Labneh and Quark

I have fallen for yogurt and buttermilk making to the point that I am now producing way more than I can possibly eat and drink. I have therefore started to not just eat and drink my yogurt and buttermilk, but to also use them as raw materials for other things. By far the easiest are Labneh, and Quark.

Labneh is popular mostly in the eastern Mediterranian where is is found under several different names, such as strained yogurt, and Greek yogurt. Quark hails mostly from central, northern, and eastern Europe. "Quark" is actually the German term for it, and I am quite sure there are at least a dozen more names for it in all the local languages spoken in that area.

The only difference between Labneh and Quark is that labneh is made from yogurt and Quark is made from buttermilk. Apart from that, recipes and instructions are exactly the same. The following recipe yields about 12 ounces of Labneh or Quark, at a cost of about $1 per batch (depending on the price of milk, of course):

• Equipment:
  Flour sack: They can be bought at any department store in packs of four or five, for about a buck a piece. They are typically in the kitchen section, near the dish towels. The flour sack can be washed and reused after this.
  Small bowl: To catch the whey from the draining yogurt or buttermilk. Need not be bigger than a quart.
  Fridge space: The bowl has to fit and there has to be enough head space to suspend the flour sack with the yogurt or buttermilk over it.
• Ingredients:
  Yogurt or buttermilk: One quart.
  Salt: About one teaspoon.
  
• Add the salt to the yogurt or buttermilk and mix well.
• Line the bowl with the flour sack and dump the salted yogurt or buttermilk into it.
• Move bowl and the flour sack containing the yogurt or buttermilk into the fridge. Suspend the flour sack and put the bowl under it so it will catch the draining whey. My own setup looks like this:

• Leave the yogurt/buttermilk suspended like this for the next 24 hours.
• The labneh or quark is ready. Remove the content of the cheese cloth into its final storage container.

The image to the left shows containers of both labneh and quark. They are actually quite similar in appearance, the labneh being a little firmer and more homogeneous than the quark.

They taste quite similar as well; the quark feels just a tad milder than the labneh. And either one works great either as a spread on my bread or boiled peeled potatoes. Last not least, either makes a great base for a dip when combined with onions, garlic, or chives.

• Leave the draining yogurt or buttermilk suspended over the bowl for about 24 hours.
• 
  

Homemade buttermilk

Besides yogurt, buttermilk is another milk product that I like. Like yogurt I always keep it on hand, often drinking a cup as a snack. Also like yogurt, it is easily made at home. Actually, it is easier still, and it costs no more than the milk it is made from. So here is how it works:

• Materials: None
• Ingredients:
  One gallon of regular milk, any fat percentage will work. I usually use 2%.
  About 1/2 cup from a prior batch of buttermilk as a starter. If this is the first time then 1/2 cap of store bought cultured buttermilk will work fine.
• Let the gallon of milk warm to room temperature, either by letting it sit on the counter for a couple hours or by putting it into the sink filled with warm water for a while.
• Remove the top 1/2 cup of milk from the gallon jar. I usually just drink it off.
• Replace the lost volume by adding the buttermilk to the jar. Shake well to mix the content of the container.
• Let stand undisturbed for 12 hours, out of the direct light.
• The buttermilk is ready. In the refrigerator it will keep for at least two weeks.

I am amazed how this process works each and every time and given that buttermilk costs almost twice as much as regular milk in the store it's a real money saver. On top of the satisfaction of doing things by myself, that is.

Two more remarks: The tartness of the resulting buttermilk depends of the fat content of the regular milk used. Use full fat milk for mild and sweat buttermilk, use skim for a more sour product. Also, when depending on store bought buttermilk for a starter, make sure to buy "cultured" buttermilk. Only cultured buttermilk has the bacteria in it that drive the conversion. I have never seen anything other than cultured buttermilk in any store but there may be places that offer "old fashioned" buttermilk as well. As a starter, cultured buttermilk is what you want.