Karadeniz Kuymak
(kah-rah-deh-neez koo-y-mahk)
Kahvaltı (The Weekend Before Coffee Spread)
For diaspora kids who grew up in Turkish-American households, the smell of bubbling butter and toasted cornmeal means one thing: Kuymak. This Black Sea staple is a masterclass in comfort food, designed entirely around a glorious, arm-length pull of melted cheese suspended in a rich cornmeal base. For years, families struggled to smuggle authentic Kolot cheese through customs to make this dish work, but the grandmother-approved secret for the modern American kitchen is hiding in plain sight. Mexican Queso Oaxaca shares the exact same melting DNA as the traditional cheeses of the homeland, allowing cooks to recreate the authentic magic of a Trabzon highland breakfast in an Ohio suburb without a specialty grocer in sight.
Before you start
Prepare the cheese.
Pull the Queso Oaxaca into fine strings or shred it so it melts evenly and quickly when added to the skillet.
Heat the water.
Bring the water to a boil in a kettle and keep it hot until ready to pour into the toasted cornmeal.
Ingredients
- European-style cultured butter4 tbsp
- medium-grind yellow cornmeal3 tbsp
- hot water1 1/4 cup
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- Queso Oaxaca8 oz
Method
- 01
Brown the butter without burning the milk solids.
Place a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat and melt the butter completely. Allow it to bubble and foam for 1 to 2 minutes until it releases a rich, nutty aroma and takes on a deep golden color.
- 02
Toast the cornmeal until the raw starch flavor is cooked out.
Sprinkle the yellow cornmeal evenly over the foaming butter and stir continuously with a wooden spoon for 3 to 5 minutes. The cornmeal will turn a slightly darker, golden hue and smell deeply toasted and earthy.
- 03
Hydrate the cornmeal into a smooth paste.
Keeping the heat on medium-low, slowly pour in the hot water while stirring vigorously to prevent lumps, then stir in the salt. Continue to cook for 2 to 4 minutes until the mixture thickens like polenta and the butter begins to glisten on the surface.
- 04
Fold in the cheese and immediately stop stirring.
Add the prepared Oaxaca cheese to the skillet and gently fold it into the cornmeal mixture just once or twice. Over-stirring will break down the protein structure and destroy the elasticity.
- 05
Wait for the butter to release and pool on the surface.
Let the skillet sit undisturbed on the lowest possible heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Once a golden pool of butter separates and covers the bubbling cheese—a stage known as yağ kusması—turn off the heat and serve immediately directly from the pan.
Notes
Do not substitute masa harina or fine cornstarch.
Standard yellow cornmeal is required to mimic the coarse, rustic texture of the Black Sea stone-ground original. Masa will yield a tortilla flavor, and cornstarch will turn to a gluey paste.
The cheese substitution is the secret to the stretch.
True Kuymak demands Kolot or Telli peyniri. Queso Oaxaca is a stretched-curd cheese that perfectly replicates this texture. If unavailable, use whole-milk, low-moisture mozzarella, but avoid crumbly cheeses like feta or sharp cheddar.
Serve it hot and use bread as your utensil.
Kuymak waits for no one. Serve it immediately with crusty sourdough, French baguette, or warm pita to scoop it up and pull upward to enjoy the endless stretch.
From Cook Turkish in America.