Cotija is a crumbly, hard, aged Mexican cheese, which is usually made from cow's milk. It is an all-purpose crumbling or grating cheese and it comes from a Mexican town in Michoacan. This cheese is grainy, salt, and white. It softens when you heat it but does not melt. Freshly made, this cheese is similar to feta. When you let it age, it grates in a similar manner to parmesan, which is why it is sometimes known as Mexican parmesan.
Traditional Mexican cotija is made with raw cow's milk and left to age for at least three months and sometimes a whole year. Commercial varieties contain an enzyme to speed up the aging process, giving it a different flavor from the traditional, artisan-made product.
This ingredient is not used in desserts or eaten by itself because it contains twice as much salt as cheddar and is better as an ingredient in other dishes or as a seasoning. It is used is soups, salads, refried beans, tacos, tostadas and Mexican recipes for chili. It is only made between July and October because the cows are fed on the rich grass that grows on the mountains in the rainy season. This is what gives it a unique flavor and color.
This ingredient is made by milling the curds into little pieces and then pressing them. You can get it in the ethnic food section of grocery stores or in Mexican food stores. You can also order it online. It comes in big blocks or small rounds. If you cannot find it at all, try substituting Romano, parmesan or feta in your recipes.
Recipe Ideas for This Tasty Ingredient
If you enjoy street food, look out for elote con cotija when you are on vacation in Mexico. This delicious street food is made by rolling an ear of roasted corn in mayonnaise and cotija. The snack is finished by sprinkling it with lime juice and dusting it with chili powder.
Quesadillas are another example of a tasty Mexican food recipe using this cheese. Sprinkle two tablespoons of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack over a flour tortilla and grate some cotija on top. Top this with another flour tortilla and fry the quesadilla in a dry skillet until both sides are golden brown. The cheddar or Monterey Jack will melt. Cut the quesadilla into quarters and serve it with sour cream, a wedge of lime and some salsa.
How to Make an Easy Cotija Salad
You can also make a nice salad with this creamy ingredient. Combine some lettuce leaves, sliced avocado, quartered tomatoes, black olives, sliced cucumbers and chopped red onion in a bowl and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top.
Squeeze some lime juice over it, then season with crumbled cotija cheese, chili pepper, and black pepper. Serve this salad immediately, as a refreshing summer entree or as a flavorful appetizer.
There are plenty of Mexican recipes that you can make with cheese and, if you look at Mexican food history, you will see that cheese has been used in Mexican dishes for many years, making it one of Mexico's tasty food staples.
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Traditional Mexican cotija is made with raw cow's milk and left to age for at least three months and sometimes a whole year. Commercial varieties contain an enzyme to speed up the aging process, giving it a different flavor from the traditional, artisan-made product.
This ingredient is not used in desserts or eaten by itself because it contains twice as much salt as cheddar and is better as an ingredient in other dishes or as a seasoning. It is used is soups, salads, refried beans, tacos, tostadas and Mexican recipes for chili. It is only made between July and October because the cows are fed on the rich grass that grows on the mountains in the rainy season. This is what gives it a unique flavor and color.
This ingredient is made by milling the curds into little pieces and then pressing them. You can get it in the ethnic food section of grocery stores or in Mexican food stores. You can also order it online. It comes in big blocks or small rounds. If you cannot find it at all, try substituting Romano, parmesan or feta in your recipes.
Recipe Ideas for This Tasty Ingredient
If you enjoy street food, look out for elote con cotija when you are on vacation in Mexico. This delicious street food is made by rolling an ear of roasted corn in mayonnaise and cotija. The snack is finished by sprinkling it with lime juice and dusting it with chili powder.
Quesadillas are another example of a tasty Mexican food recipe using this cheese. Sprinkle two tablespoons of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack over a flour tortilla and grate some cotija on top. Top this with another flour tortilla and fry the quesadilla in a dry skillet until both sides are golden brown. The cheddar or Monterey Jack will melt. Cut the quesadilla into quarters and serve it with sour cream, a wedge of lime and some salsa.
How to Make an Easy Cotija Salad
You can also make a nice salad with this creamy ingredient. Combine some lettuce leaves, sliced avocado, quartered tomatoes, black olives, sliced cucumbers and chopped red onion in a bowl and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top.
Squeeze some lime juice over it, then season with crumbled cotija cheese, chili pepper, and black pepper. Serve this salad immediately, as a refreshing summer entree or as a flavorful appetizer.
There are plenty of Mexican recipes that you can make with cheese and, if you look at Mexican food history, you will see that cheese has been used in Mexican dishes for many years, making it one of Mexico's tasty food staples.
To continue please CLICK HERE
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