Cardamom and Tea

white bean salad with za’atar labneh balls

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Let’s talk about labneh! Because I’ve got some opinions, and I haven’t posted about my favorite way to make labneh since way back when I first started blogging. Labneh is essentially just strained yogurt. It’s delicious spread on a plate and topped with za’atar and olive oil, and it’s a lovely addition to a number of recipes (check out the archives for some inspiration). You can buy it ready-made in Middle Eastern markets, and you can also make your own, with different strategies requiring varying degrees of industriousness.

Back when I first posted about it, I tried a few of the most popular labneh-making techniques, and then gave a little blind taste-test to my friends to see which one they enjoyed the most: the one made from homemade yogurt was far and away the winner of the bunch (why are so many of the best things in life labor-intensive??), but the one made from plain-old yogurt was a very close second, and the one made from Greek yogurt was the least favorite of the bunch.

It’s absolutely nothing against Greek yogurt as it is (a staple of my—and probably also your—fridge!), but commercially strained yogurts don’t generally want to be strained further. Most have been spun with a mechanical centrifuge, and if you try to continue to strain them in your kitchen, the whey that comes out will be super cloudy and white, when it’s supposed to be clear and yellowish. This results in a somewhat chalky labneh, and while it’s still delicious (I mean, I’ll just say that there was no labneh of any kind left over at the end of the taste test), it just doesn’t taste quite the same as the real deal. And at the end of the day, whether you use Greek vs. plain yogurt doesn’t make a different in time, cost, or convenience. So if you ask me, there’s no question which is your best bet.

So here’s my official labneh recommendation:

If you make your own yogurt or have always wanted to, that’s your best bet for the most wonderful labneh ever. But! If you don’t make your own yogurt (I meannnn—understandable!), you can still make an extremely delicious labneh by starting with plain old store-bought unstrained yogurt. Just make sure you stay away from already strained Greek yogurt.

I recommend using an Indian or Arabic brand of plain yogurt, if you can easily find one (they tend to have very few additives and stabilizers, which helps a ton), or starting with another plain unstrained yogurt whose taste you really love, because the actual flavor won’t change much after straining. Try to stay away from any brands that you would never use in a savory recipe… I’m thinking of one in particular, which has a really specific live culture flavor that really only works well with berries, even though it’s technically unsweetened and unflavored.

For specific labneh straining instructions, you can visit my original labneh post, and check out this post to learn how to make your own yogurt.

That pretty much sums up my labneh thoughts, so let’s dive into this delicious salad, which features everyone’s favorite—labneh balls! When you strain labneh for an extra-long time, it eventually becomes the texture of cream cheese, which you roll up into little balls and cover with all your favorite spices. Saima Khan has a lovely labneh ball recipe for Cook for Syria, if you’re looking for more ideas. I love serving labneh balls with crackers as an appetizer, but I also love throwing them into a salad. The key here is to make them a little smaller than you might think, so you don’t get too much labneh in one bite, and so they have enough surface area to get a lot of flavor out of the spices they’re rolled in.

Here, I’ve coated them in za’atar and tossed them with a white bean salad, adapted from the always classic Moosewood Cookbook’s “Just White Beans.” It’s been one of my favorites for literally decades, and I love the way it’s just perfect on its own, while inviting adaptation. Everyone’s favorite part is always the pickled pink red onions, but they’ve got some serious competition here with the addition of za’atar labneh balls.

If you don’t feel like straining labneh, you can totally feel free to use chèvre (fresh goat cheese) here. It’ll give it a completely different flavor, but it’s also delicious. I’ve also included instructions below the recipe if you don’t have time to make the red onions ahead, and need them to be ready, like, now.

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white bean salad with za’atar labneh balls

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adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 day*
  • Yield: serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side

Ingredients

for the pickled red onions:

  • 1 red onion, sliced thinly (240g)
  • 1/2 cup water (115g)
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar (115g)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (9g)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (5g)

for the salad:

  • 3 14-oz cans white beans (1200g total, any combination of black eyed peas, navy, cannellini, or butter beans)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (40g)
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (30g)
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed through a press (5g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (1g)
  • 1/4 cup basil, chiffonade (10g)
  • 2 tablespoons dill, coarsely chopped (5g)
  • Salt to taste
  • 4.5oz (about 1/2 cup) extra-thick strained labneh (125g)**
  • 2 tablespoons za’atar (15g)
  • 1/4 cup strained pickled red onions (35g)

Instructions

  1. Pickle the onions:* Place the thinly sliced red onion in a clean jar. Combine the water, 1/2 cup vinegar, salt, and sugar in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Once the salt and sugar dissolve, remove from heat and pour over the onions. Tamp them down a bit with a fork, cover loosely with a lid, let them come to room temperature, screw the lid on, and stash in the refrigerator for at least a few hours (they’ll last for weeks, and are best after 24 hours).
  2. Make the salad: Strain and rinse the white beans, and place in a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, garlic, black pepper, basil, dill, and salt to taste. Toss together and set aside.
  3. Roll the labneh into about 20-25 small balls, and roll each ball in za’atar to coat it completely. Chill them for a few minutes so they don’t fall apart. Add the labneh balls and pickled red onions (reserve some for garnish) to the white beans, and gently fold them in.
  4. Garnish with the red onions you set aside, and serve.

Notes

* If you don’t have time to let the onions pickle, make a quickle: simply top a heaping 1/4 cup of thinly sliced red onions with vinegar, salt them to taste, let them sit for 30 minutes, and then strain and use in the salad. They’ll be crunchier and a bit harsher, so use them sparingly. These will only last a couple days in the fridge.

** Feel free to use chèvre instead, for a different flavor. If you’re using store-bought labneh, you will probably need to strain it further for a couple hours. If you’re making homemade labneh, let it strain until it’s the consistency of cream cheese (at least 16 hours). And again, if you’re making it from scratch, make sure you start with plain unstrained yogurt (preferably an Indian or Arabic brand), and not Greek yogurt. Chèvre works great in this recipe, as it has a similar consistency to extra-thick labneh, but obviously a completely different flavor. Delicious either way!

To make this ahead and store it: The white beans can marinate with the dressing and herbs in the refrigerator for a day or two, but the pickled red onions should be added to the salad at the last minute before serving, or their color will start to fade. The onions are best pickled overnight, so I like to make both components the day before, store them separately, and then throw them both together when it’s serving time. But leftovers are super delicious and keep well in the fridge for a few days. You will have extra pickled red onions leftover after throwing some on the salad, but they last for a couple weeks in the refrigerator, and you’ll want to start putting them on absolutely everything.

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cardamom and tea french toast casserole

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This french toast casserole is the perfect thing to make for New Year’s Day brunch (or any special brunch, any time of the year). It’s a bit carby and a bit caffeinated, and gives everyone a little extra energy for morning conversation. After an eleven year hiatus from caffeine, I’ve recently started drinking one cup of coffee or strong black tea every morning (which means the tea in Cardamom and Tea was actually decaf all along!), which has given me new appreciation for caffeinated breakfasts. This one is infused not only with tea, but also ground green cardamom.

Judging from the name of my blog, it might not surprise you that these are two of my favorite flavors to pair. In fact, I originally chose the name Cardamom and Tea because it reminds me of the smell of my grandparents’ house growing up. My grandmother would keep tie-top bags of ground cardamom and big boxes of black tea in her pantry, and the scent diffused through the whole house and made everything smell like chai. This French toast brings back all those childhood memories for me, and also reminds me of the pastries we would buy from the Swedish bakery and serve at special family breakfasts.

Like most recipes for French toast casserole, this one is super easy. You just toast the bread cubes, place them in a casserole dish, pour the liquid on top, let it sit for a few, and then bake until perfect. This easy formula works every time, but after writing this recipe, I do have some lingering questions. No matter how many other recipes I skim through, I just can’t seem to figure out if French toast casserole is just another name for bread pudding. I think it might be that French toast casserole often uses slices of bread instead of cubes. But I grew up with my mom’s recipe, which is most definitely cubed, and many recipes out there seem to agree that sliced bread isn’t necessary to qualify. I guess at the end of the day, the key difference is left completely up to your appetite—French toast casserole is meant to be eaten for breakfast instead of dessert. So enjoy this one first thing in the morning, gathered around table with everyone who deserves a slice!

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cardamom and tea french toast casserole

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  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb challah, cut into 1-inch cubes (450g)
  • 1 3/4 cups whole milk (400g)*
  • 6 black tea bags
  • One 16-oz container ricotta (450g)
  • 1/2 cup sugar (100g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom (+ a tiny pinch more if you really love cardamom)**
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (3g)
  • 3 large eggs (150g)
  • Butter, for greasing the pan
  • Cardamom-scented powdered sugar (½ cup powdered sugar + 1 pinch cardamom)
  • Maple syrup, for the table

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread the challah out in a single layer on a sheet pan, and bake for about 20 minutes, until they’ve dried out quite a bit, and have started to lightly brown (leave the oven on afterwards).
  2. While you’re waiting on the bread to toast: Bring the milk to a simmer on the stove or in the microwave. As soon as it starts rapidly simmering, remove from heat, add the tea bags, and let them steep for 7-10 minutes. Once they’ve steeped, remove the tea bags one by one, wringing each one out on the side of the bowl with the back of a spoon. Whisk in the ricotta, sugar, cardamom, and salt. Once combined, whisk in the eggs. Grease a 9×13” casserole dish.
  3. Once the challah is dried out, place it evenly in the casserole dish, and then slowly pour the wet ingredients over the bread, making sure some liquid hits every piece of bread. Let it rest for 15 minutes before baking. Bake the casserole for about 35 minutes, until it’s set and hot in the center (insert a knife to check), and golden brown in spots.
  4. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup at the table.

Notes

* You can use half-and-half in place of all or some of the whole milk if you’re feeling like something extra-decadent.

** Cardamom should always be used with restraint, but feel free to use a little more if you really love its flavor. Just be careful not to go overboard (you can always sprinkle a little more in with the powdered sugar at the end).

To make ahead and store: The best way to make this ahead of time is to prep the two components, and then bring them together at the last moment. Combine the wet ingredients and store in the fridge for a day or two. Toast the bread cubes, and keep at room temperature in a sealed container (or the casserole dish, covered) for a day or two. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven, spread the bread cubes in a greased casserole dish, top with the wet ingredients, let it sit for 15 minutes, and proceed with the recipe.

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