The homemade cheese recipe I shared last week is not just easy and delicious; it’s also hugely versatile. Because high heat and acidic lemon juice transform the milk, Lemon Cheese holds the same shape when chilled or heated and doesn’t melt.
When my lemony version of farmer’s cheese only hangs for 30 minutes and is still slightly warm, it remains soft enough to spread on toasted sourdough bread. After hanging for a couple of hours, it becomes a dry and crumbly topping for salads, baked potatoes or tostadas. If you press the cheese to drain the excess whey, you create sliceable paneer, a technique I’ll share later this month.
This might not be the first cheese you think of for cheesy mashed potatoes, especially if you like them porridge-smooth. But I prefer chunky mashers, with flecks of potato skin, chunks of grilled onion, hits of roasted garlic and snipped chives – and obvious bites of cheese. Lightly drained lemon cheese has just enough moisture to use these rustic mashed potatoes as a side dish for two people. If you prefer a softer, smoother mixture, peel the potatoes, finely crumble the cheese and stir in a few tablespoons of cheese whey or Cultured Buttermilk.
With this recipe, I primarily reach for lemon cheese that’s hung for two hours and then use the mixture as a pierogi filling. The drier the filling, the less likely it is to leak from the wrapper. I’ll share my recipe for homemade pierogi next week. If I have dry, crumbly filling left after making pierogi, I stuff it into breakfast tacos, sprinkle it into a Veggie-Stuffed Three-Egg Omelet or mix it into baked beans.
Rustic Lemon Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Makes about 3 cups
2 medium potatoes (10 ounces), cut in 1-inch cubes
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion (10 ounces), diced
5 ounces lemon cheese or other farmer’s cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoons fresh minced or 1 teaspoon dried crumbled dill
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Put the potato cubes in a large saucepan, and then add enough water to cover them completely. Sprinkle in a little salt. Bring to a boil and then continue cooking for five to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Drain the potatoes, rinse them in cold water and drain again. Transfer the cubes to a large bowl and roughly mash them with a potato masher or fork.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, until soft and lightly browned.
Mix the onions and cheese into the potatoes. Stir in the lemon juice, mustard and dill until well distributed, leaving the mixture lumpy for filling or mashing it to your desired texture for a side dish. Season to taste salt and pepper. Serve as a hot side, or let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or using as a pierogi or other filling.Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger. Learn more about this month’s cooking workshops at TwiceAsTasty.com.