Cotija Cheese
Cotija Cheese
Cotija cheese (in Spanish, queso añejado, meaning “aged cheese”) is a hard, crumbly Mexican cheese made primarily from cow’s milk. Named after the town of Cotija in the Mexican state of Michoacán, Cotija (pronounced ko-TEE-hah) is used as an all-purpose grating or crumbling cheese.
White, salty, and somewhat granular, Cotija cheese softens but does not actually melt when heated. When fresh, Cotija cheese bears a resemblance in flavor and texture to feta cheese. Aged, Cotija grates smoothly and has more in common with Parmigiano-Reggiano. This similarity in form and function has earned it the nickname “Mexican Parmesan.”
Traditional, artisanally crafted Mexican Cotija cheese is made with raw milk and aged for a period of three to twelve months. Commercially made varieties accelerate the curing period to produce a finished cheese in weeks, versus months. This is often achieved by the addition of an enzyme, which gives the commercially produced version a subtly different flavor from the artisanal variety.
With at least twice the salt content of most Cheddar cheeses, Cotija is not eaten as a table or dessert cheese. Instead, it is used to garnish and add flavor to refried beans, tostadas, tacos, salads, soups, and chili. In Mexico, a popular street-vended snack is an ear of roasted corn (elote) spread with mayonnaise and rolled in crumbled Cotija cheese, then dusted with chili powder and sprinkled with lime juice.
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