By Cora F. Navarra, Ph.D.
Dean, Graduate School
Our farm animals have always been a good source of food, providing us products which are not only nutritious but also those which can be processed or cooked into delicious end products. However, only few among us know how to process or cook animal products like eggs, milk and meat because we can always buy ready-to-cook or ready-to-eat food from the market.
Foods like ice cream, tocino, sausage, balut, or salted eggs can be so expensive that we could afford them only on special occasions. If your time permits, you realise that such foods are not difficult to prepare. Preparing them also assures you of their sanitation and their nutritive value (free of artificial flavours or additives).
What follows are some procedures using various animal products
Ingredients
450 ml fresh milk, pasteurized
170 g refined sugar
3 eggs (yolk only)
¾ tbsp cornstarch
Flavour (fruits, chocolate, etc.)
Procedures
1. Beat the egg yolk briskly in an aluminium or enamel kettle.
2. Add sugar, cornstarch and a little amount of milk.
3. Mix well until the mixture becomes creamy (Use electric beater when available. If not, fork will do). Set aside.
1. Place the milk in an aluminium or enamel kettle and heat slightly.
2. Remove from fire and pour the mixture over it.
3. Place over low fire. Stir continuously to prevent scorching. Cook until the mixture turns creamy. Remove from fire but continue stirring until it cools.
1. Place the cream into the desired containers like aluminium ice trays, (commercially available) ice cups or plastic wares.
2. Mix well according to your desired flavour.
3. Place in the freezer. If you use fruits slices as flavour in big containers, remove the cream from the freezer after two hours. Stir well so the flavour does not settle at the bottom of the container. Do it once or twice every hour thereafter.
4. The cream you placed in a freezer overnight you can serve the next morning.
(Double Boiler Method)
Materials
Cheesecloth (katsa) or any clean filter cloth
1 big kettle
1 small kettle
Kitchen spoon
Stove
Glass jar or bottle with cover
Cooling machine (refrigerator or cooler)
Important
Filter cloth, spoon and milk container must be cleaned and sterilized in boiling water.
Procedures
1. Filter the milk into the small kettle.
2. Place the small kettle into the big kettle.
3. Put enough water into the big kettle (up to the level of the milk).
4. Heat the milk up to 63ºC and keep cooking at this temperature for 30 minutes. Gently stir the milk using the spoon while heating.
5. Immediately cool the milk by exposing the container of the milk to cold running water and continuously stirring the milk.
6. Transfer the milk into a glass jar or bottles. Cover.
7. Place the pasteurized milk in the refrigerator or ice box packed with ice.
Materials
Cow milk
Liquid rennet extract
Casseroles or double boiler
Ladle
Knife or spatula
Cheesecloth
Aluminium foil, wax paper or leaves
Thermometer
Stove
Cheese mold or tray made of 30 x 3 0 x 8 cm wooden square frame with wire mesh
Important
Before use, dip for 5 minutes the milk containers, ladle, knife, cheesecloth and mold in boiling water or diluted chlorox solution (1T/ gal of water)
Rennet extract preparation
Soak 40 grams dried abomasums or manzanilla (cut into small pieces) in an extracting solution of 900 ml water, 10 ml glacial acetic acid and 50 g table salt. Cover the bottle and grind the abomasums in the extracting solution at room temperature for 4 days. Make sure it is away from sunlight and it is agitated daily. Strain the extract into a clean container using the cheesecloth. Store the rennet extract in a dark, cool place (preferably refrigerator or ice box).
Procedures
Determine the quantity of milk to be processed. Add 3% salt (30 g salt per 1 l or 1 kg milk). Stir well to dissolve the salt completely and distribute evenly and strain into the casserole using the clean cheesecloth.
Pasteurization. Heat the salted milk at 70ºC to 72ºC. Keep heating at this temperature for 5 minutes. Avoid heating the milk beyond 72ºC. Otherwise, it will turn out a very soft curd that cannot be easily drained. Cool the milk at 40ºC to 42ºC by replacing the hot water in the double boiler with cold water stirring the milk gently.
Renneting. Add the required amount of coagulant (rennet extract) and stir the milk slowly for 3 minutes to evenly distribute the rennet. For every liter of milk, use 4 ml to 7 ml of the extract depending on its strength. Set the milk aside (usually 25 to 30 minutes after the rennet is added) and until it forms a smooth homogenous curd firm enough for cutting.
Cutting the curd. The curd is ready for cutting once it breaks into smooth clean cuts as you slice them. Break the curd by passing a knife or spatula through the curd in one direction at approximately 5 centimeters intervals. Insert the ladle into the cut curd and draw the figure 8 twice to cut the curd further.
Molding. Line the cheese mold or tray with cheesecloth previously immersed in a diluted chlorox solution (2T/gal water). Using a small basin, scoop the cut curd and whey and transfer into the prepared mold. Level the thickness of the curd and cover the filled mold with cheesecloth.
Allow the whey to drain and the curd to mat together for 4 to 6 hours without pressure at room temperature or in n ice box or refrigerator (8ºC–10ºC) when available.
Cut the cheese into blocks of approximately 8 cm x 8 cm and wrap individual blocks in wax paper, plastic sheet, aluminium foil or fresh banana leaves. If less soft cheese is preferred, leave the blocked cheese on the tray to drain further before you wrap them.
Source
The PSPC Extension Bulletin 3:2. October–December1988, 2.
