Somewhere, gathering dust in the garage, is my electric Salton yogurt-maker, a sleek plastic case with compartments for five jelly-jar-sized glass cups. For a while, it won my do-it-yourself domestic heart, but the batches were too small and after the plastic lids for the cups cracked or disappeared, I lost patience with having tried making do with plastic wrap and rubber bands.
I began making yogurt again in half-gallon batches when I discovered the beautiful cream-line milk from Trickling Springs Creamery at the Shepherdstown Sweet Shop Bakery in. Located near Chambersburg, Pa., the creamery processes organically produced milk from grass-fed cows on farms within a 25-mile radius. The Mennonite-run business also co-packs its milk under private labels for My Organic Market, Giving Nature Organic, and the Tacoma Park-Silver Spring Co-op. The nutrition information on the creamery’s website cites the benefits of milk from grass-fed cows, which contains an ideal ratio of two essential nutrients: omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. According to the website, a diet that includes equivalent amounts of these two fatty acids is linked to “a lower risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, auto-immune disorders, allergies, diabetes, dementia, and various other mental disorders.” Sign me up.
Home-made Yogurt
Yogurt made from fresh whole milk is a creamy delicacy far superior to the store-bought stuff. It costs far less when you make your own, even if you use the premium Trickling Springs milk, and you avoid adding unrecyclable plastic cups to the landfill. Yogurt will keep for a month in the fridge.
Yogurt is milk fermented by a “starter” of active yogurt culture that acts on the milk sugar lactose to produce lactic acid, which creates the characteristic tart taste. The lactic acid thickens the milk protein and acts as a preservative because pathogenic bacteria cannot grow in acid conditions. This fermentation makes yogurt easily digestible, especially for those who are lactose intolerant, and the beneficial bacteria are good for your gut. For your first batch of yogurt, use a cup of store-bought plain yogurt. Adding dry milk produces a thicker texture.
Successful yogurt requires using uncontaminated yogurt culture, scrupulously clean utensils, heat-proof containers with lids (I use wide-mouth canning jars and a canning funnel), an accurate thermometer, and a clean insulated cooler. Open the yogurt starter from a previous batch just before you are ready to mix it in to minimize contamination by bacteria or wild yeasts. The proper incubation temperature for yogurt is about 122 degrees F. The culture will not grow well above 122 F or below 98 F.
Makes about 4-1/2 pints
Ingredients
4 tablespoons instant nonfat dry milk
1/2 gallon milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Put clean jars, lids, and a canning funnel in a kettle of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and set aside while you prepare the milk. Remove them from the water just before adding the cultured milk.
Mix the milk and dry milk in a heavy stainless steel pan. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the thermometer reaches 185 F. Take care not to burn the milk on the bottom of the pan. Cool the milk down, stirring, in a cold water bath in the sink to 122 F.
Whisk together the yogurt and 1/2 cup of the warm milk, then whisk this into the remaining milk. Pour it into the sterilized jars and close the lids. Put the jars in the cooler and pour in water at 130 F, to the level of the milk. Cover and incubate for 4 to 6 hours until set.
Cucumber and Yogurt Salad
Draining yogurt thickens it and makes it creamy. Serve this cool salad with cold poached fish, add to a mezze platter with olives and sliced tomatoes, or serve with grilled lamb kebabs.
2 cups plain yogurt
2 cucumbers, peeled, and coarse seeds removed
Salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 scallion, with green tops, finely sliced
1 teaspoon toasted crushed cumin seed
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or mint
To drain yogurt, spoon it into a sieve lined with a large coffee filter and set over a bowl. Allow the whey to drain for 1 hour. To remove the yogurt from the filter, flip it upside down into a bowl, and peel the paper off gently, scraping off any remaining yogurt with a spoon.
Grate the cucumbers coarsely into a colander set over a bowl, salt lightly and allow to drain for 10 minutes. Gather up handfuls of the cucumber shreds, squeeze out excess moisture, and then fold it into the yogurt with the remaining ingredients.
Eggplant Salad with Yogurt
This Middle Eastern style salad is great with grilled meats, or serve it with a garbanzo tabooleh, pita bread, and a green salad for a summery vegetarian meal.
3 small tender eggplants (about 1 pound) cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons each finely shredded basil and mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1-1/2 cups plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced
Heat the oven to 425 degrees or prepare a barbeque grill.
Brush the eggplant lightly with oil and place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Alternatively, grill the eggplant until tender on an outdoor grill. Cool the eggplant and put into a bowl with all the remaining ingredients except the tomato. Mix together gently, fold in the tomatoes and adjust the seasoning. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Yogurt Sauce
Use a spoonful of this delicious sauce to marinate chicken or lamb for the grill, and serve the rest on the side. Grind your own spices in a mortar for the most fragrant results.
Makes 1-1/2 cups
1-1/2 cups plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste. Mix and serve.