You dont need a long white coat and a blue hair net to make cheese. Yoghurt, a muslin and a little time should be sufficient. By making your own cheese you become a producer of food with a sense of mystery and no less alchemy. By straining the whey from yogurt it becomes a lot thicker with a hint of sourness that places it somewhere between yogurt and cheese.
The Middle Eastern Labneh is great dappled among sweet roasted vegetables or placed like thick snowy peaks on bulgar and couscous salads. It can be formed into little balls, stored in strerilized jars and topped with olive oil. These cheese balls can be rolled with fresh herbs or spices. They make a great addition to slow roast lamb or beef. For a dip mix it with mashed smoked garlic. Add swirls of honey or fresh fruit for an early morning sweet kick or a refreshing after dinner soother.
Ingredients
500g Greek Yoghurt
½ teaspoon Sea Salt
In a bowl mix the salt with the yogurt. Scoop the yoghurt out and into a muslin cloth, tie up and hang over a bowl to catch the whey (which can be discarded later). Alternatively the yogurt can be strained through a fine sieve. Leave for at least 24 hours or longer if you want the cheese to have a firmer set.
Ken Doherty is a chef and journalist
