Grilled queso blanco

Grilled queso blanco, originally uploaded by *April*.

Queso blanco is a creamy, soft, and mild unaged white cheese that originated in Spain and spread to Mexico and other American countries. The name queso blanco is Spanish for "white cheese", but similar cheeses are used and known throughout the world by different names.

It is made by pressing the whey from cottage cheese. It is very similar to cheeses called pot cheese and farmer cheese. It has also been compared to Indian paneer and to a mild feta. Queso blanco is considered to be one of the easiest cheeses to make. It is a fresh and slightly salty cow's milk cheese, whereas queso fresco may be made from a combination of cow's and goat's milk. They may both be eaten straight or mixed in with various dishes. Some versions of these cheeses melt well when heated, but most only soften.

Queso blanco and queso fresco make a creamy addition to recipes, and are often used as a topping for spicy Mexican dishes such as enchiladas and empanadas, or crumbled over soups or salads. Meltable versions are used to make quesadillas.

In Peruvian cuisine there are several recipes that mix queso fresco and spices to make a spicy cold sauce eaten over peeled boiled potatoes, examples including papa a la huancaina or ocopa.

Queso blanco and queso fresco also exist in Portugal and are called "Queijo fresco."

One of the easiest ways to enjoy queso blanco is to thickly slice it, and grill it over a high flame until brown and bubbly. When one side is fairly seared, flip it with a spatula, and grill the other side. Serve it with crackers, olives and artichokes.