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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Lebane: Middle Eastern Yogurt Cheese



What is lebane? It is by far the most delicious cream cheese you have ever eaten - with a slight tangy taste and a power-pack nutritional punch that's loaded with calcium. It is so versatile that I start to panic a bit when I begin to get low on lebane and know that I will have to make up another batch quickly. I use it in place of sour cream and cream cheese, and use it as a base for a cheese ball, dips, sauces and in place of butter on my toast. It mixes well with just about anything you can think of to use. The best part is that it is loaded with nutrients that are good for you! Make a full cream or non-fat version.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups of homemade Leban (Middle Eastern yogurt)
1-2 tsps good sea salt
Cheesecloth, or new cotton cloth

PROCEDURE

Pour the homemade yogurt into the cheesecloth and fold up the corners. Twist the cheesecloth and tie up the cloth with a string. Hang the cloth in the kitchen over a deep dish to catch the whey that will drip out slowly. Let the yogurt in the cloth hang for at least 8 hours, or overnight until the yogurt cheese is firm.

The next morning, unwrap the cloth and carefully scoop out the cheese into a container; refrigerate.

TO SERVE

Use as you would for cream cheese like a spread, either plain or with added herbs. You can also sweeten the cheese with honey and top with sweetened fresh berries for a tasty dessert. This can also be used as the base filling for homemade cheesecake.

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