Back to Butter: A Traditional Foods Cookbook - Nourishing Recipes Inspired by Our Ancestors (7 page)

Clockwise, from top left:
Equipment setup; pouring yogurt into the strainer; straining additional whey, final jar of whey

Pour the whey from the bottom of the original bowl into a glass jar or container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge for future use. Place the vessel/spoon/tea towel operation into the fridge as well, and allow it to continue dripping for 8 to 12 hours or overnight. It is finished when the dripping stops and the yogurt “cream cheese” feels firm.

After whey stops dripping, remove the tea towel and place on a cutting board. Add the remaining whey to your jar of whey from the day before. Untie the tea towel from the wooden spoon. Scrape the cream cheese into a glass bowl with a tight-fitting lid and use like any store-bought cream cheese. We think it’s just perfect in our Maple Walnut Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (
page 203
). Keep in mind that it will have a yogurt sweetness but with a bit of tang.

Kept refrigerated, the cream cheese will last for about 1 month and the whey up to 6 months.

Kefir is a fermented dairy beverage that is slightly thinner than yogurt and a bit zestier. Due to the fermentation it undergoes, kefir is an extremely probiotic-rich food. Think of a glass of kefir as your daily dose of Nature’s antibiotics. Kefir also feeds off the lactose in the milk, which lowers the overall amount of lactose in the beverage and may be tolerated more easily by those who are generally lactose intolerant. If choosing to try this, please use caution and begin slowly. Lactose intolerance is case specific and not to be taken lightly.

The first step of making kefir is sourcing kefir grains (
page 216
, or a friend with excess if you’re so lucky). The grain pictured on
page 43
, looks a bit like tiny cauliflower florets and can be reused with each batch. If you choose to use raw milk, we encourage researching a safe source to procure it (
page 216
). Once these two items are on hand, along with a jar with a
plastic
lid (as metal is reactive and may cause an off taste), making kefir is a cinch! Enjoy it in fruit smoothies; use it as you would buttermilk; or strain it following the same method as our Yogurt Cream Cheese and Whey (
page 40
), mix in some herbs and salt, and indulge in some deliciously tangy kefir cheese.

1
/
2
cup (96 g) hydrated kefir grains

3 cups (705 ml) nonhomogenized whole milk, preferably raw

In a 1-quart (1 L) Mason jar, combine the kefir grains and milk. Put on a plastic lid (no need to seal tightly) and leave at room temperature (72°F [22°C]) for 12 hours.

After 12 hours, remove the lid and use a clean spoon to taste and check the texture. The taste should be sour, yet pleasant, and the texture should have thickened slightly to a very thin yogurt. If the kefir is not ready, replace the lid and set aside for an additional 6 hours. If still not ready, return the lid and set aside for another 6 hours, repeating until the proper consistency is attained.

Depending on the vitality of the grains and the temperature of the room, fermentation times can vary. It may take up to 24 to 36 hours. If you want to speed the process with future batches, begin with more grains and/or less milk, and set the jar in a warmer location. If the kefir ferments too quickly, resulting in a taste that is too sour, cut back on the amount of kefir grains and/or place the jar in a cooler location. As with most things, it takes some practice, but it’s worth it!

Once ready, place a strainer on top of a large-size, nonmetal bowl and pour the kefir and kefir grains into the strainer. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir the grains, allowing the liquid kefir to strain into the bowl and the kefir grains to remain in the strainer. Once all the liquid kefir has been strained, return the grains to the jar, along with fresh milk. Pour the liquid kefir in the bowl into a clean Mason jar, seal, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.

RECIPE NOTES

• If you want to take a break from the kefir process for any reason, simply place a freshly prepared jar of kefir grains and milk in the refrigerator. The grains will last for two weeks in the fridge and two months or more in the freezer. When you want to resume, simply defrost (if necessary), strain the kefir grains as described above, and discard the milk. Rinse the grains to remove the soured milk, and then proceed as above. Note that the first few cycles of kefir may not develop to your taste (a necessary evil of vacationing!). If this happens, discard the milk and start again. Eventually, the grains will produce as expected.

• Kefir also can be made using powdered packets (
page 216
). The benefit of fresh kefir grains over powdered is their ability to continue culturing for years, because they typically contain more diverse strains of probiotics than the powdered version. Powdered packets are beneficial for people who frequently travel because after three or four batches of kefir, a new packet must be used. When ordering packets of kefir, follow the simple instructions that come with the box.

• Plastic Mason jar lids are often found along with canning materials at your local hardware store, or may be ordered online. They’re perfect for storing kefir and other ferments.

YIELD: 3 CUPS (704 ML)

Store-bought buttermilk is often low in quality and supplemented with milk powder, which is a perfect reason to try making it at home! The process could not be simpler. First, order a few buttermilk cultures (
page 216
), then culture away. This culture-rich liquid is a versatile ingredient capable of bringing added moisture to baked goods, a nice tang to a batch of pancakes, or a delightful texture to creamy salad dressings.

1 quart (1 L) nonhomogenized whole milk, preferably raw

1 packet powdered buttermilk culture

In a small-size pot over medium-low heat, warm the milk to 85° to 90°F (29° to 32°C). If you don’t have a thermometer handy, simply place a drop of milk on the inside of your wrist, right below your palm. The milk should not feel cool or hot. When appropriately heated, remove the pan from the heat.

Stir the buttermilk culture into the milk until fully dissolved and pour into a 1-quart (1 L) Mason jar. Put on the lid and leave at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, until thickened. Once thickened, refrigerate and use as needed. Buttermilk will last for at least 1 week in the fridge.

YIELD: 1 QUART (1 L)

Crème fraîche is a luxurious, European-style sour cream that is really easy to make at home, where the cook controls the quality of the ingredients. It’s a bit thicker and slightly less sour than American sour cream, making it a perfect dessert topping. The texture and flavor also work perfectly in our Millet Salmon Cakes with Creamy Dipping Sauce (
page 116
). Raw cream works great in this recipe; however, we encourage researching a safe source to procure it (
page 216
).

1
1
/
2
cups (355 ml) heavy cream, preferably raw

1 tablespoon (15 ml) buttermilk (
page 44
)

In a pint-size (470 ml) Mason jar, combine the cream and buttermilk and stir well. Place the lid on the jar and leave at room temperature (the warmer the better) for 24 hours, or until thickened. Stir the cream and refrigerate; it will continue to thicken as it chills. Crème fraîche will last for several weeks in the refrigerator, and can also be whisked into whipped cream the same way as regular heavy cream.

YIELD: 1
1
/
2
CUPS (355 ML)

The preceding dairy recipes in this chapter do not heat the milk to high temperatures; therefore, if you have chosen to source raw milk for your family, they are excellent applications for it. However, when a recipe calls for heating the milk, as does the creamy cheese sauce below, some of the benefits of raw milk are actually lost in the cooking process, so it’s equally nutritious to use grass-fed, nonhomogenized, organic milk and cream (but never ultra-pasteurized!). Be sure to try this recipe with our Baked Potatoes with the Works (
page 124
), which is a family favorite.

3 tablespoons (42 g) butter

2 tablespoons (16 g) arrowroot powder

2 cups (470 ml) whole milk

1 cup (235 ml) cream

2 cups (240 g) grated white Cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon sea salt

1
/
4
teaspoon freshly cracked white pepper

1
/
4
teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until foaming. Add the arrowroot and whisk well until combined. Slowly add the milk and cream, whisking constantly, until lightly simmering, about 5 minutes. The mixture should thicken slightly due to the arrowroot.

Remove from the heat. Add the cheese, whisking constantly, until fully melted. Stir in the sea salt, pepper, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Serve warm.

YIELD: 1
3
/
4
CUPS (411 ML)

CHAPTER 4
NUTS, SEEDS, BEANS&GRAINS