Mexican Queso Chihuahua

1. Mexican Queso Chihuahua By Dung Tran and JingJing Chen

2. HISTORY AND ORIGINS • It originates from Mexico. • It can usually be found in Northern Mexico. • It is named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua. • Also known as: Queso Menonita

3. History and Origins • Named after the people of the region. • Although it is named after the people of the region, Chihuahua Cheese is made by Mennonites and Non-Mennonites all over Mexico. • Chihuahua cheese is one of the two most popular cheese in Mexico.

4. How it is produced • Warm up cow milk and CaCl2 between 30°C to 37°C. • Add rennet to the milk. • Cut the curd after 30 to 40 min later. • Cook the curd for 5 to 90 min. • Drain the curd. • Cheddar the curd for 20 to 40 min. • Mill, salt and press the curd into blocks. • Wrap the cheese and refrigerate.

5. Means of Production • Chihuahua cheese is one of the most popular cheese in Mexico. • There are approximately 14 brands of Chihuahua cheese. • 9 out of the 14 brands are made with raw milk. • 5 of the brands are made with pasteurized milk.

6. Means of Production • These cheese will be ship to Pennsylvania within 3 days of manufacture and will have a flavor analyses done within 14 to 18 days. • Chihuahua cheese will be ship in three different season over a one year period for flavor and texture.

7. Regional Implications • The semi hard Chihuahua cheese are produced in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua • It’s traditionally Hispanic-style, and developed to with that specific flavors and textures

8. There are 310 calories in Chihuahua cheese. Contains 58% of fat Contains 36% proteins And has 5% of carbs

9. How is it best used? • It’s mostly used as cooking cheese because it melts well, holding together when exposed to heat. Chihuahua can be used for fondues, breaded fried cheese dishes (queso frito), egg dishes, enchiladas, or simply for snacking. • Similar to mild cheddar but becomes tangy when it is aged.

10. Recipe that includes Chihuahua cheese:Pastel Azteca 1 chicken breast shredded • 1 lb Roma tomatoes • 1 medium size onion • 3 garlic cloves peeled • 1-2 canned chipotle adobado peppers • 24 corn tortillas • 3 cups chicken broth • 8 oz. Chihuahua cheese shredded 2 cups approx. • Salt

11. Pastel Azteca 1. Cut tortillas in triangles and fried them in batches until they turn golden and hard. 2. Using one cup of chicken broth, blend together tomatoes, ¾ of the onion, garlic and adobado peppers. 3. Pour the tomato mix in a large pot, then add the rest of the chicken broth and salt in and let it simmer for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Remember to constantly stir the pot. 4. Preheat oven to 350° F. And cut the rest of the onion into thin slices. Using 1/3 of the tortillas, place a layer of tortilla chips at the bottom of a baking dish. Add another layer using half of the shredded chicken, 1/3 of the sliced onion and 1/3 of shredded cheese. Pour some of the tomato sauce into baking dish. 5. Continue building up the dish by adding another layer of ingredients, tortilla chips, cheese, onion and the rest of the chicken. 6. Finish up with a layer of tortilla chips and onion. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce and top off with the remaining cheese. Put it the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

12. Chihuahua Mac + Cheese • 5 c. cooked elbow pasta 6 tbsp. unsalted butter3 tbsp. all-purpose flour1 c. whole milk1 c. heavy cream1/2 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. black pepper, ground2 tsp. ancho chile, ground, divided1 tbsp. garlic, minced1 1/2 c. Chihuahua cheese, shredded, divided • 1 c. Manchego cheese, shredded1/2 c. Panko breadcrumbs

13. Chihuahua Mac + Cheese 1. Cook and drain pasta according to package directions and then set it aside to cool. 2. Preheat oven to 400°. 3. Melt butter in a large saucepan, and then add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of the ground ancho while whisking over medium heat. Once the flour and seasonings are incorporated, add the milk and cream but remember to keep whisking. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes, and keep stirring. 4. After 2-3 minutes, reduce the heat and continue to cook on low for 10 additional minutes. After approximately 10 minutes, add 1 cup of Chihuahua cheese and the Manchego cheese to the cream sauce. Stir the cheese into the sauce and make sure all of the cheese melt. Once the cheese has completely melted, remove the sauce from heat. 5. Combine the cheese sauce and pasta into a large bowl, tossing to coat. Put it on the side to cool a bit. Then, throw the breadcrumbs, remaining Chihuahua cheese and remaining ancho into a small bowl and transfer the coated pasta to a 2-quart baking dish. And finally cover with the breadcrumb mixture and bake for 20-25 minutes.

14. Credits • http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Mexican-Cheeses-966/mexican-cheeses.aspx • http://www.feastie.com/recipe/what’s-cooking-mexico/pastel-azteca • http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2155-a-guide-to-mexican-cheese-los-quesos-mexicanos • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21854902 • http://www.premierproduce.net/shop/cheese-chihuahua-8-5lb-6212 • http://scarlettabakes.com/chihuahua-mac-cheese/ • http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/generic/mexican-queso-chihuahua-cheese/ • http://quitehealthy.com/nutrition-facts/cheese/423031.html