[Sca-cooks] Suggestions for soft cheese?

[Sharon Palmer]

>I ran a pound of stinging nettles through the food processor. 
>Stinging nettles sting, so I didn't want to chop by hand :-) Then 
>put in a pot and add water to cover. Boil then simmer for 20 to 30 
>minutes. Let cool. Strain. Strain again. Add salt.

I had bad experiences with nettle when I was a kid, and I have a big 
fear of them.  I got my nettle supplier to use gloves and trim the 
tops that I wanted to use away from the coarser stuff.  Then I 
blanched and drained them.  Then they won't sting any more and I 
chopped them finely by hand and added it to the milk as it heated.  I 
was doing this in a living history kitchen with no electricity, no 
food processor.  It left specks of the nettle in the cheese, but it 
looked nice.

But like I said before, it didn't curdle until I added acid (I don't 
remember if this batch was vinegar or lemon).  Maybe I didn't leave 
it long enough, although as I recall, it was on the fire for two 
hours.  Maybe in blanching them I lost what ever it was that does the 
curdling.  Someday I should try again.

Ranvaig