No sprinkles, just yogurt as it was meant to be

When I whisk garlic into yogurt, I’m hardly a renegade. After all, the two foods pair frequently in such dishes as Greek tzatziki and Turkish ali nazik kebab, char-grilled eggplant and lamb sauced with garlicky yogurt. And garlic isn’t the only yogurt booster, of course. In Lebanon, labneh — that super-strained, lightly salted version — gets dusted with za’atar and drizzled with olive oil, no sugar bowl in sight. In South Asia, roasted cumin is as common a feature in the region’s raitas as it is in its cooling, savory lassis.

After years of sugaring our yogurt and teaming it not just with sweet fruit but also with actual candy (have you been to a frozen yogurt shop lately?), we Americans are finally waking up to what the rest of the world has known for eons: that yogurt needn’t be sweet to appeal. It can taste salty, or spicy, or garlicky, or just plain sour, like the fermented milk that it is. It can taste, in other words, like yogurt.

Niko Adamopoulos thinks Washingtonians are ready for an unmasked, complex-tasting yogurt made from cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s milk combined. Adamopoulos, who is Greek by birth but was raised in Florida, and his wife, Oana (who hails from Romania), run the Mediterranean Way, a bi-level gourmet shop in Washington’s Dupont Circle neighborhood that sells olive oil, balsamic vinegar and other staple ingredients from small producers in Greece, Italy and elsewhere across that region. In March, the couple began importing fresh Greek yogurt from a fourth-generation yogurt producer in Kastoria, a Byzantine town in northern Greece.

In mid-March, Adamopoulos doled out small samples of the new product for his customers to try. His two-week supply ran out in a day and a half. “Nine out of 10 people who were trying it were buying it, which is unlike any other product we sample in the store,” he said. “I was shocked. I mean, I knew it was good, but it’s been overwhelming.” He has since scaled up his imports to meet the demand.

The Mediterranean Way sells a variety of sweet condiments, including rose petal jam, sour cherry and fig spoon sweets, and imported marmalades, plus a variety of Greek honeys, some infused with wild thyme or heather, and even one with bits of honeycomb. And those all pair beautifully with yogurt, of course.

But Adamopoulos knows that his international clientele, who work nearby at the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank or Washington’s many embassies, are just as likely to eat his yogurt solo or in savory applications. Some might even drizzle it with the olive oil he sells in his shop.

Two miles away at Zaytinya, the Greek and Turkish restaurant run by Jose Andres, head chef Michael Costa uses yogurt throughout his menu, whether on mercimek koftesi (red lentil patties with pomegranate and preserved lemon yogurt), pazi cacigi (Swiss chard salad with pistachio and white beet yogurt) or the ultra-delicate and labor-intensive manti, an off-menu item of tiny beef-filled chickpea dumplings sauced with both yogurt and paprika butter. I tasted all three on a recent visit; each dish showcased yogurt’s astonishing adaptability.

And that’s just the Mediterranean, one region among many in the world where yogurt’s role is both crucial and expansive.

In Mongolia, many families hang and strain their yogurt until it hardens into a solid mass. Those solids are then pressed, cut and left to dry in the open air, a process that makes the nutrient-dense food completely portable — crucial for those who lead nomadic lives. Yogurt vodka is also a common celebration drink, especially among men.

In the small East African nation of Eritrea, yogurt features prominently in fata, a spicy, tomato-based bread salad, and ga’at, a kneaded, volcano-shaped porridge filled with spiced butter and often served draped with yogurt.

In many countries, yogurt is offered without any embellishment whatsoever. It’s an elemental component, presented on the table in as straightforward a manner as a salad or a loaf of bread. When Mollie Katzen, the celebrated Berkeley-based cookbook author, lived on a kibbutz in Israel in the late 1960s, she said yogurt was present every time a dairy meal was served. “There were eggs,” she said, “and there was yogurt. It was a basic food group, a basic sustenance. It was real.” Today, Katzen calls plain yogurt “the perfect food.”

My own recent visit to Israel (I was there in 2012) bears that out. Israeli hotels are famed for their sprawling breakfast buffets, and big bowls of plain yogurt — sometimes fluid but often strained into labneh — always feature prominently.

At the charming Pausa Inn, the proprietor laid out a spread teeming with fresh fruit, crisp vegetables, pliable flatbreads and a bowl of yogurt capped with a shimmering pool of bright lemon vinaigrette. Sweeping a pita triangle through that combination was more energizing, more bracing, than the big hit of caffeine I sipped alongside. The sour flavors awakened the palate and didn’t leave me sluggish the way a sugary pastry might have. (Confession: I also enjoy sugary pastries.)

Here in the United States, we’re beginning to follow suit, slowly but surely, at least in major cities. In New York, for example, you’ll find shallot yogurt from a small company called the White Moustache, whose owner has Persian roots, and a lightly salted yogurt (in Original and Tangy flavors) from Sohha Savory Yogurt, whose co-owner hails from Lebanon.

The grocery store dairy aisle might soon reflect that shift as well. According to a 2014 report by market research firm Mintel, “While the majority of leading yogurt flavors are sweet, the spread of savory offerings at foodservice and retail may portend the next shift in the category.” Examples include not only Sohha and the White Moustache but also Dannon’s Oikos Greek Yogurt Dips in French onion, cucumber dill, roasted red pepper and vegetable herb, and Blue Hill Yogurt’s vegetable-flavored varieties such as parsnip and beet. This evolution of the category, the report states, both expands the times of day when consumers turn to yogurt (beyond breakfast, in other words) and attracts potential new buyers.

But don’t worry: Your favorite strawberry, blueberry and other fruit-flavored yogurts won’t be disappearing anytime soon. Of the top 10 yogurts and yogurt drinks launched between 2010 and 2014, seven were fruit flavored, with plain (at number 3), vanilla (number 4), and honey (number 9) filling out the ranks. In other words, writes Mintel in its report, “the old standard flavors” continue to dominate the American market.

Despite our nation’s collective (if slowly abating) sweet tooth, health is a big driver among yogurt consumers. In the report, Mintel food and drink analyst Beth Bloom writes: “The largest percentage of yogurt and yogurt drink users do so for health reasons. Some 44 percent say they use products in the category because they are healthier than other options.”

Whether for its high protein content (with Greek yogurt and Icelandic skyr especially rich sources), considerable calcium or health-promoting probiotics — whose wide-ranging benefits are increasingly well documented but still coupled with perhaps overly fervid marketing — yogurt will continue to dominate the snack aisle as a worthwhile option for those who seek a readily available source of nutrients and energy. Decoupling it from reams of added sugar would seem a logical next step, and one we might finally be inching toward.

That yogurt is finally getting its due for its unparalleled versatility in the savory realm is a welcome development, whether it’s mixed into rice to finish an Indian meal, whisked into dips sprinkled lightly with sumac or napped over fish, meat or vegetables.

I, for one, couldn’t be more pleased.

Beef-Stuffed Swiss Chard Rolls With Yogurt Sauce

4 to 5 servings (makes 10 rolls).

1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk or low-fat yogurt (not Greek)

10 large Swiss chard leaves

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, cut into small dice

2/3 cup water, plus 1 tablespoon for the filling, if needed

1 pound lean ground beef

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 teaspoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the yogurt in a medium bowl and keep it at room temperature until ready to serve.

Swish the chard leaves in a large bowl of cool water to clean them; pat dry. Fold each leaf in half lengthwise and slice out the bottom and central portions of the stem, working from the center of the leaf downward. (You want the two halves to stay connected up top.) When unfolded, each leaf should look like an upside-down V. Finely chop the stems you just removed.

Make the filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chard stems and onion until tender, about 10 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of water if the skillet runs dry. Add the beef, tomato paste, 3 teaspoons of the paprika, the cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high; cook until the beef loses its raw look, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Remove it from the heat.

Work with one chard leaf at a time. Lay a leaf on a work surface, positioning it with the slit ends at the top, so it now resembles a regular V. The bumpy side of the leaf should face down and the concave part should face up. Scoop 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling onto the leaf near the bottom, then tightly roll it up burrito style, pushing in the sides and forcing the slit top together as you encase the filling. Tuck back any filling that pops out. Transfer the packet to the skillet, placing it seam side down next to the remaining filling. Repeat with the remaining chard leaves and filling.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of paprika and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper into the remaining 2/3 cup of water; pour it into the skillet around the rolls. Bring the liquid barely to a boil over medium heat, then cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the rolls are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the rolls to a platter. Whisk the yogurt vigorously, then spoon it over the rolls. Serve right away.

Nutrition Per serving (based on 5, using low-fat yogurt): 240 calories, 23 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 580 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 7 g sugar

Trout With Tahini-Lemon Yogurt and Baby Arugula

4 servings

For the sauce:

1/2 cup plain yogurt (not Greek), preferably whole-milk

3 tablespoons tahini

3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

1/2 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley, minced

1 clove garlic, grated

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

6 cups loosely packed baby arugula

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the trout:

4 to 6 skin-on trout fillets, pin bones removed (1 3/4 to 2 pounds total)

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, and more for optional drizzling

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Fleur de sel, for serving (optional)

Freshly cracked black pepper, for serving (optional)

Lemon wedges, for serving

For the sauce: Whisk together the yogurt, tahini, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the water, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl, until smooth. Taste, adding up to 1 tablespoon more lemon juice, if desired. The yield is about 1 1/3 cups.

For the salad: Toss the arugula in a large bowl with the oil and lemon juice. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

For the trout: Arrange the fillets on pieces of parchment paper or aluminum foil. Sprinkle both sides of the fillets with oil (using 2 teaspoons total) and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Work in two batches: Add 1 teaspoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil to the skillet. Once the butter foams and the oil starts to shimmer, add 2 or 3 trout fillets skin side down. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the underside is crisp. Turn them over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the flesh is opaque and flaky. Transfer to a large platter and tent with foil to keep warm.

Repeat with the remaining butter, oil and trout.

Spoon some sauce over each serving of trout, then pile some of the salad right on top. If desired, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with fleur de sel and cracked pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition Per serving: 460 calories, 44 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 29 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 115 mg cholesterol, 260 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar

Raisin-Poppy Seed Flatbreads With Cardamom-Honey Butter

Makes 8 6-inch flatbreads.

All of the recipes on this page are adapted from “Yogurt Culture: A Global Look at How to Make, Bake, Sip, and Chill the World’s Creamiest, Healthiest Food,” by Cheryl Sternman Rule (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015).

For cardamom-honey butter:

6 tablespoons ( 3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Pinch kosher salt

For the flatbreads:

1/4 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees)

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast

1/2 cup plain low-fat or whole-milk yogurt (not Greek), at room temperature

1/4 cup honey

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 to 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, for brushing (may substitute ghee)

Whisk together the butter, honey, cardamom and salt in a small bowl until smooth. Cover and let it sit at room temperature.

For the dough: Place the raisins in a small bowl; cover with just-boiled water. Let sit until needed.

Meanwhile, pour the 1/4 cup of warm water into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the yeast, swirl with a fingertip to moisten and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy. Add the yogurt and honey, whisking until the latter dissolves.

Lightly flour a work surface.

Drain the raisins, reserving the liquid; pat dry. Add them to the yeast mixture along with the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, poppy seeds and salt, stirring to form a dough. (If the dough is too dry to come together, add a few teaspoons of the reserved raisin liquid.) Turn the dough out onto the floured work surface and knead until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours, until slightly puffed. (The dough will not double.)

Return the dough to the floured surface and cut it into 8 equal wedges. Working with one wedge at a time (keep the rest covered), roll it into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll it into a round that’s 6 inches in diameter.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. After a minute or two, once a drop of water on the skillet sizzles and evaporates, brush the skillet with a little of the oil. Place the dough round at the center; cook until the underside is golden brown in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Brush the top with a little oil, then turn the flatbread over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until browned on the second side; adjust the heat as needed to keep the flatbread from getting too browned.

Transfer the flatbread to a clean kitchen towel; wrap to keep it warm. Repeat the cooking, brushing with oil as needed, to cook all the flatbreads. Stack them on top of each other and keep them wrapped in the towel as you work.

Serve warm, with the cardamom-honey butter.

Nutrition Per serving: 310 calories, 6 g protein, 43 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 15 g sugar