Yogurt Cheese - 'Labanee', in Arabic
"This recipe provides a great non-fat replacement for sour cream or cream cheese. It will easily keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. We usually make a big batch and use it for a lot of different things, topping for baked potatoes along with the other usual goodies; as a base for dips or creamy salad dressings, something to enhance a gravy or sauce, just as you would use sour cream or cream cheese. We always have some in the refrigerator!"
- Ready In:
- 24hrs
- Ingredients:
- 3
- Yields:
-
2-4 cups, depending on thickness
ingredients
- 2 quarts yogurt (Non-fat, low-fat, or full-fat are all OK. Pick a brand with a minimal amount of gelatin, pectin, or)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- extra virgin olive oil (very optional)
directions
- 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.
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Reviews
-
Excellent! My sister, Eve showed my this one years ago. it never occured to me to post it. I'm glad you did. To make mine I place the Yogurt in the center of a doubled square of cheese cloth and tie the opposite corners together. I put the ball in a bowl and place it on any shelf of the fridge except the top one.I made an "S" hook from an old wire coat hanger, I use to hang the ball by the tied corners from one of the wires of the shelf above, being sure the ball is high enough to keep the whey from touching it as it drains. Don't discard the whey, it's a great added to bread as part of the liquid. Freeze the whey in an ice cube tray, remove and store in the freezer in a zip lock bag. When needed, drop 1-2 cubes in a measuring cup , add enough Water or milk for the recipe and carry on. Most soups and stews don't mind a bit of whey also. Thanx, Pierre -
This is a good recipe. I would not recommend the addition of salt. Also, to make a flavorful breakfast spread, mix in some strwberries that have been patted dry, before u drain the yogurt. -
I use this - without the oil-to make my cheesecake, -
This is a great recipe! Was looking for something for one of my DS who hates sour cream but loves yogurt...He loves this! Thanks so much for posting. I did not add salt...used non-fat yogurt. great flavor! -
I make my favorite sandwich with this yogurt..spread in pita bread with split olives or tamatoes and a drizzle of olive oil...YUMMMM!!!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Toby Jermain
Houston, TX
I WAS retired oilfield trash since 1999, who has lived in Houston TX for the last 25 years, though I'm originally from California. I'm Texan by choice, not by chance! I am now working in Algeria 6 months a year, so I guess that gives new meaning to the term SEMI-retired. I grew up in restaurants and worked in them for 13 years while getting through high school and college, working as everything from dishwasher to chef, including just about everything in between. At odd intervals I also waited tables and tended bar, which gave me lots of incentive to stay in school and get my engineering degree.
During the 33 years since, I have only cooked for pleasure, and it HAS given me a great deal of pleasure. It's been my passion. I love to cook, actually more than I love to eat. I read cookbooks like most people read novels.
My wife and I both enjoy cooking, though she isn't quite as adventurous as I am. I keep pushing her in that direction, and she's slowly getting there.
We rarely go out to eat, because there are very few restaurants that can serve food as good as we can make at home. When we do go out, it's normally because we are having an emergency junk-food attack.
My pet food peeves are (I won't get into other areas): are people who post recipes that they have obviously NEVER fixed; obvious because the recipe can't be made because of bad instructions, or that are obvious because it tastes horrible. I also detest people who don't indicate that a recipe is untried, even when it is a good recipe. Caveat emptor!
