38 delicious.com.auPHOTOGRAPHYCHRIS COURTSTYLINGKIRSTEN JENKINSSMASHEDCUCUMBERWITH
SHEEP’SMILKCHEESE
SERVES4 ASA SNACK
Thisrecipeis best served and enjoyed
immediately.1 largetelegraphcucumber,peeled(^1) / 4 cup(60ml)extravirgin olive oil
2 tbslemonjuice
100gsheep’smilkcheese(weused
PecoraDairy‘Bloomy’), room
temperature,sliced
1 cuplooselypackedmint,dill,and
flat-leafparsleyleaves,chopped
(^1) / 2 redchilli,finelychopped
Finelygratedzestof^1 / 2 lemon
(^1) / 2 tsp nigella seeds
Placethecucumberona cleanwork
surfaceandgentlypressdownusing
a rollingpinorpan.Continuedown
theentirelengthofthecucumber,
untilit splitsandsmashes.Sliceinto
rough2.5cmpieces.Trytomaintain
theshapeofthecucumberif youcan,
andtransfertoa servingplatter.
Tomakethedressing,whiskolive
oil,^1 / 4 tspsaltandlemonjuicein
a smallbowlandsetaside.Just
beforeserving,scattercheese
overthecucumber,drizzlewith
dressing.Scatteroverherbs,chilli,
lemonzestandnigellaseeds.
Serve immediately.
BACK TO
NATURE
WELIVEINa fast-pacedworld,wherethe
industrialisationofdairyproduction
threatenstowipeoutsmallartisan
production.Butat PecoraDairy,theyare
creatingnewpathwaystowardsa better
futureforAustraliancheese.
WewereluckyenoughtovisitPecora,
wherewespoketoownerand
cheesemakerCressidaCains.Elbow-deep
in thecurdsshewasgentlystirring,she
encouragedustopopsomein ourmouths,
toenjoythesweetspringmilk.
“Wearethefirstcheeseryin Australia
licensedtomakerawmilkcheese,”says
Cressida.“Thereis noheattreatmentto
themilk.So,noneoftheindigenous
bacteriain themilkarealteredat all.”
Askedabouttheimportanceofraw-milk
usage,Cressidasays,“Tonowbeableto
makecheesereflectiveofitsuniqueterroir
is a gamechanger.Oursoilis soancientin
Australia,andourecosystemsospecial,
toproducea ‘tasteofthe landscape’ in
this way is exciting.”
@thestuddsiblings
CHEESE COUNTER.