Melinda Mae

Melinda Mae Cheese (Homemade Halloumi-Style Cheese)

Melinda Mae is a nod to the American farmhouse cheese tradition inspired by Shel Silverstein's poem — a simple, rustic fresh cheese made right at home. Inspired by halloumi-style techniques, it produces a squeaky, brined cheese that is excellent pan-fried or grilled.

Prep

30 min

Cook

60 min

Total

90 min

Serves

Makes about 600 g (21 oz) of cheese

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •4 L (1 gallon) whole cow's milk, raw or pasteurized (not ultra-high temperature), preferably non-homogenized
• •1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) mesophilic starter culture, or 30 ml (2 Tbsp) buttermilk as a culture substitute
• •1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) liquid rennet, diluted in 60 ml / 1/4 cup cool non-chlorinated water
• •30 g (1 oz) fine sea salt, for the brine
• •500 ml (2 cups) cool water, for the brine

Steps

1. 1 Heat the milk to 32°C (90°F) in a large stainless-steel pot over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in the mesophilic starter culture (or buttermilk). Cover and let ripen for 45 minutes, keeping the temperature steady at 30–32°C (86–90°F).
2. 2 Stir the diluted rennet gently into the milk using an up-and-down motion for 1 minute. Cover and let sit undisturbed for 45 minutes, or until the curd gives a clean break and the whey is clear yellow-green.
3. 3 Cut the curd into 1 cm (1/2 inch) cubes. Let the curds rest 5 minutes, then slowly raise the temperature to 38°C (100°F) over 20 minutes while stirring very gently. Hold at 38°C for 20 more minutes.
4. 4 Pour off the whey through a cheesecloth-lined colander. Tie the corners of the cloth and hang the curds to drain for 30 minutes, or until they stop dripping.
5. 5 Crumbly-drain the curds: transfer to a bowl, break apart with your hands, and salt lightly (5 g / 1 tsp). Pack the salted curds tightly into a cheesecloth-lined mold or a small colander. Press with 2 kg (4.5 lb) of weight for 4 hours at room temperature, flipping once halfway through.
6. 6 Prepare the brine by dissolving 30 g (1 oz) fine sea salt into 500 ml (2 cups) cool water. Submerge the pressed cheese in the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning once.
7. 7 The cheese is ready to eat after brining. For the classic pan-fried treatment, slice into 1 cm (1/2 inch) slabs, pat dry, and sear in a dry non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes per side until golden. The internal temperature of the cheese will reach about 60°C (140°F) and the surface will brown.
8. 8 Serve warm. Melinda Mae keeps refrigerated in its brine for up to 2 weeks. SAFETY NOTE: If using raw milk, ensure it comes from a regulated source; the finished cheese is not aged and should be consumed promptly.