Yogurt is a simple food. Just two or three ingredients are combined and heated, forming something creamy, healthy, thirst-quenching and the culinary staple for countless otherwise disparate cultures. Yogurt is made by heating milk with bacterial cultures. That's it. In fact, yogurt is super easy to make at home (although it does require space and time). I highly recommend readers and students try making it, if only a few times, especially if they have kids or are concerned about getting the highest quality nutrition possible from food. The basic recipe is easy to find online.
While this recipe of milk and cultures is basic, a stroll down any diary aisle reveals a surfeit of yogurt brands. The difference between brands, when referring strictly to plain unsweetened yogurt, is largely in the type of milk and cultures used, and how much the whey is drained from the milk in production.
Milks can range from cow to sheep to goat to soy and even rice, and from raw to highly pasteurized. Bacteria can range from just a few freeze-dried types to several fresh and live cultures. Straining can range from not much - resulting in a soft yogurt - to quite a bit, resulting in a Greek-style yogurt.
If you keep up on food trends, you will quickly discover that Greek yogurt continues its hot rise to the top of the charts. It is a heavily marketed commodity on dairy shelves, and the number of brands, flavors and styles available have exponentially grown simultaneous to the increasing popularity and demand for the product.
For anyone not in the know, Greek yogurt sold in the United States is very rarely actually from Greece. Instead, the name refers to the style of yogurt, which is quite thick compared to the traditional American style, and reflective of the tangy, thick yogurts served in Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey and the Levant.
Greek-style yogurt is simply plain yogurt that has been strained repeatedly, allowing the liquid whey to drain away. Since straining creates a thick texture, Greek-style yogurt doesn't need added fat for density or taste. It is typically found in fat free or 2 percent milk fat form.
Greek style yogurt is popular because it has multiple health benefits. Of course, since it is made from low or no-fat milks, it is a light food. But it is also packed with protein, sometimes twice as much as a traditional style yogurt. For example, a conventional grocery brand nonfat plain yogurt is about 80 calories, has 12 grams of sugar and 8 grams of protein. A similar sized, same brand Greek-style yogurt also has 80 calories, but only 6 grams of sugar and 15 grams of protein.
It is important to remember that while Greek-style yogurt is very healthy, (is is sometimes called a "super food"), it doesn't always live up to the hype. The added sugar, colors and preservatives in flavored yogurt can quickly turn a good thing bad. Greek yogurt is perfect when it is kept simple. You are better off nutritionally adding your own flavorings then buying it ready-made.
Another health benefit is the presence of essential probiotics. The body naturally has probiotic bacteria in the gut, which help with many key bodily functions, including digestion and immunity. Supplementing with probiotics then, is essential for gut health. When the gut is healthy, the rest of the body responds likewise.
All yogurt, whether it is marketed as such or not, has live active cultures, including probiotics. Greek yogurt is no different, and is often prescribed alongside antibiotics to help maintain a balance of bacteria in the gut. But be careful of the marketing hype around probiotics and active cultures. One - yogurt naturally has the bacteria already; two - different types of cultures provide different benefits; three - the bacteria has to be treated gently during production in order to remain active and therefore beneficial; and four - different bodies need different amounts and types.
Give some thought to simply buying a good probiotic from your holistic practitioner or from a natural foods store such as Sun and Earth on West Street in Annapolis or David's Natural Markets in west county. These probiotics can be kept fresh and active in the refrigerator and with this method you are in control of exactly what goes into your food.
Perhaps the ultimate reason to try Greek-style yogurt is because of its versatile culinary attributes. In its simplest form, Greek-style yogurt is perfect with fresh fruit and a little agave nectar, or perhaps atop a compote of hot poached fruit much like whipped cream. But it can also be a dressing, a dip, a dessert, a condiment and even a marinade, where it's high acidity helps tenderize any variety of meats or even tofu. It is especially lovely way to add moisture to a salmon filet when combined with herbs or spices and then basted across the fish prior to baking or grilling. It can be whipped with cream cheese or mascarpone for a tart filling or melted with chocolate for a tangy, sweet frosting. It is a superb substitute for buttermilk in pancakes and quick breads, or for high fat mayonnaise, butter, oil or sour cream.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- It's easy to substitute Greek yogurt for buttermilk or heavy cream. Simply add a drop or two of water to match the consistency.
- Temperance and proper application are of course, important: Greek yogurt is a great substitute for mayonnaise in most applications, but a BLT, a spicy remoulade for French fries or a good lobster roll shouldn't have to suffer the indignity of going low fat.
- Never add yogurt directly to a boiling or extremely hot mixture - heating yogurt over 120° F destroys the beneficial bacteria.
- Instead, temper the yogurt by stirring a spoonful or two of the hot food into it, allowing it to warm gradually. Otherwise, use the yogurt as a topping or condiment.
- Heating yogurt too rapidly can cause it to separate into curds and whey. Warm the yogurt to room temperature before adding it to hot mixtures, and by tempering slowly, stirring constantly.
- Greek yogurt is awesome with any number or herbs, spices or even citrus juices. Make sure to taste as you go - the flavors will take time to develop in the yogurt, and it's difficult to undo too much. In this case, just add more yogurt.
- It's best to fold the yogurt into recipes, rather than severely mixing.
- Avoid using aluminum cook or bakeware when cooking with yogurt, as the acidity of yogurt can react negatively with these types of metal.
World's Easiest
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup Greek-style yogurt
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or the juice of one nice sized lemon
1 garlic clove, minced or more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh herbs such as dill or mint
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the yogurt sauce to a container, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Add an endless plethora of spices, a tablespoon or more of water to thin, and ½ cup or so olive or grapeseed oil to use as a marinade.
Green Goddess Dip
and Dressing
From Chobani.com
1 cup chopped avocado (about 1 avocado)
3 or 4 anchovy fillets, mashed or 1½ to 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
¼ cup Greek yogurt
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
Extra-virgin olive oil (for making dressing)
Combine the avocado, anchovies, garlic, scallions, basil, parsley, and tarragon in a food processor.
Add the Greek yogurt, white wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Process until smooth. Serve with crudités as a dip or over steamed green vegetables.
For dressing, add olive oil ¼ cup at a time, processing constantly until the desired consistency is reached. Toss with salad greens.
Greek Yogurt Crudite Dip
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoon mayonnaise or sour cream (optional: adds body and creaminess)
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, minced
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher or finely ground sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fold the first 7 ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use whatever herbs you have on hand, fresh or even dried. Try omitting fresh herbs for garam masala, curry, harissa or other ethnic flavors.
For a sweet dip, replace herbs and spices for fresh or dried berries, figs or dates. Drain and strain if necessary. Combine in blender or food processor with 1 teaspoon vanilla and nutmeg or cinnamon. Use as a dip for fresh berries, mango, apples, pears or bananas.
Waldorf or Broccoli Salad with Greek Yogurt
1 head broccoli (omit for Waldorf Salad)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1-2 tablespoon mayonnaise or sour cream (optional)
Juice of one medium lemon
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 firm Fuji or Granny Smith apple, OR ½ firm apple and ½ firm pear
½ cup walnut halves, toasted
½ cup celery, thinly sliced
½ cup carrot peelings
¼ cup mixed dried berries
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly ground sea salt and pepper
Add lemon juice, mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder, cumin, salt and pepper to medium-sized bowl. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
Core the apple (and pear), then cut into small wedges or slices. Add walnuts, celery, carrots, dried berries and dressing to bowl. Toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
To make the broccoli salad, simply chop the broccoli and add with the apples. This is also nice over mesclun lettuce.
Chicken with Greek
Yogurt and Spices
Based on a recipe from
Food and Wine Magazine
2 ½-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons slivered almonds
1½ cups plain yogurt
1½ teaspoons garam masala
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium onion, thinly sliced
one 2-inch stick cinnamon
8 whole cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1 chicken, cut into eight serving pieces
2 tablespoons golden raisins
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
salt
Place ginger, garlic and ¼ cup of water in blender. Process until smooth. Add almonds, 2 more tablespoons of water, and process until smooth.
Whisk together yogurt, garam masala, coriander, cayenne and a pinch of salt in medium-sized bowl.
Pour oil into large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they are well browned, stirring often, about ten minutes. Remove onions with slotted spoon, trying to leave as much oil in Dutch oven as possible. Set onions aside.
Add cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves to Dutch oven, and stir constantly until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add as many chicken pieces as will fit in one layer, and brown lightly on both sides, about two minutes on each side. Transfer browned chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.
When all chicken pieces are browned, add raisins and blended almond and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until it forms a fragrant paste, about one minute. Return chicken and onions to Dutch oven, and add yogurt. Stir well, and reduce heat to low. Cover Dutch oven and cook until chicken is cooked through and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro.
Yogurt Frozen Yogurt
Based on a recipe
from Bon Appétit
¾ cup sugar
½ cup honey
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups plain Greek-style yogurt, kept quite cold
5 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 to 4 fresh lavendar, basil, lemon thyme or pineapple sage leaves (optional) OR fresh berries
Bring the sugar, honey, water and vanilla seeds and reserved pods to a boil in a saucepan, removing from heat immediately on the boil. Add herb leaves or berries, if using. Stir in the corn syrup, kosher salt, and vanilla extract. Cool completely. This step can be completed overnight.
Remove vanilla pods and herb leaves or fruit from simple syrup. If using fruit, puree in a blender and pass through a strainer to remove berry seeds or skins. Whisk in yogurt and lemon juice. Cool to very cold, 3 to 6 hours.
Freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.
