Gouda with Pesto

[Danbo]

I made an experiment today and made a Gouda with pesto.

It looks fine and knitted without problems, but I don't know how it will turn out after two months of ageing.

It's now in the brine.

:-) Danbo

[Sweet Leaves Farm]

Looks lovely! I thought a pesto rub would be a good rind. Now my mouth is watering...

[Mermaid]

Yum!!!

[Danbo]

Thank you! It's so motivating... :-)

[Al Lewis]

Did you use pine nuts in the pesto when you made it?  If this retains the flavor of the pesto I would love to make one of these.  Wife hates pesto but I love it!!

[Danbo]

Al:
I have to confess... I bought the pesto (with pine nuts)...


I warmed up (not cooked) the pesto to make the oil flow a bit easier and drained as much as possible without pressing it. I was afraid that the oil would perhaps prevent the cheese from knitting well. Until now it seems OK.


My wife like pesto BUT she doesn't like cheese - unless it is without any taste at all... :-(


:-) Danbo

[Al Lewis]

When the season hits we can get fresh basil really cheap here so it's definitely pesto time.  I wonder if you could have made it yourself without the oil?  Seems it would still be suitable for making cheese.

[Danbo]

I think that it would be much better to make it yourself. But I was lazy - promize not to be the next time and use basil from my green house (when the summer comes).


Byusing pesto from a glass I figured that I could use directly in the cheese without heat treatment etc. Hope that I'm right...


:-) Danbo

[GoudaGirl13]

Looks fabulous, Danbo! A cheese for you!

[Danbo]

Thanks. :-)

[awakephd]

When the season hits we can get fresh basil really cheap here so it's definitely pesto time.  I wonder if you could have made it yourself without the oil?  Seems it would still be suitable for making cheese.

Al, I would guess that the oil serves three purposes: 1) flavor (assuming good olive oil!); 2) allows the basil, pine nuts, etc. to be processed smoothly; 3) ?? maybe some benefit to shelf life??

I would think you could use plain water to help process the basil, pine nuts, garlic, etc., and add that to the cheese. However ... it seems like elsewhere that I have read some concern about adding fresh vegetable matter to cheese. Might be like canning a low-acid vegetable -- danger of botulism?? I'm not sure, but if it were me, I think I would boil the resulting pesto before adding to the cheese ... even though that would no doubt change the flavor.

Just thinking aloud ...

[Stinky]

Well, I was thinking of mimicking this one cheese I had one time- it was Italian, and was an olive oil and basil cheese. So I was thinking maybe an Asiago? Boil the basil, and mix it with oul, and drizzle over the curds? Rub with olive oil or maybe even wax so the little bits don't get moldy on the outside.

[Danbo]

Awakephd: Would you think that I'm safe since I used it from a sealed bought glas?


Stinky: Sounds good to me...


:-)

[Al Lewis]

It just surprised me that the curds knit so well with oil on them.

[Danbo]

Al: Me too... :-)