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Queso manchego en aceite
Sheep's cheese preserved in olive oil
Queso manchego en aceite: ewe's-milk cheese wedges kept in olive oil with herbs
Manchego farmhouses have long stored cheese under olive oil so it would keep through the hot months; the oil seals it, softens the rind and deepens the flavour. In bars across Toledo and Ciudad Real a saucer of these oil-darkened wedges arrives with bread as soon as you sit down. PDO manchego is made with animal rennet; if you eat vegetarian, choose a ewe's-milk cheese made with vegetable or microbial rennet. Chef's tip: use a cheese aged at least three months; young cheese goes soft and greasy in the oil.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 14 oz semi-cured manchego cheeseaged 3–6 months, rind removed if waxed
- 1 ¾ cups extra virgin olive oilenough to cover
- 2 sprigs rosemarywashed and dried completely
- 3 sprigs thymewashed and dried completely
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 bay leavesdried
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Cut 14 oz semi-cured manchego cheese into wedges about 1 cm thick. If the rind is natural (not waxed), you can leave it on; it softens and is edible.
Step 3: Layer the cheese in a clean, dry jar with the herbs, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 2 bay leaves, then pour in 1 ¾ cups extra virgin olive oil until everything is covered by at least 1 cm.
Step 4: Seal and keep in the fridge for at least 3 days and up to 2 weeks. The oil turns cloudy when cold; take the jar out 30 minutes before serving, lift out wedges with a clean fork and serve at room temperature with bread. The leftover oil is lovely on toast.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does queso manchego en aceite take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 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.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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