Description of Oaxaca cheese and cooking features. Energy value and vitamin and mineral composition. Influence on the human body, culinary uses and history of the variety.
Oaxaca is a semi-hard drawn cheese from Mexico, originally made from goat's milk and later from cow's milk. Its melting point is low, which makes it widely used in cooking. Smell - spicy, cheesy, pungent; taste - soft, sweetish, oily; color - white, but it also happens a little yellowish; no crust. The heads can be compared to "skeins" of rope - cheese ribbons are wound into tight balls of various sizes. On farms, the variety is sometimes produced in the form of plaits. They can be smoked for taste.
How is Oaxaca cheese made?
Regardless of the quality of the feedstock, the previous batch of whey or a complex of bacterial cultures containing Lb. delbrueckii ssp. Bulgaricus. Calf rennet is used for curdling. If you take pasteurized milk, add calcium chloride. Pasteurization is carried out at a temperature of 72 ° C.
In the initial stages, Oaxaca cheese is prepared like Mozzarella. Heat milk to 38 ° C, add dry starter culture. A constant temperature can be maintained in a water bath, or by adding starter culture, wrap the container to accelerate the activation of bacteria.
Stir the contents of the vat, add the previously diluted rennet, wait for the formation of cala, cut it into large cubes - with edges of 5 cm. Without stirring the contents of the container, take out all the pieces with a large slotted spoon and dip them into the whey - leave for 2 hours in a water bath with the same temperature. This stage is very important: if you underexpose, the cheese will be hard and will not stretch; if you overexpose it, the threads will crumble when they dry.
Further, Oaxaca cheese is made according to its own algorithm:
- The whey is heated to 87-88 ° C and the cheese mass is constantly kneaded with a wooden spatula until it begins to stretch.
- Workers (usually two) stretch the hardened cheese, make notches on the canvas to facilitate the laborious process. First, wide strips are wound on wooden spatulas, with which the curd was kneaded, then stretched, decreasing in width, and wound on hands. The tapes are constantly soaked in hot water to increase their elasticity.
- When the desired texture is achieved, the entire stretching mass is pulled into thin strips, immediately immersing them in a cool brine bath without breaking. This must be done in order to permanently stop fermentation. All stripes are of the same width and most of all look like a floating serpentine.
- The tapes are neatly taken out of the bathtubs and laid out on the table. Now they need to be rolled very quickly and neatly into cheese heads. It is worth overexposing - they dry out and begin to crumble. All employees of the cheese dairy are involved in this process. Dense "skeins" of cheese ribbons are left to dry on the table at a temperature of 20-22 ° C for 1-2 days. Readiness is determined by examining the surface.
By the way, making a small batch, you can pickle with dry salt - right on the tables. In this case, the taste is more pronounced. The crust does not form, the heads are packed in cling film so that they do not dry out. Farm options are wrapped in parchment or palm leaves. The variety has a limited shelf life - up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Composition and calorie content of Oaxaca cheese
When using goat milk, the energy value of the product increases. True, at present, even in farms, it is used extremely rarely or is introduced as an additional ingredient to enhance "tenderness" and "creaminess".
An option is produced for those who are losing weight - from skim milk, but it is not in demand, since it is more rigid.
The calorie content of Oaxaca cheese is 356 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 22, 60 g;
- Fat - 28, 26 g;
- Carbohydrates - 2.87 g;
- Ash substances - 4, 11 g.
Vitamins per 100 g:
- Vitamin A - 55.0 mcg;
- Beta-carotene - 4.0 mcg;
- Vitamin D - 0.5 mcg;
- Vitamin E - 0.2 mg;
- Vitamin K - 2.4 mcg;
- Vitamin B2 - 0.2 mg;
- Vitamin B3 - 0.2 mg;
- Vitamin B4 - 15.4 mg;
- Vitamin B5 - 0.2 mg;
- Vitamin B6 - 0.1 mg;
- Vitamin B9 - 8 mcg;
- Vitamin B12 - 1 mcg.
Mineral composition per 100 g:
- Calcium - 661, 0 mg;
- Iron - 0.5 mg;
- Magnesium - 26 mg;
- Phosphorus - 443 mg;
- Potassium - 86 mg;
- Sodium - 705 mg;
- Zinc - 3 mg;
- Selenium - 14.5 mcg
Cholesterol content - 105, 0 mg per 100 g.
Amino acids per 100 g:
- Isoleucine - 1, 225 g;
- Leucine - 2, 123 g;
- Lysine - 1.548 g;
- Valine - 1, 426 g;
- Glutamic acid - 5.072 g;
- Proline - 2, 403 g.
A 100 g piece of Oaxaca cheese provides 66% of the daily requirement for calcium, 63% for phosphorus, 27% for zinc, 41% for cobalamin. That is, to provide a supply of energy for the whole day, it is enough to eat 150 g of a fermented milk product. However, this is not recommended - the load on the digestive organs is too high. The permissible "dosage" is 60-80 g per day.
Health benefits of Oaxaca cheese
The use of this variety is a good opportunity to replenish the vitamin and mineral reserve of the body, to maintain efficiency during the day. It is officially proven that adding to the diet 3-5 times a week reduces blood sugar levels.
Benefits of Oaxaca Cheese:
- Improves the quality of nails and epithelial tissues, accelerates regeneration, eliminates peeling.
- Maintains a stable level of blood pressure, reduces the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.
- It has an antioxidant effect, isolates free radicals accumulating in the intestinal lumen.
- Stops the development of anemia, helps to quickly recover from complications of colds.
- Reduces the likelihood of developing arthritis and osteoporosis.
- Normalizes blood cholesterol levels.
- Increases the strength of bone tissue and reduces the permeability of cell membranes.
- Improves brain activity and normalizes kidney function. Stops fluid loss.
- Supports the stable production of leukocytes - white blood cells.
Due to its high phosphorus content, Oaxaca cheese increases the absorption of calcium, helps to cope with increased physical exertion, and maintains a stable heart rate. With active training, it accelerates weight loss and promotes the conversion of body fat into energy.
There are restrictions on the use of this variety during pregnancy, but only in terms of serving size. Women in a position always want something salty, and a small piece will not only satisfy this craving, but also replenish the lack of nutrients. The high amount of B vitamins in the composition normalizes the formation of the fetal neural tube.
Contraindications and harm of Oaxaca cheese
Abuse should be avoided for several reasons. It is necessary to take into account the increased fat content of the product, due to which the likelihood of rapid weight gain and exacerbation of chronic diseases of the digestive organs is too high. When overeating, Oaxaca cheese can cause the greatest harm in chronic pancreatitis, gastritis against a background of high acidity, biliary dyskinesia.
Excessive salinity leads to a violation of the water-electrolyte balance, the formation of edema, constipation and delayed flatulence. If you violate the recommendations for use, blood pressure rises, headaches often occur. The risk of atherosclerosis and pathological changes in the work of the cardiovascular system increase. You should not introduce this product into the diet if you are allergic to milk protein.
Oaxaca cheese recipes
There are no definite rules on how and with what to use this variety. It is eaten by itself with fruits - fresh and dried, added to salads, washed down with local wines and beer of any quality and strength. Many Mexican and Spanish dishes are made on its basis. He is so "rooted" in the culture of the country that the Mexicans consider him their own "brainchild".
Oaxaca Cheese Recipes:
- Quesadilla … Prepare a Teflon or heat-resistant frying pan so that you can fry "dry" on it. Sift 150 g of medium-ground cornmeal into a bowl, pour 60 ml of warm, but not hot water, add a little salt and olive oil. Knead soft dough, so that it does not stick to the palms, divide into 4 balls. Allow to "rest" for about 15 minutes. Then each piece is rolled into a cake. To prevent it from getting too thin and uneven, it is better to wrap the cutting board in cling film and press through. This is exactly what real Mexican chefs do. Fry very gently on 2 sides without oil. If you overexpose, the tortillas will not bend, if you do not hold it, they will remain moist. Put the cakes on top of each other and under the lid so that they do not get stale. Beat 4 eggs in a bowl, add salt, oregano, pepper mixture. In the same pan, 4 omelets are fried on 2 sides in a small amount of oil. Rubbing Oaxaca, more. Sprinkle the hot tortilla with cheese, spread the omelette and fold it in half (the dish resembles a Tatar kystyby in serving). If an inexperienced cook is worried that the tortillas are still raw, you can hold them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. But keep in mind: if the cheese grasps and becomes dense, the dish will not be so tasty.
- Pesto salad … Season the bowl of a food processor with the juice of half a lime, a zest of a quarter of a lemon, a bunch of fresh mint and the same amount of basil leaves, pour in olive oil - half a glass, sprinkle with red pepper - to taste. No need to add. Salad mix, 150 g (choice of leaves to taste), torn into pieces by hand, mixed with 2 thick peaches, chopped into pieces and 200 g of chopped Oaxaca. Refuel. Lightly toasted pine nuts or almonds can be added for flavor.
- Chorizo with melted cheese … Preheat the oven to 200 ° C. The pan is heated, olive oil is poured, pieces of 2 sweet peppers (cut into squares) and a red onion (thin half rings) are fried for 5 minutes. You need to wait for a ruddy crust to appear. Pour in peeled and cut chili pods, 3 cloves of crushed garlic, along with juice. 2 large tomatoes are placed in a pan, from which the skin is first removed, dipping in boiling water for 2 minutes, chopping them into cubes. Sprinkle everything with paprika in powder, add salt, add cilantro and leave to simmer for 4-5 minutes. Turn off the frying pan. The heat-resistant form is rubbed from the inside with garlic oil, layered with grated Oaxaca, vegetable sauce, cheese again, and so on, until the ingredients run out. The mold is placed in the oven. The dish is ready when the cheese in the mold stops bubbling. While everything is baking, a platter of bacon, ham, hunting sausages is fried in the same pan without washing it, so as to melt the fat. Take the chorizo out of the oven and pour the roast on top. They are immediately laid out on plates and served hot.
- Salsa with cheese … Marinade is prepared from finely chopped parsley - 2 tbsp. l., 0.5 tsp. oregano, 3 tbsp. l. red wine vinegar and 2 tbsp. l. olive oil. Cut into approximately equal pieces, taking into account the types of products, half a head of red onion, 4 cream tomatoes (the skin can be left on), 2 garlic prongs, 2 ripe avocados and 150 g of grated cheese. Leave for 3-4 hours. At this time, chips are prepared. The tortillas made according to the recipe already described are cut into 6 parts, laid out on a baking sheet, having previously covered it with parchment, sprinkled with red pepper. Preheat the oven to 190 ° C, put a baking sheet with future chips and bake for 17-20 minutes. Allow to rest to crisp crisps. Served with salsa.
- Burrito … 50 g of sweet pepper, 2 tomatoes, 1 head of onion are cut into equal pieces, and the boiled chicken breast, 150 g, is cut into strips. Fry vegetables in a pan with a small amount of sunflower oil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, add strips of poultry and stand for another 3 minutes. Salt, pepper, add finely chopped cilantro. Screw the burner to a minimum, add a can of canned beans to the contents of the pan, having previously drained the liquid, and half a can of corn - also without excess marinade. Everything is mixed thoroughly. Spread the filling on the tortilla and roll it up like pancakes. Preheat the oven to 180-190 ° С, spread the future burritos on a baking sheet greased with sunflower oil, sprinkle them with grated cheese. Bake. Take it out when the sprinkle melts.
See also Reblochon cheese recipes.
Interesting facts about Oaxaca cheese
We can safely say that this type of fermented milk product is a gift from Italy. Its history began in the warm country of the European continent - this explains its similarity with Mozzarella. The recipe was shared with Dominican monks who brought the Word of Christ to Mexican aborigines in the early 17th century. Interestingly, despite the fact that in Spain cheese was made mainly from milk of cows, at first there were attempts to use goat as a raw material.
It was these animals that were introduced by the Spaniards to Mexico. After all, the local population before the arrival of "uninvited guests" for food purposes only raised dogs and poultry - mostly turkeys. First, goats began to develop the new area - they were easier to transport, so goat's milk was the first raw material for Oaxaca. But as soon as the cows appeared, the goat milk was abandoned.
Until the middle of the twentieth century, ribbons were drawn not on tables, observing all sanitary and hygienic requirements, but on red-hot bricks. At that time, the variety was eaten only fresh, and dried was used as a semi-finished product for the manufacture of various dishes. Now it is impossible to find a restaurant that does not offer to taste this cheese.
Watch a video about Oaxaca cheese:
