Queso fresco is a creamy home-made cheese, which can range from being very soft and runny to quite compact depending on how long you strain it and how much moisture you squeeze out during this process. It can be crumbled on top of finished dishes, or if heavily pressed can be cut up and grilled as it will not melt like most cheeses. We use it in the Mexican Roast Tomato Soup recipe. You’ll need either a couple of j-cloths or a straining bag or a cheesecloth, some string, and a large bowl to collect the whey. It is lovely served plain, yet also takes flavours well. As this is a Mexican cheese the flavourings suggested are from this region, although it would work with many herbs and spices. Epazote is available from the Cool Chile Company. The Queso can be made in advance as it will last in a fridge for 3-4 days.

1 litre full fat milk

2 tspns salt

1 tbspns cider vinegar

Optional flavourings:-

pinch dried oregano

pinch dried epazote (or fresh lemon thyme leaves)

• Pour the milk into a large saucepan, add the salt and herbs (if using) and bring to the boil. As soon as it is properly boiling, stir in the vinegar and turn the heat off. The mixture should almost immediately split into curds and whey. If it doesn’t add a few drops more vinegar

• Allow to cool for a couple of minutes then pour the mixture into a bowl lined with the j-cloths/straining bag/cheesecloth. Tie up with string and allow to drain over the bowl for at least 30-120 minutes depending on how solid you’d like the cheese. You can speed up the process by squeezing more moisture out. Once this is achieved, put in a sealed container and keep cool in a fridge. Discard the liquid that drains from the cheese