Jocoque

Chances are good that you haven’t come across this clay pot-fermented yogurty cheese in a store. It’s somewhere between creme fraiche, sour cream, and Lebanese labneh, and its depth of flavor comes from the clay pot that it’s fermented in. To me, it is one of a handful of Mexican foods that feels uniquely del rancho.

I use a simple yogurt clay pot that I found at an Indian grocer that I wipe clean with a damp cloth after every batch, being mindful not to over-clean it which can strip the pot of its good bacteria.

I use jocoque in place sour cream, cooked into a spicy sauce with chicken or mussels, and whipped up until airy for desserts.

Yields 5 cups

• 1 quart heavy cream

• 1 cup buttermilk

Combine cream and buttermilk in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepot. Put on stovetop on medium-low to medium heat. Using a thermometer, warm up cream mixture until the temperatures reaches 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take pot off heat immediately and pour mixture into clay pot. Secure cheesecloth over top of pot with twine or rubber band, and leave out where ambient temperature is between 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit for 48 hours. Lightly stir jocoque halfway through fermentation (after ~24hours).

Taste jocoque to be sure it has fermented enough (you’ll want it to be slightly tangy) and it should be somewhat thick and not runny. I prefer to transfer fermented jocoque to a glass container with a lid and store in the fridge for several weeks.