized. For this, the fruit is cut in half. Pits are removed and cut down, laid out in a hot frying pan, filled with white dry wine by a quarter and adding brown sugar. The fruits are turned over, cheese slices are placed on each and served until the dessert has cooled. The final touch of the dish is seasoning, black pepper.
See also recipes with Motal cheese.
Interesting facts about Carré de l'Est cheese
The local name for this fermented milk product is the eastern square or eastern square. This is how the name is literally translated from French. This relatively young variety appeared only in 1939 on the territory of Lorraine and Champagne, where it is produced in the departments of Moselle, Meurthe, Vosges and Meuse.
At that time, moldy cheeses - Brie or Camembert - were made in the form of cylinders, which made transportation difficult. When, for convenience, it was changed to a rectangular one, another method of forming the head had to be developed. The texture of the Carré de l'Est is denser due to the drainage characteristics, which had a positive effect on the taste. He immediately attracted tasters and won recognition from the locals.
It turned out to be a successful marketing move that the cheese began to be produced in several versions. Small heads are eaten at a time, and larger ones are purchased for culinary use. They don't buy cheese for future use.
Consolidation of texture and the appearance of a rich odor during storage indicates that fermentation was not stopped after being lifted out of the aging chamber. To prevent the delicacy from spoiling, it will have to be eaten within 3-4 days after purchase.
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