How to make labneh, the strained yogurt of the Middle East

Milk turns to yogurt, yogurt turns to labneh. It’s the way of bacteria. As cow or goat or sheep’s milk thickens from fresh to fermented, it gets creamier, tangier and long-lastier. The glass of milk is downed with a single cookie. The ball of labneh, rolled in herbs and packed in oil, can cure for months.

Give it a whirl: Line a strainer with cheesecloth, and set it over a deep bowl. Stir 1/2 teaspoon salt into a 2-pound tub of plain whole yogurt; pour into the lined strainer. Slide this setup into the fridge, and let it drip. In two hours, you’ll have strained yogurt — “Greek” to the grocery store. In eight hours, you’ll have soft labneh, lush as sour cream. In 12 hours, you’ll have firm labneh, smooth as cream cheese. (You’ll also have a bowl of watery whey — bane of the yogurt industry.)

Spoon up labneh with fruit, spread it on a sandwich or swirl it into a bright green dip. It offers a creamy, tangy, lingering taste of lovely.

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FRIED CAULIFLOWER

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 5 minutes per batch

Serves: 6 as an appetizer

Herbed labneh:

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/2 clove garlic, grated on a rasp grater

1 cup labneh (or plain whole milk Greek yogurt)

Kosher salt

Fried cauliflower:

Canola oil, for frying

1 head cauliflower, broken into florets

Kosher salt

1. Swirl: For the labneh, combine herbs, garlic and labneh (or yogurt) in the food processor, and puree until bright green and smooth. Season well with salt.

2. Fry: Heat about 2 inches oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Fry cauliflower in batches until the exterior is dark golden brown and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain briefly on paper towels. Salt well, and serve with the herbed labneh.

Provenance: Adapted from “Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking” by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook.

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About the Author

Leah Eskin