Day: September 15, 2017

Day 139: Labneh

Day 139: Labneh


Every once in a while, I’ll come across a food whose name I do not recognize. “Labneh” is one of them. Mostly served in Middle-Eastern cuisine, it’s an EXTREMELY simple yogurt based creme that can accompany both the savory and the sweet.

I cannot tell you how something so simple can be so amazing, but it usually works that way, doesn’t it?


Ingredients:

Day139_Labneh_a_Ingredients

  • 2 cups Greek whole milk yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon ground sea salt
  • drizzle with honey to accompany sweet dishes or olive oil to accompany savory

 

Line a strainer with a single thickness of cheesecloth and place the strainer over a bowl to catch the drippings.

Day139_Labneh_b_Cheesecloth

Mix the yogurt and salt.

Day139_Labneh_c_Mix

Plop them on the cheesecloth.

Day139_Labneh_d_Pour

Pull the edges of the cloth together

Day139_Labneh_f_Twist

and twist until some liquid starts to squeeze out.

Day139_Labneh_g_Squeeze

You don’t need to wring this out, just make it snug

 

Day139_Labneh_h_Tie

and tie with a rubber band.

 

Store it in the refrigerator while it drains.

After four hours, you’ll have something like this

Day139_Labneh_i_Chilled

that has the consistency of cream cheese.

Day139_Labneh_j_Thickened

While I have grand plans for this tomorrow, I couldn’t wait to try it, today. An impromptu snack is born:

Day139_Labneh_k_Labneh

With a sweet peach and a honey drizzle, I cannot tell you how sensuous an afternoon snack this was.