{Probiotic Boursin} | Flower Petal Herbed Yogurt Cheese
This beautiful cheese draws a crowd around the hors d'oeuvres table, not to mention it's a probiotic powerhouse too! Cheese is something we intuitively know to (or would do well to) eat in moderation, so when you do partake, make it the most sensual experience possible!
What you need
cheesecloth
sieve or fine mesh strainer
kitchen twine
Ingredients
1 container of plain yogurt (32 oz) * I used Redwood Hill goat yogurt
1/3 oz of chives (1/2 of a small 0.66 oz package)
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tarragon
1 teaspoon sea salt or pink himalayan salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 small package fresh edible flowers, or, better yet, picked straight from your garden!
Instructions
Start plucking and chopping your herbs. Pluck the petals from one or two larger blooms from your edible flowers, chop those and add to the herb mix as well.
If there is a layer of liquid on top of your yogurt, pour that into an 8 oz mason jar (save for making fermented veggies) Pour all of your yogurt into a medium mixing bowl.
Add the herbs and spices, and mix well.
Line a sieve or fine mesh strainer with 3-4 layers of cheesecloth, and transfer all of your herbed yogurt. Give it a minute to settle.
Have a 10-12 inch piece of kitchen twin cut and ready. Pick up the four corners of your cheesecloth with one hand. With the other hand, wrap your fingers as close to the yogurt as you can to form a ball without squeezing so tight that you force the yogurt through the cloth.
Tie off your herbed yogurt ball and suspend over a bowl or hang off your kitchen sink faucet.
Let hang for 24 hours for a soft cheese or 48 hours for a firmer cheese that will more easily hold its shape when it comes to presenting.
I hang mine at room temp for awhile (usually for no more than 4 hours at a time) and then transfer back into the refrigerator.
Keep pouring the liquid runoff from the bowl into your mason jar for fermentation projects.
After 24 or 48 hours, but about 3 hours before you want to serve, unwrap your cheese and adorn with more flowers, petals and herbs.
Rewrap in cheese cloth making as snug a ball as you can, and chill for 3 more hours. Keep the cheese in the strainer and out of any liquid that dripped off.