Lebne, my new favorite ingredient.

The other day I went to Michael (our chef) before placing the dairy order, as we always do, as the line uses all sorts of wonderful dairy as well, and I let him know what I knew we needed to order. When I told him we had 2 five gallon containers of lebne a wide smile stretched across his face.

"Are we really going through that much lebne?" He inquired. I said yes, now that my department was using it for a new lunch and dinner dessert. "Why are you smiling?" I said.

"I don't know why but it makes me think that all could be well in the world if we can use that much lebne."

I could not agree more.

When we get lebne from our dairy company, Palo Alto Egg, the purple topped container says its Kefir Cheese inside. Lebne is sometimes called cheese because it's so solid, so thick. It is yogurt but it's strong and hearty, sour and pungent, rich and bright. It's like Greek yogurt, but even denser, if you can imagine.

I've been sneaking some of it home just about every weekend so I can see how it works in other applications, sweet and savoury. Lebne makes Marion Cunningham's buttermilk pancakes even more tender. Lebne can be mixed with a myriad of condiments and still holds its body, making it perfect for topping on everything from olive oil braised leeks to mashed squashes and is a fantastic vehicle for salad dressing. Heidi mentions that she's putting yogurt in a new favorite curried egg salad and we must be speaking psychically because in the past few weeks I've been using lebne to make healthful deviled eggs!

Lebne packs a wallop of good-for-you properties. Even if you feel you must smother it in honey to take down its sour punch, you still get to taste all its great flavor.

In the past few months I've gotten together with my friend Aaron and we cook a meal together once a week. Lebne is now his new favorite ingredient and we have a lot of fun thinking of new ways to eat it.

Of course I don't mean to say lebne is a new food. It's just new to me, and I feel honored and grateful to have been introduced to it.

The San Francisco Chronicle wrote a good piece on the family fresh cheeses, of which lebne is part of.

Do you know lebne? Do you love it? What's your favorite way to incorporate into your life?

Comments

[Diane]

I make lebne at home sometimes. But when I don't have patience for the draining time I buy it at the Pakistani stores along San Pablo. I prefer to make it myself as I know what the source was, how old it is, etc...

It is yummy. I've never used it for desserts, but it's good with pita, onions and olives.

[barbara]

Imake my own with a good quality yogurt. I've never used it in desserts bu I do soemtimes use it as a spread on bread with fruit preserves.

[shelly]

Mmmm... lebneh (or labneh, as we say in Hebrew)! I shall have to come by Sens and try some lebneh-centric dishes. My favorite way to eat lebneh is sprinkled with za'atar, drizzled with peppery olive oil, and mopped up with a piece of warm lafa (the huge, soft flatbreads traditionally cooked on inverted metal "woks" over an open fire by Bedouin women). Goes great with Armenian cucumber slices on the side and a glass of hot mint tea. Mmmmm.

[foodplayer]

Shuna- I adore lebne and my favorite way to eat it is with a spoon. When I can part with it, a few spoonfuls whipped into Mousseline buttercream makes it tangy and light and the perfect topping for cakes spiced with cardamom or my new favorite spice: kala jeera.
Diane & Barbara- How do you make lebne? Is it simply drained yogurt? It seems sweeter and the brand that I buy (Pinar)describes it as fresh cream cheese.

[Leyla Farah]

My dad (he's Lebanese - which is where it originated I believe) used to make it for me when I was a kid and we ate it every day for breakfast. I now believe that my ability to eat any kind of food - anywhere on the planet - without any adverse affects - comes directly from its yummy goodness. I have a theory that Western kids have higher levels of food allergies/sensitivities because they aren't exposed to ripened cheeses early in life - and therefore aren't able to develop healthy digestive systems.

[vonsachsen]

I have only had labneh that I made myself using Diana Henry´s recipe from her Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons. She has got a recipe for bulgar and spinach pilaf with labneh and chilli roast tomatoes tha is just soo good!She suggests that you slice the labneh into wedges and drizzle w/ honey or a honey and flower water syrup and serve w/ peaches mangoes or oranges. Yum! Or form into little balls and roll into paprika or chopped herbs, then put into a jar and cover w olive oil, perfect for meze.

[Lori S.]

Lebne! I like to just sprinkle it with zaatar and eat it with pita and olives, or mix the zaatar into it and use it as a dip, or roll it into little balls. All of which I think was covered by previous commenters because I am behind on my reading again.

[Margaret]

I was introduced to Lebni around 15 years ago from a co-worker who made it from scratch. It takes a while to make and told me where you can buy it and it is just as good if not better!

It can be found at the Mediterranian Market on Fulton Ave in Sacramento and also found it at a European Market & Bakery in Carmichael called Kolobok.

I've been toasting pita bread and using the Lebni sprinkled with mint breakfast.

For lunch and sometimes even a light dinner, I chop tomatoes and cucumber with some olive oil and sprinkle with mint and stuff pita bread that is coated with the Lebni on the inside and a little on top. Big time "Yum".