Cotija Cheese

Cotija is a hard, dry, intensely salty cow's milk cheese from the town of Cotija in Michoacán, western Mexico. It is aged rather than fresh, which is why it behaves nothing like the soft white cheeses most British shoppers associate with Mexican food: it does not melt, it crumbles. Mexicans often call it the country's Parmesan, and the comparison is a fair one for both texture and role — it is a finishing cheese, added at the end for salt and depth rather than cooked into a dish. The classic uses are street food. It is what covers elote (grilled corn on the cob rolled in mayonnaise, chilli powder and lime) and esquites, the same corn served in a cup. Beyond that it is crumbled over enchiladas, refried beans, sopa azteca, tostadas, salads and roasted vegetables. A little goes a long way: because the salt is concentrated, most recipes need less than you would use of a milder cheese, and dishes finished with cotija rarely need extra salt. In the UK, cotija is sold by Mexican and Latin American grocers and by the online Mexican food shops that deliver nationwide; it is still uncommon in mainstream supermarkets. If you cannot find it, the closest widely available substitutes are Parmesan or Pecorino Romano — both dry, salty and crumbly — or a mature feta if you want something closer in colour, though feta is wetter and more acidic, so drain it well and use slightly less. Keep it wrapped in greaseproof paper rather than cling film so it can breathe, in the fridge. Being a dry aged cheese it keeps for weeks, and it firms up further over time, which only makes it easier to grate.