Queso Frito Malagueño con Miel de Caña

Queso frito con miel de caña is Malagueño, from Málaga in Andalucía, where firm goat cheese meets dark cane syrup instead of jam or a sweet sauce from somewhere else. The cheese is cut thick, chilled hard, dusted with flour, and fried fast. Then the miel de caña goes over the top in thin dark threads, bitter-sweet and deep enough to stand up to the salt of the cheese.

The method that decides it is the chill. Warm cheese slumps before the crust can set, and then you have a pan of melted trouble. Cut it into thick slabs, dry it well, chill it until firm, and flour every side. The flour is not decoration. It gives the oil something to seize, so the outside seals while the centre softens.

If you can't find queso de cabra malagueño, use a firm semi-cured goat cheese that slices cleanly and does not crumble. Halloumi will fry neatly, but it squeaks and stays firmer, so know what changes. For the syrup, look for Spanish miel de caña from Málaga or Frigiliana; if you must substitute, use a dark cane syrup, not floral honey. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.