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Queso de Murcia al Vino
Created by
Queso de Murcia al Vino is Murcia's goat cheese bathed in red wine until the rind turns deep purple and the paste stays mild, creamy, and clean.
Appetizers & Snacks
Spanish
Dinner Party
Special Occasion
Picnic
10 min
Active Time
0 min cook•50 min total
Yield6 servings
Queso de Murcia al Vino is Murcian, made from goat's milk and washed in red wine until the rind stains purple while the inside stays pale, smooth, and mild. That contrast is the dish: wine on the outside, clean goat cheese inside, served simply enough that you can taste both.
The method that decides it is not cooking. It is temperature. Serve it cold from the refrigerator and the cheese tastes tight and dull; give it time at room temperature and the paste softens, the milk comes forward, and the wine rind gives its quiet fruity edge. Cut the wedges thick enough that every piece has rind and heart together.
If you are far from Murcia, look for Queso de Murcia al Vino by name, often sold abroad as Drunken Goat. If you cannot find it, choose a semi-soft Spanish goat cheese and serve it plainly, but don't soak a fresh goat log in wine and call it this. That's another thing. No hace falta haber pisado España, but you do need the right cheese. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.
Queso de Murcia al Vino belongs to the Region of Murcia, where the Murciano-Granadina goat gives rich milk suited to a smooth, mild cheese. Its protected form is washed or bathed in local red wine, often from Murcia's strong wine country, which stains the rind purple without turning the paste into a wine-flavored cheese. The custom links two Murcian larders, goat dairying and red wine, in a cheese made for slicing, carrying, and setting on the table without fuss.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
Queso de Murcia al Vino
Quantity
300g
whole wedge or half wheel
membrillo (quince paste)
Quantity
120g
cut into small slices
Marcona almonds
Quantity
80g
rustic country bread
Quantity
1 small loaf or 12 thin slices
sliced
extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Quantity
15ml
for brushing the bread
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Queso de Murcia al Vinowhole wedge or half wheel | 300g |
| membrillo (quince paste)cut into small slices | 120g |
| Marcona almonds | 80g |
| rustic country breadsliced | 1 small loaf or 12 thin slices |
| extra virgin olive oil (optional)for brushing the bread | 15ml |
Equipment Needed
- •Sharp cheese knife
- •Wooden board or small ceramic platter
- •Small knife for serving
Instructions
- 1
Temper the cheese
Take the Queso de Murcia al Vino out of the refrigerator 40 minutes before serving. Leave it covered loosely, not wrapped tight, so the chill leaves the paste without drying the cut face. This is the one thing that matters most: cold cheese tastes closed, while room-temperature cheese tastes of milk, wine rind, and salt in the right order.
- 2
Cut clean wedges
Use a sharp knife and cut the cheese into wedges or thick slices, about 8mm to 10mm wide. Give each piece a line of purple rind and pale paste together. The rind is edible and it belongs there; trimming it away takes off the Murcian part of the cheese.
Wipe the knife between cuts if the paste starts to drag. Clean cuts keep the rind and paste clear, and the board looks like someone meant what they were doing. - 3
Set the accompaniments
Arrange the membrillo in small slices beside the cheese, not on top of it. Put the Marcona almonds in a small pile or little dish. If you are serving bread, leave it plain or brush it lightly with olive oil; don't bury the cheese under honey, herbs, or a sweet sauce. Murcia has already done the work with the wine.
- 4
Serve without fuss
Serve when the cheese has lost its refrigerator chill and the cut face looks slightly creamy, not sweaty. Put out a small knife if the wedge is whole, or lay the slices with the rind showing. A glass of Monastrell from Jumilla, Yecla, or Bullas makes sense here. Pésalo, no lo adivines, then let the cheese speak.
Chef Tips
- •Buy Queso de Murcia al Vino by name if you can. Abroad it is often sold as Drunken Goat, but check that it is a Spanish goat cheese with a wine-washed purple rind, not a soft fresh goat cheese colored for effect.
- •Do not serve it straight from the refrigerator. Forty minutes at room temperature is usually enough for a 300g wedge; a whole small wheel may need a full hour.
- •The best companions are quiet ones: membrillo, Marcona almonds, plain bread, and a Murcian red wine. Strong jams and heavy spicing flatten the mild goat milk and make the wine rind taste clumsy.
Advance Preparation
- •Slice the membrillo and bread up to 4 hours ahead, then cover them so they do not dry out.
- •Keep the cheese refrigerated until 40 to 60 minutes before serving. Once sliced, cover leftovers tightly and use within 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 135g)
Calories
425 calories
Total Fat
22 g
Saturated Fat
11 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
10 g
Cholesterol
40 mg
Sodium
510 mg
Total Carbohydrates
44 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
14 g
Protein
16 g
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