Yoghurtcheeselabna Recipes

YOGURT CHEESE

Steps:

• Place 4 layers of cheesecloth in colander set over a bowl. Add the yogurt and let drain overnight in the refrigerator. The desired consistency is that of soft cream cheese.

YOGHURT CHEESE (LABNA)

Steps:

• Place a sieve over a large bowl. Line the sieve with a piece of cheesecloth or a Chux cloth.
• Stir your yoghurt well then pour into the cloth in the sieve. Fold the sides of the cloth over the yoghurt.
• Place the bowl & sieve into the fridge and leave to drain for up to 48 hours. I like to drain the whey every few hours so I can monitor the progress.
• The cheese is ready when it is not releasing any whey. At this point taste and season with salt, if desired. Shape into a ball/mound.
• Use as you would any other soft cheese. To serve with dips simply drizzle the mound with good olive oil and garnish with shredded mint.

YOGURT CHEESE (LABNEH)

Steps:

• In a large bowl stir the salt into the yoghurt.
• Spoon the yoghurt in the center of a piece of doubled cheesecloth or soft cotton fabric (preferably undyed and immaculately clean).
• Pull corners up and tie tightly.
• Suspend from a stationary object over a bowl (to catch liquid).
• Let this hang overnight or about 12 hours.
• When well drained it will be the consistency of cottage cheese.
• Remove from the cloth.
• Store covered in the refrigerator until needed.
• You can mix in fresh or dried herbs, minced garlic, pepper flakes, anything you would use to make an herbed cheese.
• Or you could drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and some cumin and dip pita crisps into it-- The sky's the limit really- so many uses!
• To make Yoghurt Cheese Balls (Labneh Makbus) (a great little appetizer!), drain the yoghurt for 10-12 hours longer.
• Take about one tablespoon at a time and roll it into smooth, round balls and place on a tray.
• Chill until firm.
• This will take several hours.
• After they are firm and slightly dried out, place in a sterile, air tight jar, cover with olive oil.
• Seal the jar and store at room temperature.
• The labneh will keep this way for several months but you will have eaten them all up long before that!
• Enjoy Labneh Makbus cut into halves, drizzled with olive oil and eaten with olives and fresh pita bread.

YOGURT CHEESE - 'LABANEE', IN ARABIC

Steps:

• Although the original recipe doesn’t call for non-fat yogurt, non-fat works fine.
• Some recipes almost demand a little fat to smooth their texture on the tongue.
• This can be provided by beating a little bit of mayonnaise or olive oil into the non-fat yogurt cheese.
• It’s still fat, but at least it’s cholesterol free fat.
• If you are skinny and don’t have to worry about dietary fat, you can use low-fat or whole-milk yogurt, and then you won’t have to worry about adding oil.
• Bring 2 quarts of yogurt to room temperature, and stir thoroughly to smooth and break up all lumps.
• Optionally, you can add ½ Tsp salt (original recipe, we usually don’t, because we use this for so many different things).
• Line a colander with a couple of dampened paper towels or a clean, dampened, loose weave cotton towel.
• Pour yogurt into the colander, cover with another paper towel or plastic wrap.
• Place in the sink, or in a bowl which is small enough to hold the colander away from its bottom.
• Let drain for about 8 hours for sour cream consistency or for 24 hours for cream cheese consistency; the longer it drains, the thicker it gets.
• If you are a real freak, you can refrigerate the yogurt while it drains, but it’s not really necessary.
• Yogurt is a living organism; it is cultured in warmth, and it thrives on it (within reason).
• Draining will normally reduce the yogurt by about half for sour cream consistency, or by about two-thirds for cream cheese consistency.
• We normally go all the way to cream cheese consistency and mix in a little low-fat milk if we need it thinner.

LABNEH (LEBANESE YOGURT)

Steps:

• Mix Greek yogurt, olive oil, mint, dill, and kosher salt together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours.

YOGURT CHEESE

Steps:

• Line a strainer with two layers of cheesecloth. In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, salt, pepper and garlic.
• Pour into the cheesecloth lined strainer. Place the strainer over another bowl to catch the liquid, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, until all of the liquid has drained off. Empty the drainage bowl occasionally so you can see when the cheese has stopped draining.
• Transfer cheese to a covered container, and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

LABNA (YOGHURT CHEESE)

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together well.
• Pour into a colander lined with muslin.
• Tie the muslin to form a bag.
• Hang the yoghurt mixture for 2 days, placing a pot or bowl underneath to catch the liquid.
• After the 2 days, remove the Labna from the muslin, roll into walnut sized balls.
• Place in a large jar, then cover with a light olive oil.