Gill Meller
MORE RECIPES
Chilled spiced watercress and yoghurt soup; Raw kale with yoghurt and tahini; Griddled aubergines with spiced yoghurt; Spiced crayfish tails with cucumber and yoghurt; Orange and ginger fool with coffee syrup; Roasted plum fumble; Basil pannacotta with minted raspberries; Mulberry and walnut cranachan; Blackberry yoghurt soufflé cake; Crow garlic and nigella naan; Rye and caraway scones
SOURCING
browncoworganics.co.uk; daylesford.com
Yoghurt is fermented milk. Bacterial cultures convert lactose (sugar) in the milk to lactic acid, resulting in a slightly sharp, lactic flavour. The acid also causes the milk proteins to coagulate, giving yoghurt a thickened texture. This form of semi-preserved milk originated in some of the hotter parts of the world – Asia and the Middle East – and is interwoven in their cuisines. But it has become a culinary mainstay across the globe. Easier to digest and with a longer shelf life than milk itself, yoghurt is nutritious, incredibly useful and deliciously versatile.
Much of the yoghurt on sale these days is labelled as ‘live’ or ‘bio-live’. Actually, unless heat-treated, all yoghurt is ‘live’, containing the bacteria that made it yoghurt in the first place. But in most ‘live’ or ‘bio’ yoghurts, there are additional cultures, chosen because they are ‘friendly’ bacteria that already exist in the human gut. Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli – both groups of probiotics – are the most common. There is substantial evidence that probiotic bacteria can have a range of health benefits, and that yoghurt can deliver them effectively to the gut.
You can also capitalise on yoghurt’s ‘live’ness by making your own yoghurt at home using a shop-bought product as a starter. First heat 1 litre whole milk to 85°C (this denatures the proteins so they set in a gel rather than clumping into curds). When the milk has cooled to 45°C, stir in 4–6 tbsp plain live yoghurt. Keep the mixture as close to this temperature as you can, either by sealing it in a warmed vacuum flask, or by putting it in a warmed jar, wrapped in a towel, and placing in an airing cupboard. After 4–7 hours, or overnight, it should be thickened. Cool and then refrigerate.
Many of the yoghurts on the market these days are reduced fat but I prefer plain, wholemilk yoghurt for its naturally creamy mouth-feel and full flavour. It is also more stable when heated. With a fat content ranging from about 3–6 per cent, it’s still not a high-fat food. Greek-style yoghurt is thicker and richer because some of the whey is strained off; sometimes it also contains cream. Fruity flavoured yoghurts often contain sugar as well as thickeners and stabilisers.
Goat’s and sheep’s milks also make great yoghurt and are both more stable than cow’s milk yoghurt when heated. Both can be amazingly mild and creamy, though some goat’s yoghurt can have a distinguishable ‘goaty’ flavour.
Yoghurt is great just as it comes – creamy but not cloying, with that welcome hint of sharpness. It’s also lovely for breakfast with a home-made compote of Bramley apples or ripe plums, or a purée of strawberries or peaches, finished with a trickle of honey and a scattering of pistachios.
For a simple salad dressing, whisk yoghurt with olive oil, lemon juice, finely grated lemon zest and chopped herbs; this is great spooned over hearty salads that include roasted root veg, particularly beetroot and carrots, as well as seeds and robust leaves (or see the next recipe). Yoghurt combined with a little tahini also makes a lovely dressing, spiked with garlic, nigella seeds and finely diced red onion; try it spooned over tomatoes, or chargrilled aubergines, or as a condiment for barbecued lamb.
When added to a marinade, yoghurt’s gentle acidity helps to tenderise meat. Use it with chicken – and with wild rabbit in particular, which can be tough. After a few hours in the marinade, shake off the excess, but keep some of the yoghurty mix clinging to the meat. It cooks to a delicious, sweet-sour crust that locks in flavour and moistness.
Yoghurt is often employed as a lighter, fresher alternative to cream, as with frozen yoghurt. For an instant version, blitz plain yoghurt with frozen fruits such as berries or sliced bananas in a food processor, sweetening with honey as needed. But cream and yoghurt also work well mixed together, with the yoghurt imparting a welcome, subtle acidity. I almost always add yoghurt to the mix for a pannacotta, for instance.
Yoghurt’s affinity with chilli-hot foods is another reason to love it. Not only does it feel physically cool in the mouth, it actually softens the ‘burn’ of spicy foods by helping to absorb the substance capsaicin, responsible for chilli heat. A dollop of thick, plain yoghurt is delicious with curries, chillies and tagines; it’s also great combined with other cooling ingredients such as tomatoes and cucumbers, mint and coriander, in side dishes to serve with curries, such as raitas.
The acidity of yoghurt is often employed in baking; it reacts with alkaline bicarbonate of soda to give a lift to muffins and cakes, for example. And yoghurt’s body and thickness mean it can even be used in cakes with little or no flour (see Blackberry Yoghurt Soufflé Cake), combining with eggs to give a soufflé-like texture. Yoghurt cakes are wonderful flavoured with honey, citrus zest and spices.
Yoghurt is also used in other forms of cooking – you just need to be slightly cautious when adding it to hot dishes such as soups or curries, as it has a tendency to ‘split’ or curdle when heated. Add it at the last minute, when you’ve taken the dish off the heat, to avoid this.
Finally, you can use yoghurt to make a delicious, simple fresh ‘cheese’, known in the Middle East as labneh. Put 500g plain wholemilk yoghurt in a bowl and stir in ½ tsp fine sea salt. Line a sieve with muslin or a fine cotton cloth. Put the salted yoghurt into the centre, flip the cloth over to cover and place the sieve over a bowl. Leave in the fridge for 2–4 hours, until enough whey has drained off to give the labneh the texture of crème fraîche. Leave it longer if you want it thicker. You can eat it plain or stir in chopped herbs, lemon zest, black pepper and chilli.
Labneh is great with hot flatbreads, flaky salt and extra virgin olive oil. Alternatively, dollop it over chargrilled veg, or serve with seared squid and chickpeas, or a dish of artichoke hearts and preserved lemons.
ROASTED COURGETTES AND ONIONS WITH YOGHURT DRESSING
Minty yoghurt makes a lovely accompaniment to sweet roasted red onions and courgettes. However, you could use this thick, tangy, fragrant dressing with any barbecued or roasted veg, or alongside charred lamb or chicken. Serves 4
4 medium-large red onions
3 medium courgettes (about 700g in total)
2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
Sea salt and black pepper
FOR THE YOGHURT DRESSING
4 tbsp plain wholemilk yoghurt
1 small garlic clove, grated
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp extra virgin olive or rapeseed oil
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
Peel the red onions and cut each into 6–8 wedges. Place in a large roasting tin. Slice the courgettes into 2cm rounds, add to the onions and trickle with the oil. Season well with salt and pepper and toss together gently.
Place the tray in the oven and roast the vegetables for 40–45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until soft and beginning to caramelise. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
For the yoghurt dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Put the cooled vegetables into a large serving bowl and spoon over the yoghurt dressing. Turn together briefly, then serve straight away, with good bread or roast chicken.
