Andrew McConnell’s spring crudités with house-made curd

1.For curd, combine rennet with 70ml cold water in a sterile 3-litre non-reactive lidded container (see note). Combine milk, cream and yoghurt in a saucepan, and gently stir over low heat until 35°C on a kitchen thermometer. Pour milk mixture into rennet mixture, stir for 3 minutes, then cover with lid and place in a sink half-full of warm water at 35°C to incubate. Add hot water as necessary to maintain the temperature at 35°C.

2.After 1 hour, check the curd has formed and set by pressing the back of your finger on the surface; it should not break, and the curd should come away from the side of the container. Cut curd into 5cm cubes inside the container and set aside for 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer curd to a colander lined with cheesecloth set over a large bowl. Fold cheesecloth over curds, put a plate on top to lightly press, and refrigerate to set (8 hours or overnight). Transfer curd, reserving whey separately (see note), to a bowl and whisk until smooth. If it’s too thick (it should be the texture of thick yoghurt), whisk in a little reserved whey. Season to taste with salt and refrigerate until needed. Curd will keep for 3 days.

3.Cut vegetables into halves or quarters and arrange over crushed ice in a serving bowl. Spoon fresh curd into a smaller bowl and serve with crudités.