Fourth of July Mozzarella Kebab Party!

The holiday gods have smiled down on us this year by graciously placing the 4^th of July on a Friday – hello, three-day weekend! We plan to spend the upcoming holiday hanging out with family and friends, lounging on the beach, and partaking in all of our favorite summer foods from grilled meats to fresh summer fruits and vegetables. All week we’ll be sharing recipes from a few of our favorite new Workman cookbooks to help you create your own Fourth of July fete this year. Dig in!

Mozzarella Kebab Party

From One Hour Cheese, by Claudia Lucero

To make this classic cheese super-easy for you to whip up, the recipe is cut down to the essentials: The use of a microwave allows for a hassle-free and consistent heating method that helps in the stretching process characteristic of a pasta filata, or “pulled ribbon”- style cheese. The citric acid allows the rennet to do its job without you having to wait a day to let the milk acidify with cultures.

Ingredients for the Favorite Melty Mozzarella (makes 6 kebabs):

1 ½ teaspoons citric acid

½ cup plus ¼ cup dechlorinated water

¼ tablet vegetarian rennet

1 gallon whole cow’s milk (not ultra-pasteurized)

1 cup cream (optional)

2 teaspoons flake salt

Directions:

1. Stir the citric acid into the ½ cup of water and set aside.
2. Dissolve the ¼ tablet of rennet in the ¼ cup of water and set it aside.
3. Pour the milk into the pot. Optional: Add the cup of cream to make a more succulent cheese, closer to fresh mozzarella di bufala!
4. Stir in the well-dissolved citric acid solution and heat on medium to 90 F.
5. When the milk temperature reaches 90 F, add the rennet solution and mix it in with 20 quick strokes to make sure it is incorporated evenly. Then, without stirring, continue heating.
6. Heat to 105 F if you plan on using the microwave method to stretch the cheese (for stretching in a hot whey bath, heat to 110 F). Coagulation will start to happen; look for separation between curds and whey, clumps, or a yogurt-like texture.
7. Use the spoon to slice large clumps of curd to just 1 to 2 inches in size. Slowly move the pieces around in the warm whey for 1 minute to help them shrink as they cook. Lower the heat to hold the temperature of the milk as soon as it reaches 105 F/110F.
8. When the texture of the curds has changed from that of soft yogurt to that of a scrambled egg (about 2 additional minutes of cooking and gentle stirring), scoop the curds into the microwave-safe bowl.
9. Drain off any visible whey into the pot as you hold the curds with your hands or a spoon. Flatten the curds across the bowl for more even heating.
10. Microwave the curds for 1 minute on high (the default quick-heat settings usually do the trick). Using the spoon or your hands, fold the curd mass over itself 5 times, to distribute the heat evenly. Drain off any whey that is released.
11. Microwave again for 30 seconds on high. Drain the whey immediately. Sprinkle salt on the curds and fold and flatten them 10 times to incorporate the salt evenly. (Note: If it’s too hot on your hands, use a spoon or wear clean plastic gloves.)
12. Microwave for another 30 seconds on high. There should be very little whey now. Fold the curds over themselves repeatedly, pressing down between folds. The curds normally transform most dramatically into cheese after this heating.
13. The curd temperature should be 135 F, though you don’t want to stop to check, since the curds will cool in the time it takes to do so. The curds may come together to form one large mass in as few as 5 folds or as many as 30.
14. During the folding process, the curds will start out looking a little like lumpy cookie batter, then will suddenly become springy and stretchy like perfect bread dough. Test it by stretching the curd a little every few folds.
15. The curd becomes mozzarella when the edges look smooth and the surface looks shiny when stretched. This is when you can form it into smooth balls, ropes, or other shapes.
16. If you like the result now, you are done. If the curd tears or shreds into strings, it cooled too much for additional stretching. Heat it in the microwave for another 30 seconds. (Note: The less you heat and stretch your mozzarella, the more tender it will be.)

Ingredients to make the Kebabs:

20 to 25 cubes of Favorite Melty Mozzarella (1 inch x 1 inch)

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt and paper to taste

20 to 25 cherry tomatoes, sweet pepper pieces, pitted olives, and/or basil leaves

6 skewer sticks

Directions:

Toss the cubes of mozzarella in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Alternate 4 to 5 cubes of mozzarella with 4 to 5 of your chosen goodies on each skewer. This idea works with fruit, too – use tiny skewers for party appetizers or long ones for a picnic side-salad-on-a-stick!