Crescents Of Melon On Fresh Ricotta Recipes

FRESH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Combine milk, cream, and salt in a 4- to 5-quart pot, and warm mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching, until mixture registers 195 degrees on a candy thermometer. It should take about 15 minutes.
• Add lemon juice, gently stirring until just combined. Remove pot from heat and let stand 5 minutes. The combination of the acid and the residual heat in the mixture will cause it to coagulate, or curdle -- separating into a soft mass (curds) and a cloudy liquid (whey).
• After lining a mesh colander with a triple layer of cheesecloth and placing it inside a deeper, slightly larger bowl, gently pour curds and whey into colander. Let mixture stand, pouring off whey occasionally, until most of whey has drained from still-wet curds, 20 minutes.
• Gather up ricotta in cheesecloth and turn it out into a bowl. Serve within a few hours, or refrigerate up to 4 days. For a denser ricotta, which can be preferable for baking, hang it to drain for another hour. Repurpose whey or discard it.

FRESH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring milk, cream, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice; stir gently until mixture starts to curdle. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Pour mixture into a fine-mesh sieve lined with 2 layers of cheesecloth set over a medium bowl. Chill until cheese is spreadable, at least 20 minutes and up to 12 hours (the longer it strains, the thicker it will be).
• Cover and chill cheese up to 3 days.

CRESCENTS OF MELON ON FRESH RICOTTA

Steps:

• To make the syrups, puree the blueberries in a food processor or blender and put them in a small pot. Add half the sugar and cup water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Let cool before running the syrup through a fine- mesh strainer. Discard the solids. Then repeat the same process with the raspberries.
• To make the ricotta, line a mesh sieve with a double-layered square of cheesecloth, with plenty to overlap the sieve. Meanwhile, combine the milk, cream and yogurt in a pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture begins to curdle, about 2 minutes.
• When the milk is curdled, pour it into the cheesecloth and allow it to drain about 5 minutes. Gather up the four corners of the cheesecloth, tie a stick into it as if for a satchel and prop the stick on the edges of a bowl and allow it to drain until firm, about 1 hour.
• When ready to serve, assemble 8 plates. Paint half of each plate with the blueberry syrup and half with the raspberry syrup. Mound 1/4 cup of the ricotta on the center of each plate. Stack 6 alternating slices of melon together and place on the plate so that the inside of their crescent shape faces the cheese; then fan them slightly. Garnish with an edible blossom. Repeat with the remaining 7 servings.

CANTALOUPE WITH RICOTTA AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Divide ricotta between two small bowls; sprinkle with pistachios. Serve with cantaloupe, drizzled with honey, if desired.

RICOTTA TOASTS WITH MELON, CORN AND SALAMI

Steps:

• Use the blunt edge of a knife to scrape any corn milk off the cobs into a medium bowl. Add the ricotta to the corn milk, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together the corn kernels, cantaloupe, salami, cilantro, almonds and vinegar. Season generously with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust salt, pepper and vinegar until the flavors pop. (The salad will keep covered and refrigerated for up to 5 hours. Add the cilantro and almonds just before serving.)
• When ready to eat, cut or rip the baguette into 4 pieces crosswise, then cut or rip in half lengthwise through the middle (as if you're making a sandwich). Toast if you'd like. Spoon the ricotta onto the cut sides of the baguette, then top with the salad.