Things to do with Greek yogurt

[Fat Guy]

I make frozen desserts with fruit, yogurt and stevia all the time in my Blendtec. I never thought to do something based on Greek yogurt. But stevia definitely works in that sort of application (I use the Stevita brand).

[andiesenji]

I have been making my own Greek yogurt, and thinking about putting it into ice cream. I am off sugar--doctor's orders--and wonder about making frozen yogurt with splenda or some other sweetener.

I make my own Greek type yogurt. I make the yogurt with half and half - no straining needed to get that extra thick consistency.

If you use heavy cream, you get what is an excellent (I think better) substitute for clotted cream.

[Mysstwalker]

I had a gastric bypass so protein sources are huge for me. Greek yogurt mmmmmmm...22 grams of protein per cup, so it is a good option. I take a cup of the yogurt, mix in 2 T. of sugarfree cheesecake pudding mix, and just a touch of SF vanilla syrup, mix it all up and chill it. It thickens up and it is like eating the filling out of a cheesecake. I put fresh strawberries over it, or sugarfree fruit topping or SF caramel syrup and it is amazing.

[&roid]

Really simple this but it surprised me how nice it was. For a dip with middle eastern food just mix in some dried mint (which seems to work a lot better than fresh for this) and some really nice olive oil, possibly a little salt. tastes far greater than the sum of its parts.

[Jenni]

I have been making my own Greek yogurt, and thinking about putting it into ice cream. I am off sugar--doctor's orders--and wonder about making frozen yogurt with splenda or some other sweetener.

I make my own Greek type yogurt. I make the yogurt with half and half - no straining needed to get that extra thick consistency.

If you use heavy cream, you get what is an excellent (I think better) substitute for clotted cream.

But cream has a totally different flavour, no? Wouldn't end up with the same yogurt-y taste I don't think? Curious to try.

ETA:

Btw one good use for greek yoghurt could be to make shrikhand. I usually strain my own yoghurt for this so I don't know if it will be thick enough, but it's worth a try! To the yoghurt, add a little saffron (real threads please not powder, grind it yourself in pestle and mortar with a pinch of sugar just before adding) and a little freshly ground cardamom seeds. Then add sugar to taste, should be nice and sweet. Perfect garnish is charoli seeds, but you could use roughly crushed pistachios if you cannot get those.

Edited June 14, 2011 by Jenni (log)

[LindaK]

One of my very favorite recipes comes from Madhur Jaffrey--a potato salad bound together with yogurt and toasted cumin and mustard seeds, some sliced scallions, S&P. With Greek yogurt especially, the yogurt-spice combo is so delicious, I usually toast enough spices to make extra to keep on hand to dollop on rice/dal, fish, chicken, whatever.

I'm also partial to French yogurt cake. Greek yogurt makes it extra tangy.

[Snadra]

I'm not fond of yoghurt as a sweet, but we go through quite a bit of greek yoghurt (always the full fat version) in savoury applications, mostly in topping-type things.

* On perogies instead of sour cream (when I'm really in a hurry and don't want to make a mess, I also use fried shallots from the jar instead of frying onions)

* Mixed with fresh herbs and chives/green onions as a topping for boiled potatoes (frankly this and a vegetable makes a fine winter dinner)

* Mixed with mayo for potato salad (I used to use sour cream for this)

* Straight or mixed with grated garlic as a topping for zucchinni pancakes or poached eggs and harissa served on sauteed veggies (usually, zucchini, capsicum, and whatever else is in the fridge) or lamb mince kebabs. Plus a sprinkle of sumac.

* as a marinade for meat (I've got a lamb backstrap marinating in yoghurt with ginger, garlic, cumin and coriander for dinner tonight)

* On 'curried' fried rice made with leftover basmati - usually I throw in some sultanas or dried cranberries, nuts and a bit of meat plus curry powder, topped with onions fried in butter. I stand by its deliciousness, while acknowledging its complete lack of authenticity.

*thinned with milk as a buttermilk substitute in pancakes.

I do find I add a bit more salt than I would if using sour cream, but I've come to prefer its tanginess and lighter texture.

I'm a Greek yoghurt fiend (as in, an Australian fiend for Greek yoghurt, not a Greek fiend for yoghurt..heh.) I get through about a litre a week.

I use it for:

- Marinating chicken or lamb in it to tenderise and moisten (ala tandoori, with garam masala)

- Making a dip of yoghurt, chopped chillis, lemon and salt (and using that on all kinds of vegetable fritters)

- Substituting it for cream in scones (sparkling water, yoghurt and flour alone makes great scones, no butter required)

- Draining it of its liquid through a cheesecloth and rolling it into balls of labneh yoghurt cheese - rolling also in mint, chilli, chopped garlic, lemon zest. I store these in olive oil and they're lovely.

- Blending it with mango and salt for a sweet lassi, or cucumber, salt and pepper for a savoury one

- Drizzling it over roast vegetables with some olive oil and harissa

- Swirl fruit jam into it and freeze for popsicles

- I make a nice puffy egg pudding with beaten eggs, yoghurt, tomato, and any kind of cheese, poured into ramekins and baked.

So many things. I basically substitute it anywhere I'd use sour cream, or buttermilk (thinned a little), or even heavy cream, and for some things (e.g. tenderising meat), it's superlative in its own right.

So, fiend! These sound great. You've reminded me I must make labneh, and made me curious about the scones. I keep thinking I should make some but the butter almost always ends up in chocolate chip cookies instead. Can you share a recipe for the yoghurt scones?

[rarerollingobject]

So, fiend! These sound great. You've reminded me I must make labneh, and made me curious about the scones. I keep thinking I should make some but the butter almost always ends up in chocolate chip cookies instead. Can you share a recipe for the yoghurt scones?

It's a variant on the fabled lemonade and cream scone recipe that calls for 1 cup lemonade, 1 cup cream, 3 cups self-raising flour. I had yoghurt and not cream, and sparkling mineral water, not lemonade..so just used those for savoury scones and they turned out great! I now don't make scones any other way. I just add a couple Tbsp of sugar for sweet.

I just cut the yoghurt and mineral water (you could use soda water too) into the flour with a knife, turn it out onto a floured surface, pat down to 2cm thick or so, cut into scones, brush with a little milk (or more yoghurt!) and bake for 15 mins on 220C, or until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped (my mother's tip). There's enough fat in the yoghurt to account for the butter, and I think the carbonation of the mineral water reacts with the baking powder in the flour to give rise.

This appeals to me because I always have mineral water, I like the tang of Greek yoghurt, and I can avoid that rubbing-butter-into-flour business and thereby reserve my precious thumb strength for something more useful, like texting.

Edited June 15, 2011 by rarerollingobject (log)