Resolved: Make Yogurt in 2009

Years ago when I cooked for hikers, climbers and skiers in remote mountain huts in the Canadian Rockies, I used to make homemade yogurt. It was special treat because, without electricity and refrigeration, we had no fresh dairy products. As I recall, the recipe called for powdered milk, canned evaporated milk, water and some yogurt starter. I used a wide-mouth thermos to incubate the yogurt.

These days, I cook in a modern kitchen and enjoy the convenience of several well-stocked supermarkets down the road, but I have decided to take up yogurt making again. The cost of homemade yogurt is slightly less than half that of commercial yogurt. Although you don't need a yogurt maker to make yogurt, I purchased a Donvier Yogurt Maker. If it is more convenient, I will be more apt to do it. I figure that the savings on homemade yogurt will cover the cost of the yogurt maker within a year

My first few batches have been highly successful. I have been using 2% milk from Monument Farms, a local dairy. The yogurt is rich-tasting, similar to full-fat yogurt and has a consistency closer to "Greek" (drained) than standard yogurt.

The procedure couldn't be simpler. Scald 1 quart milk. Remove from heat and place thermometer in milk. Let cook until to lukewarm (about 115 degrees F.)I usually set the saucepan in a large bowl of ice water to speed up cooling process. Stir in 1 heaping tablespoon prepared plain yogurt until blended. Pour into containers of yogurt maker and set timer for 10 hours. Alternatively, pour into a large glass bowl, cover with foil and several kitchen towels. Place bowl on a heating pad set at medium. Let incubate overnight.

Plain yogurt is an important staple in our house. My husband and I start each day with a bowl of yogurt and fruit. I also love it in sauces, such as the raita in the Dahl with Spinach recipe below. This is one resolution I won't have trouble keeping.

Dahl with Spinach

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45-50 minutes

When the fridge seems bare and there is no time to stop at the market for fresh provisions, I often turn to this simple vegetarian stew, which is made from pantry and freezer staples. The base of the dish is a pulse is yellow split peas, a valuable source of soluble fiber and vegetable protein. A cooling raita (yogurt sauce) finishes the dish beautifully. It is sure-fire winner for your health—and your taste buds.

Dahl:

1 cup yellow split peas or chana dahl (see Ingredient Note), sorted and rinsed

3 cups water

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek (optional)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes (not drained)

1 package (10 ounces) or half a package (16-ounces) frozen cut-leaf spinach

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Raita:

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

4 teaspoons lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1. To make the dahl: Combine the split peas (or chana dahl), water and turmeric in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Partially cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the split peas are tender, 40 to 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 10 to 20 seconds. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, fenugreek, if using, and cayenne; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Cook the spinach according to package directions. Drain, pressing out excess moisture.

4. When the split peas are tender, stir them (and any remaining cooking liquid) into the tomato mixture, along with the spinach. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to blend the flavors. Season with the salt.

5. To make the raita: Mix all the raita ingredients in a small bowl. Serve the dahl with raita. One serving is 3/4 cup dahl and 2 1/2 tablespoons raita. Leftover dahl will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little additional water, if necessary.

Serves 6

Per serving: 199 calories, 12g protein, 33g carbohydrates,12g fiber, 4g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 412mg sodium.

Note: Dahl turns up frequently in Indian cooking and it is one of those confusing terms that refer to both a preparation and an ingredient. The preparation, dahl, is a dish like this one, made with seasoned, stewed pulses. As an ingredient, dahl encompasses a wide variety of dried pulses, including lentils and split peas, all of which are valuable sources of soluble fiber and vegetable protein.

Ingredient Note: Chana dahl are split chick peas. You can find them in Indian markets and on the internet at web sites, such as www.kalustyans.com or www.namaste.com

Beautiful Buenos Aires!

The highlight of 2008 for my husband Dick and me was a trip to Buenos Aires in November. We rented an apartment in the leafy neighborhood of Recoleta and devoted ourselves to exploring the bustling barrios of this fabulous city. The streets are alive with tango rhythms and filled with aromas of grilled beef. We got hooked on dulce de leche (a creamy, thick caramel sauce), which is ubiquitous in Buenos Aires supermarkets. To keep the memory of our trip alive, we have been enjoying dulce de leche as a dipping sauce for fruit. Here is a recipe for an easy dessert and my slide show tribute to the city. ¡Buen provecho!




Roasted Pears with Dulce de Leche

Roasting coaxes out the sweetness in sturdy winter fruits. For a truly simple yet elegant winter dessert, finish the fruit with a drizzle of dulce de leche (caramel sauce) or bittersweet chocolate, some toasted nuts and your favorite ice cream.

3 firm but ripe Bosc pears
½ lemon
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons butter
¼ cup sliced almonds
2 cups vanilla ice cream, preferably Edy’s Slow-Churned Light
¼ cup dulce de leche, homemade (recipe follows) or store-bought

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F. Coat a 7x11-inch (or similar 2 ½ quart shallow) baking dish with cooking spray. Peel, core and quarter pears lengthwise, rubbing cut sides with cut side of lemon half as you work. Place pears in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar and toss to coat. Dot with butter. Bake pears until tender and caramelized in spots, 40 to 45 minutes, turning from time to time.
2. Meanwhile, spread almonds in a small baking pan. Toast in the oven until light golden and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool.
3. About ½ hour before serving, place ice cream in refrigerator to soften slightly.
4. Just before serving, place dulce de leche in small microwaveable dish; warm in the microwave at High just until pourable, 30 to 40 seconds. Scoop ice cream onto each of 4 dessert plates or dishes. Arrange 3 pear quarters beside ice cream. Drizzle with dulce de leche and sprinkle with almonds.

Serves 4

Dulce de Leche

When you have dulce de leche on hand in your refrigerator, you will find myriad uses for it. Serve as a dip for fruit, topping for ice cream, or filling for crepes. It is Latin America’s answer to our maple syrup.

You can find prepared dulce de leche in specialty stores. But, it is easy to make your own. Not only does homemade taste even better than commercial varieties, it is far less expensive. I had excellent results with this recipe adapted from one of my most treasured cookbooks, The South American Table by Maria Baez Kijac (Harvard Common Press 2003).

1 quart whole (3 ½% milk fat) milk
1 ¼ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 vanilla bean

Combine milk, sugar and baking soda in a heavy 4-quart pan. Make a slit in the vanilla bean with a paring knife. With the tip of the knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into the milk mixture. Add the vanilla bean to the milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is caramel colored and thick. This will take 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Stir almost constantly towards the end of cooking. Transfer to a bowl. Dulce de leche will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If duce de leche hardens when it is chilled, simply warm it in the microwave or over a larger pan of barely simmering water.

Makes about 1 ½ cups