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a pan of homemade paneer cheese flavoured with wild rampsramps

Wild Ramp Paneer Cheese (Preserving Your Ramps Past Spring)

The foraging season for wild ramps is fleeting, lasting only a few weeks in early spring. Extend the flavour by making fresh paneer cheese flavoured with ramps. Paneer is easy to make and unlike most other cheeses, it can be frozen without compromising quality, letting you enjoy your prized foraged edibles throughout the year. Paneer is best (for me) fried in butter until crispy and browned. It will retain it's pressed shape and not melt. 
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Course: Cheese
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 1 .5 lbs
Author: The Peasant's Daughter

Ingredients

  • 4 litres of milk I use raw whole milk, but any milk will do except for UHT-pasteurized
  • ½ cup of any vinegar or 1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice no pulp or 1 pint of yogurt or kefir
  • 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt make sure it's not iodized
  • A bunch of wild ramps finely chopped. I use about 4 cups worth but this is not an exact measurement. Go by the look and feel and taste.
  • Butter for frying (Optional but highly recommended)

Equipment

  • A heavy-bottomed pot that can hold the amount of milk
  • A wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Slotted spoon for straining the curd
  • Something to use as a make-shift cheese press see recipe notes for ideas

Instructions

  • Pour your milk into the large pot and set it on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
  • Stir it constantly as it slowly comes to a boil, then remove it from the heat immediately.
  •  Add your acid to the pot and slowly and carefully stir it once or twice, no more.
  • Allow the pot to rest for 5-10 minutes. The curds will separate from the liquid whey.
  • Carefully spoon out the curds with a slotted spoon/skimmer or small mesh colander into a larger colander suspended over a bowl. Take your time so that they do not break apart into smaller pieces.
  • Add your salt and finely chopped ramps into the strained curd, and stir well to combine with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula — or your clean hands.
  • Press the curd into fresh paneer as per the recipe notes, or skip the pressing and enjoy as-is.
  • If you are pressing, the paneer is finished and ready to be stored once it has come to room temperature.
  • Store in the fridge up to a week, or wrap tightly to freeze, and enjoy the taste of ramps all year round, long after they've left the forests.
  • The best way to enjoy your paneer (in my opinion) is fried in butter (or ghee) until golden brown and crispy. Heat up 1-2 tablespoons of butter and add your paneer once the butter is sizzling. It only takes a couple of minutes per side to achieve the colour in my photo.
  • Enjoy with or without bread.

Video

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