Features of Saint-Agur cheese, is it possible to make it yourself. Energy value and nutrients in the composition. Benefits and harm to the body, use in cooking. Interesting about the variety.
Saint-Agur is a French fat semi-hard blue cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk with double cream. Available in 2 versions - classic and creamy. Octagonal flat heads, weighing about 2 kg, without formed crust, packed in foil. Color - creamy, buttery; the section shows large blue-gray blotches; taste - sharp and spicy, contrasting - bitter mold and sweet pulp; the texture is smooth, spreading, without eyes and voids. The aroma is strong, of sour milk.
How is Saint-Agur cheese made?
As a raw material, milk pasteurized at 62 ° C is mixed with heavy country cream. Starter culture - lactic acid bacterial and fungal culture of Penicillium Roqueforti. Calf abomasum is used for curdling. Be sure to add calcium chloride. The preservative is salt.
They make Saint-Agur cheese, like other blue varieties, but with some peculiarities. After pasteurization, the milk is cooled to 30 ° C, the ferment of lactic acid bacteria and mold spores are added, and allowed to stand for the powder to be absorbed. For distribution over the entire volume of the feedstock, mix with movements from top to bottom. In the future, only cheese grains interfere with circular movements, with a special spatula.
While maintaining a constant temperature, the coagulant and calcium chloride are poured in. It takes 1, 5-2 hours to form kale. The curd curd is cut with a knife - fine cutting is not needed. Slowly heating at 5-7 ° C, at a rate of 1 ° C per minute, raise the temperature to 38-39 ° C and knead so that the large slices become thinner. Then they are given time to settle.
Part of the whey is drained so that it only slightly covers the surface, and then the curd layer is shifted into muslin with a slotted spoon and suspended so that the liquid is glass. Then everything is transferred to molds, covered with a dry cloth, and left for 12 hours under oppression. Calculation of the weight of the cargo - 4 kg for 1.5 kg of intermediate raw materials.
Then, re-grinding and pressing are carried out. In this case, the cheese mass is mixed with salt. The pressure is increased by 2 kg, first after 30 minutes, then after 2 hours by another 4 kg. The first day is turned over every 6 hours, on the second - 2 times. The oppression is removed after 8 hours and proceeds to self-pressing. After 48 hours, the formed heads are left to dry at 18 ° C for 6 days, constantly checking the quality to prevent early development of mold. If it appears, remove it with 20% brine.
Before placing the cheese in the ripening chamber, punctures are made across the entire surface at a distance of 1 cm. Ventilation is needed to stimulate the activity of the fungal flora. Subsequently, the "injections" are repeated every 20 days.
In France, Saint-Agur cheese, like many varieties, is prepared in natural limestone caves or wine cellars with additional built-in ventilation, where it is sent to ripen. But not all dairy factories are provided with such premises. Therefore, the heads are placed in chambers with a temperature of 10 ° C and a humidity of 80-85%. The first week is turned over once a day, the second - once every 48 hours. The minimum aging period is 60 days.
Composition and calorie content of Saint-Agur cheese
This fermented milk product can by no means be called dietary. Fat content relative to dry matter - 60%. This is one of the reasons why the delicacy should not be included in weight loss diets.
Calorie content of Saint-Agur cheese - 365 kcal per 100 g, of which
- Protein - 16 g;
- Fat - 33 g;
- Carbohydrates - 1 g.
High amount of salt - 1.5 g per 100 g.
The vitamin-mineral complex is standard, with a predominance of choline, retinol, tocopherol, folic and pantothenic acid, potassium and manganese, magnesium and phosphorus, zinc and iron.
As a part of Saint-Agur cheese per 100 g, 350 mg of calcium and up to 600 sodium. The latter is explained by salting.
Cholesterol - 115 mg per 100 g.
Unlike fermented milk products of this type, it should be noted that sugars are present in this. Even if there are not many of them - 0.8 g per 100 g, but for people with an unstable pancreas and a history of diabetes mellitus, this is important to know. After all, when compiling a daily diet, they have to take sugar into account in order to prevent deterioration in health.
Read more about the composition and calorie content of Bleu d'Auvergne cheese
Benefits of Saint-Agur cheese
Blue mold has been officially proven to thin blood. That is, regular use of this variety will help slow down the development of varicose veins and prevent the formation of blood clots.
Benefits of Saint-Agur cheese
- Normalizes the work of the cardiovascular system, maintains a stable level of heart rate.
- Has anti-inflammatory effect.
- Relieves exacerbation of gout, arthritis, arthrosis, prevents osteoporosis, degenerative-dystrophic changes in the musculoskeletal system.
- Slows down age-related changes, increases skin tone.
- Stimulates the synthesis of melanin, protecting against aggressive external influences - ultraviolet radiation.
- Has a beneficial effect on the function of the reproductive system, slows down aging.
- Increases overall tone and mood, promotes the production of serotonin - the hormone of joy. Helps to cope with depression, recover from stressful situations.
It is necessary to dwell separately on the effect on the digestive tract and organs, stomach and duodenum. Fungal cultures do not possess the antibiotic properties of penicillin, but only when used correctly. It is not recommended to eat more than 20-30 g of Saint-Agur per day. If you adhere to this amount, you can get rid of bloating and putrefactive processes in the intestines, improve digestion and absorption of nutrients. Mold prolongs the life of lacto- and bifidobacteria, which increases the general immunity of the body and helps not to get sick during the transition period, the season of epidemics.
Read more about the benefits of Carré de l'Est cheese
Contraindications and harm of Saint-Agur cheese
Despite the fact that this product is made from pasteurized milk, children under 16 years old, persons with unstable immunity, women during pregnancy and lactation should not be introduced to the new taste. The risk of developing dysbiosis is too high.
This variety should not be introduced into the diet with exacerbations of chronic pancreatitis, peptic ulcer or kidney disease. The load on the urinary system arises from the increased salinity of the product.
The harm from Saint-Agur cheese can come from overeating. A daily portion of 50 g is considered dangerous. Such an amount can provoke:
- dysbiosis;
- digestive disorders - vomiting, diarrhea, the appearance of reflux esophagitis;
- allergic reactions of both skin type - redness and rashes, and bronchial spasms.
This product is not suitable for people who need to control their own weight. If you want to eat 2-3 times a month, there will be no negative effect on the body. But consumption 4-5 times a week can cause rapid body fat formation.
It is very difficult to refuse Saint-Agur, even after trying several times. He, like other blue varieties, causes addiction, akin to a narcotic one. Official studies have shown that when processed in the stomach, a small dose of morphine enters the body, stimulating arousal. By the way, therefore, it is advisable to feast on the morning, so as not to provoke insomnia.
Those who do not want to give up this variety, but fear for their own health, are recommended to use it as an ingredient for dishes that are made using heat treatment. True, in this case, the vitamin and mineral complex is almost completely destroyed. The delicacy remains tasty, but there is little benefit from it for the body. The activity of molds is completely stopped.
Read more about the dangers of Mont-d'Or cheese
Saint-Agur cheese recipes
The variety is combined with walnuts and pears, white grapes, grain bread and honey. It is served with Porto and Chardonnay, with Sauternes or wines from the Côte de Provence, and many dishes are made with it.
Tip: if you want to fully enjoy the taste, you need to remove it from the refrigerator in 30-40 minutes and leave it in the kitchen (or room) without cutting.
Recipes with Saint-Agur cheese:
- Risotto … Carnaoli rice is fried in butter, so that the grains become transparent. Pour in white wine - about half a glass, and wait until it has completely boiled away. Just do not forget to stir, otherwise it will burn. Next, chicken broth, cooked with onions and carrots, is poured into the pan. Those who want to get a less high-calorie meal are limited to boiled water. The liquid should reach the surface of the rice. Pour in the crushed Saint-Agur and stir again until it completely melts and "binds" the individual grains. Pour 80 g of separately fried ham with melted fat into the pan, add pieces of finely chopped pear and grated ginger. Bring the rice until tender, and the fruit until soft. The dish is served hot. No need to get distracted when making risotto. If the pears become very soft, the taste will deteriorate.
- Snack sandwiches … Pear, 1 piece, cut in half, cut out the middle and boiled in red wine with sugar and cinnamon. For 250 ml of alcohol - 1 cinnamon stick and 2 tbsp. l. Sahara. Mint gingerbread cookies, purchased in advance in the store, 2 pieces, cut into pieces and bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 180 ° C, so that the glaze melts and the crust is slightly fried. Rustic bread is fried in the same oven. Another pear is peeled, sliced and sprinkled with lemon juice. In a salad bowl, mix the pieces of all pears, add pieces of gingerbread and rucola leaves, season with honey with a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Spread a thin layer of Saint-Agur on hot bread, and pear salad on top.
- Pear pie … The puff pastry is purchased ready-made. 2 pears are peeled, boiled with a little sugar, as for jam, but do not wait until they become soft. Just before the end of cooking, pour cinnamon into a saucepan and, if you want a more spicy taste, add a little grated nutmeg or ginger. Beat 2 eggs with salt (on the tip of a knife), with 70 ml of heavy cream. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C, grease the baking sheet with refined sunflower oil and spread the dough, forming low sides. The pears are thrown into a colander to remove the syrup, and then distributed throughout the cake. Pour the creamy egg mixture over and sprinkle all over with 1 cup of Saint-Agur. A piece is chopped with a knife into small slices, but not crushed. Bake for 15 minutes, garnish with mint before serving.
- Salad … It is better to choose a mix to taste - arugula, regular salad, iceberg. Leaves are torn by hand. Refueling is done in advance so that it has time to infuse at least a little. Grind 30 g of cheese, mix with cream, 60 ml, add 1 tbsp. l. wine vinegar and honey. Prepared greens are mixed in a salad bowl, grapes, cut into 2 parts, after removing the seeds, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and almonds. Refuel. Salt and pepper to taste.
See also Bleu du Vercors-Sassnage cheese recipes.
Interesting facts about Saint-Agur cheese
The name of the variety literally translates as "Saint Augur", but this name is assigned for marketing purposes. Neither a Saint with a similar name, nor a monk with such a nickname, who could suggest a recipe for cheese, does not exist. And it was released relatively recently, a little over 20 years ago.
Development lasted 3 years. During this time, many options have been proposed with the addition of cream from goat and sheep milk, various types of heads. The goal was to make a delicate cheese, more affordable for the consumer than the existing ones. Cheaper than Roquefort, less "odorous" and with minimal microbiological hazard. So that buyers know what kind of cheese they are buying, we also offered the original shape of the heads. However, retail buyers cannot appreciate the beauty of the octagon - more often the product is cut and vacuum-packed into pieces.
The place of "birth" of the variety is central France, Auveergne, the village of Mont-du-Velay. For the preparation of Saint-Agur, the Roquefort technological processes were used, changing the type of raw materials and increasing the content of noble mold. For the first time the product was presented by the French cheese company Bongrain in 1988, and already in 2003 and 2009 the variety was awarded the title of "The Best Taste of France" at the country's cheese competition.
This cheese is not offered for export. But even in France itself, it is quite difficult to try it. Dairy factories make it to order, for private consumers or retailers, and the rest can be offered to large stores. If you manage to get to the tasting, you should definitely get acquainted with the new taste. After all, "blue" cheeses are the same symbol of France as the Eiffel Tower.
Watch the video about Saint-Agur cheese:
