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Queso asado con mojo
Griddled goat's cheese with red sauce
Queso asado con mojo: griddled Canarian goat's cheese with red mojo
Thick slabs of semi-cured goat's cheese, seared on a hot griddle until golden outside and soft within, then splashed with red mojo: it is the starter that opens lunch at country restaurants across Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria, the islands of Majorero and Flor de Guía cheeses. Some places serve it with palm honey instead, for a sweet-salty version. Traditional Canarian cheeses use animal rennet; choose a vegetarian semi-cured goat's cheese if that matters to you. Eat it with bread while it is still soft. Chef's tip: use a firm, semi-cured cheese at least 1.5 cm thick, as fresh cheese melts flat and runs off the pan.
- Total time
- 16 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the quick red mojo
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 5 tbsp olive oil
For the cheese
- 14 oz semi-cured goat's cheese (vegetarian if you like)cut into 4 slabs, 1.5–2 cm thick
- 1 tsp olive oil
To serve
- 3 tbsp mojo verde (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Pound the 2 cloves garlic with the ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground cumin in a mortar. Stir in the 2 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp hot paprika or chilli flakes and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, then the 5 tbsp olive oil, to make a loose red sauce.
5 minStep 2: Heat a non-stick or cast-iron pan over a high heat until very hot, then wipe it with the 1 tsp olive oil.
3 minStep 3: Lay in the 14 oz semi-cured goat's cheese (vegetarian if you like) and leave it untouched for 2–3 minutes until it sizzles and a deep golden crust forms. Turn and cook the other side for 2 minutes until the edges start to soften. A common mistake is turning it too soon; it sticks and tears until the crust has formed and releases by itself.
5 minStep 4: Move to warm plates, spoon over the red mojo and a little 3 tbsp mojo verde if using, and serve at once with crusty bread (gluten-free if needed).
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does queso asado con mojo take?
- About 16 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 6 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of ground cumin?
- Cumin seeds, toasted and ground.
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