Homemade Cypriot Halloumi

Halloumi

2 litres whole goat, sheep or cow milk
1 tsp salt
2 lemons


Mint Vinaigrette (Optional)

1 cup olive oil
Juice from one lemon
1/4 cup fresh mint
1/4 vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt


Method:

Boil the milk on high while whisking until the milk flares up. Don’t walk away and chat on the phone or you’ll burn the milk. Keep stirring. Once the milk froths turn the element off and squeeze in the juice of 2 lemons. Stir and leave the milk stand for 15 minutes until the milk curdles and whey separates. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and pour the curds into it straining off the whey. Leave the curds stand for one hour. Once most of the whey has drained tie the cheese cloth tight around the curds and give it a light squeeze to get rid of any excess whey. Use a metal clip or tie a strong knot with the edges of the cloth snug around the curds to prepare it for boiling. Cool and keep the whey on the side to use as brine when refrigerating the finished cheese.
Heat a pot of boiling water now with enough volume to cover the cheese, add in 2 tsp of salt and once it boils reduce to low (light rolling boil) and drop the tied cheese into the boiling water. Leave it simmer in the water for one hour turning it over at the half hour mark. Once an hour passes remove and leave it to cool in a sieve. Cut or untie the cheese cloth and place the cheese into a bowl. Let it cool to room temperature then cover and place it in the fridge over night. You’re going to end up with about 400 grams of cheese and after leaving it overnight in the fridge it should be quite firm to the touch in the morning.