Total Pageviews

Wednesday 17 February 2016

Goat Cheese Facts : Plus Jewelled Mushroom Salad & Goat Cheese


Have you tried goats cheese? It has been made for thousands of years, and was probably one of the earliest made dairy products. Goat milk is often consumed by young children, the elderly, those who are ill, or have a low tolerance to cow's milk. Goat milk is more similar to human milk than that of the cow, although there is large variation among breeds in both animals. Although the West has popularized the cow, goat milk and goat cheese are preferred dairy products in much of the rest of the world.

You do see it more and more in shops and supermarkets. Cheeses are made from goats’ milk in every country where the animals are farmed, but usually this is on a small, domestic scale. France produces by far the largest range of commercial examples, from young, soft cheeses suitable for use in desserts to tangy, aged varieties that can be grated like Parmesan.

In recent years, thanks to an increasing taste for goats’ milk products, many British versions have come onto the market – they are particularly common in Wales. The younger cheeses may be flavoured with herbs, pepper or fruit and spread like pâté, and older hard cheeses can be eaten in much the same way as Cheddar. Some people who have an intolerance to cows’ milk may find goats’ milk cheeses easier to digest.



Buyer's guide:
Goats’ cheeses should always be white on the inside, with none of the yellowness common to cows’ milk cheeses. If you’re worried about the pungent flavour that some goats’ cheeses can have, look for young, soft, creamy curd cheeses instead. Due to the number of varieties, goats’ cheese is available year-round, but some, such as Banon from South East France, are best in the summer.

More information about goat cheese can be found here and here

Now onto the recipe suggestion. It's a 'Jewelled Mushroom Salad', and combines 
seared mushrooms and pine nuts with a lovely goats cheese salad. It makes for a very tasty dinner party starter, or could even be eaten as a lunch dish...

Ingredients:
Serves Four
5.0g carbohydrate per serving
10 g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
250 g pkt chestnut mushrooms, sliced
500 g flat mushrooms, sliced
250 g Pomodorino tomatoes, halved
100 g (Somerset) goats' cheese, diced
100 g watercress, spinach and rocket salad
100 g young leaf spinach
25 g toasted pine nuts, to serve


Method:
1. Make the dressing: mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl, reserving the zest and juice of ½ lemon. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the mushrooms and stir well to coat. Sauté for about 5-8 minutes or until tender.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and goats’ cheese, and warm through for 1-2 minutes. Add the reserved lemon juice and zest. Put the salad leaves in a large serving bowl, then tip the mushroom, tomato and cheese mixture over the top. Add the dressing and toss everything together. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and serve immediately.

Now that's tasty!

Recipe idea from here

All the best Jan

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Will be buying some goat cheese later in week. Recipe does look very delicious.

Jenny S

Lowcarb team member said...

Hi Jenny, thanks for your comment.
I don't very often buy goat cheese, but having seen this recipe idea, like you it's on the shopping list.

All the best Jan

Jo said...

The salad looks lovely. Beetroot goes really well with goats cheese too.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hi Jo, thanks for your comment.
I thought this salad was a winner! It does look delicious doesn't it ...
Beetroot with goat cheese - must remember that, thank you.

All the best Jan

Martha said...

I've had goat cheese and it's very good. I don't often buy it unless a recipe calls for it (like this one).

Crafty Green Poet said...

that looks like a nice recipe, unfortunately my partner doesn't like goats cheese at all!

Debbie said...

in my house, cheese is a food group!!! we love goats cheese, doesn't everyone!!??!!??

handmade by amalia said...

We have a great variety of goat's cheese around here and they are my favorite.
Amalia
xo

Lowcarb team member said...

Hi Martha, thanks for your comment.
This could just be a good time to get some Goat Cheese when you next go shopping !!!

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hi 'CGP', thanks for your comment.
Although the recipe calls for Goats cheese how about trying some Feta Cheese, it could work?

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hi Debbie, and thanks for your comment.
It's funny I don't often buy Goat Cheese and perhaps I should, because we just love cheese !

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

Hi Amalia, and thanks for your comment.
I bet your Goats Cheese is wonderful too...
It just goes so well in a salad, doesn't it!

All the best Jan

NCmountainwoman said...

We love goat cheese around here and always keep some in the house. We almost always add it to our salads along with some walnuts and dried cranberries. And we snack on goat cheese and crackers with our evening wine. I'll give your salad a try.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hi 'NC' and thanks for your comment.
Your salad idea sounds good to me as does your evening wine with Goat cheese and crackers ...
As I've said in earlier comments, I don't often buy Goat cheese - think that will be changing!

All the best Jan

chris c said...

Take an oatcake (5 - 6g carbs), spread thickly with soft goat cheese and stud with blueberries.

Pudding! - a kind of low carb cheesecake

Lowcarb team member said...

Hi Chris, and thanks for your comment.
Your "Pudding! - a kind of low carb cheesecake" idea sounds good ... many thanks

All the best Jan

River said...

I don't like goat cheese, but the rest of the salad sounds good.