KitchenSavvy

Solving Runny Tzatziki

Here's my problem.   I love tzatziki but every time I make isome, it ends up so runny you could almost drink it with a straw.  It is too runny for dipping pita or vegetables in.  How can I make it thicker?

--Gail

Tzatziki is a traditional Greek dish made by combining yogurt, crated cucumber and other ingredients.

There are two things you can do which will likely solve your problem completely.  The first is to very thick Greek style yogurt.  If you can't find Greek style yogurt, you can make a good substitute by straining regular yogurt. To do that, place a paper coffee filter into a strainer, place the strainer over a bowl large enough that the bottom of the strainer is at least 2 inches (5 cm) above the bottom of the bowl, and then pour the yogurt into the filter.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to overnight.

Depending on how long you leave the yogurt drain, it may be reduced by about half the volume and there will be about the same amount of yellowish liquid.  The longer you let it sit, the firmer your tzatziki will end up.  If you are straining the yogurt overnight, then after a couple of hours pour off the liquid in the bowl.  Drained yogurt is sometimes referred to as yogurt cheese.

Even if you are using Greek style yogurt, you may still want to strain it to make the final result even firmer.

The other trick you can try is once you have peeled, seeded and grated the cucumber, toss it with some salt and then place it into a fine sieve strainer and let it sit for an hour or so.  The salt will drain excess liquid out of the cucumber.  If you don't do this, the liquid will still come out of the cucumber only it will thin out the tzatziki once it is made.

Other ingredients that you might put into your yogurt include garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and mint.  Here are the ingredients that I use.  You may vary them according to your own preferences.

1	1/2	c	Strained Yogurt (see above)
1			English Cucumber
	3/4	tsp	Salt
	1/4	tsp	Fresh Ground Pepper
1		clove	Garlic, finely grated
1		tsp	Lemon Zest, finely grated
2-3		tsp	Lemon Juice
2		tsp	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4-5			Mint Leaves, finely chopped	(optional)

Make the strained yogurt, as described above, starting with 3 cups of regular yogurt.  It will reduce to the desired amount.  I prefer to use a full fat yogurt because it gives a better mouthfeel, and because some of the flavors in the garlic and lemon zest are fat soluble so it enhances the taste of the final dish.

Peel, seed and grate the cucumber, using the fine toothed side of a box grater.  Toss with the salt and strain as described.

Blend all of the ingredients together.  Taste and adjust all of the flavors as desired.  Refrigerate for at least an hour and preferably a full day.  Remember that the flavors will meld some as it stands, but that the garlic may become stronger.

Serve with pita wedges or vegetables,  in gyros or as a side with other Greek foods.

Oh, and a final hint.  If you are making your tzatziki by whizzing everything in a blender, quit doing it that way.  The blender will encourage more liquid to come out from both the cucumber and the yogurt and will make the end result too uniform in both texture and flavor.

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Due to the volume of questions received, not all can be answered.
© Lost Hobbit Enterprises 2004 onward

Rancid Flour

Hi
I substituted white whole wheat flour in a Challah recipe that says to use just whole wheat flour.   I found that it tasted and smelled like play dough.  Is there a difference in white whole wheat flour and whole wheat flour. If so what is the difference?  Do you have any good idea for a whole grain healthy Challah?

--Julie

By coincidence, just as I was reading your email I happened to take a taste of a restaurant whole wheat dinner roll that had a similar chemical taste.  Play dough is a good description.

White whole wheat flour is similar to whole wheat flour that has been milled finer so that it doesn't have the larger and tougher particles you find in regular whole wheat.  Some manufacturers claim that it tastes just like white flour.  While the flavor is much lighter than whole wheat, there is still a perceptible nutty taste.  You can make your own approximation of white whole wheat flour by mixing regular white flour with an equal amount of whole wheat flour that has been sifted using a fine mesh kitchen strainer.

My initial guess is that either the flour or oil you used had gone rancid.  If it was the oil, you would likely have noticed the taste in other dishes, so I'll bet it was the flour.  Because white whole wheat flour is made from the whole wheat berry, it contains considerably more fat than does regular flour.  According to King Arthur Flour's website, their 100% White Whole Wheat Flour for professional bakers contains 1.62 grams of fat per 100 grams of flour.  Compared to the USDA analysis for all-purpose white flour, which they give as 0.98 grams per 100, the white whole wheat flour contains 65% more fat.

Because of the extra fat, the shelf life of white whole wheat flour is shorter.  Robin Hood Flours in Canada gives the shelf life of their regular, all-purpose flour at 12 months, but their white whole wheat flour at only 9 months.  Also, white whole wheat flour is a bit of an odd mix, targeting a niche market looking for increased fiber in baked goods traditionally made with white flour.  Because of this, it may sit longer on store shelves than other products.

To tell if it is rancid, take a pinch of flour and place it on your tongue.  Regular flour will have a little taste.  Most of us know the taste of raw flour from undercooked sauces or raw dough.  White whole wheat flour will also have a slight nutty flavor, similar to whole wheat flour or wheat bran, only less distinct.  Rancid flour, on the other hand, will have a slight tang to it and will sting a little on your tongue.  If you have ever tasted the membrane that separates the two pieces of meat inside a walnut, rancid flour will have that same acrid flavor only not as strong.

I have tasted other baked goods with rancid white flour in them, so when I tasted the dinner roll, I knew immediately what the taste was, which is why I think that was your problem, too.  Try buying another bag of white whole wheat flour.  Taste it first to be sure it isn't rancid and if not try your Challah recipe again.  Also make sure that the oil you are using is new and has no off tastes.

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Due to the volume of questions received, not all can be answered.
© Lost Hobbit Enterprises 2004 onward

Beef en Daube

On a recent trip to Victoria, British Columbia, Pat and I visited the home of some friends -- old friends for her, new friends for me.

As probably is happening among foodies all over nowadays, conversation turned to the movie Julie & Julia which had just come out and, with that, discussion of the supposedly challenging and difficult Boeuf Bourguignon recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. 

Personally, I don't see what is so daunting about the recipe.  Still, I make a similar dish called Beef en Daube, which is somewhat simpler.  "Daube" refers to the earthenware pot in which the dish is traditionally cooked.  A good crockpot makes a modern substitute. While Beef en Daube is easier to make than Boeuf Bourguignon, you still need to count on a long slow cook to get tender meat and good flavor.

Here is the recipe:

4	oz	Bacon, cut into 1/4 inch strips
3	lbs	Stewing beef cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
1	large	Onion, peeled and cut in half crosswise
4		Cloves
1		Carrot, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1	bottle	Sturdy red wine (Côtes du Rhône, Beaujoulais, Bordeaux)
3	cloves	Garlic, peeled and smashed
2	whole	Bay leaves
1/8	tsp	Dried thyme (optional)
10	fl oz	Condensed canned beef broth, preferably low salt, undiluted
2	tbsp	Tomato paste
20		Pearl onions, peeled (optional)
10		Button mushrooms, cleaned, stems cut off and quartered (optional)
3	tbsp	Butter, room temperature
5	tbsp	All-purpose flour
		Salt and pepper to taste

Method 1

1. Fry the bacon until crisp and then drain off the fat.
2. Stick the pointed ends of the cloves into the outside of the onion halves.  This makes them easier to remove later.
3. Put the bacon and all of the other ingredients, except the pearl onions, mushrooms, butter and flour, into the crockpot.  Following the manufacturers directions, cook for 4 to 6 hours, until the meat is tender.  If your crockpot has a heat adjustment, use the lowest heat that will keep the liquid at a very low boil.
4. A half hour before the dish is cooked, remove the large onion halves, bay leaves and the pieces of carrot using a slotted spoon.
5. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms.
6. In a bowl, mix together the butter and flour to make a paste.
7. Use your fingers, crumble about half of the butter and flour mixture into the liquid and stir.  Cover and allow to return to a boil to thicken the gravy.  If necessary, add more of the mixture and repeat until the gravy is the desired thickness.
8. Skim off the surface fat and serve hot, accompanied with mashed potatoes.

I like to use smoked bacon slices, since they add an interesting flavor.  If you prefer to not have the smokiness, use fatback or pancetta.  If it is salty, simmer in hot water for 10 minutes to remove the salt before proceeding.

If you don't have a crockpot, use a casserole and cook covered in a 325°F (165°C) oven.

While the above recipe will make an adequate Beef en Daube, you may find the flavor a little one dimensional.  In cooking, you can add depths of flavor by a number of different techniques.  To make a more flavorful Beef en Daube, try the following:

Method 2

1. Fry the bacon until crisp.  Remove the bacon from the fat and set aside.
2. Working in batches if necessary, brown the meat on all sides in the hot bacon fat.  Place on a plate covered with two layers of paper towel to remove some of the excess fat.
3. Stick the pointed ends of the cloves into the outside of the onion halves.  This makes them easier to remove later.  Brown the cut surfaces of the onion halves in the bacon fat.  Drain on paper towel with the meat.
4. Put all of the ingredients, except the pearl onions, mushrooms, butter and flour, into the crockpot.  Following the manufacturers directions, cook for 4 to 6 hours, until the meat is tender.  If your crockpot has a heat adjustment, use the lowest heat that will keep the liquid at a very low boil.
5. About a half hour before the dish is done, remove the large onion halves, bay leaves and the pieces of carrot using a slotted spoon.
6. Saute the pearl onions and mushrooms in a little olive oil over medium high heat until browned.  Add to the crockpot and cook 30 minutes longer.
7. In a bowl, mix together the butter and flour to make a paste.
8. Using your fingers, crumble about half of the butter and flour mixture into the liquid and stir.  Cover and allow to return to a boil to thicken the gravy.  If necessary, add more of the mixture and repeat until the gravy is the desired thickness.
9. Skim off the surface fat and serve hot, accompanied with mashed potatoes.

The few extra step of browning the meat, onions and mushrooms will pay off in making a much tastier dish.

The butter and flour mixture is referred to as a beurre manié, or kneaded butter. The butter helps to keep the flour from clumping, and adds richness to the dish.  If you prefer not to use butter, you can make a slurry of the flour with 1/4 of water and use that to thicken the liquid.  As with the recipe above, use about half and see how thick the gravy gets before adding more.

Beef en Daube can be made a day or two ahead and reheated gently before serving.

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Due to the volume of questions received, not all can be answered.
© Lost Hobbit Enterprises 2004 onward

Ounces Weight vs Fluid Ounces Volume

Isn't it true that an 16 oz of dry goods is different that 16 oz of liquid measure.  If a recipe calls for 8oz of flour, you should measure it using a scale rather than using a cup (which is a liquid measure, no matter what kind of cup you use).  I'm confused.

--SM

The confusion comes from the fact that in English we use the word "ounce" when talking about both the weight of something or the volume  it occupies.  In cooking, if you are talking about the volume of something, technically you should refer to the measure as "fluid ounces" and if  you are weighing something then you can say just "ounces."

Ingredients such as beans, sugar or flour can be conveniently measured by volume in cups, pints, quarts, liters and all of the other units that are used to calculate volume, including fluid ounces.  They can also be weighed in pounds, kilograms and ounces.

Depending on what ingredient you are measuring, the weight in ounces and the volume in fluid ounces may be close to the same or vastly different.  Sixteen fluid ounces of water weigh very close to 16 ounces (1 pound)^*.

Sixteen fluid ounces (2 cups) of flour will weigh around 8 ounces (1/2 pound) if it is sifted, and somewhat more, around 9 ounces, if it is unsifted.  This is just a rough estimate, though.

So, if your recipe calls for "fluid ounces" then you are definitely using a volume measuring device, such as a liquid or dry measure.  See the post Difference Between Dry and Liquid Measuring Cups for guidance on which to use and how.

If the recipe just says "ounces", for some ingredients you may be able to assume that the author means to measure by weight.  For ingredients like flour, though, the author may mean either weight or volume so you need to be careful to understand which is being used.  In books on baking there is frequently a section near the start on techniques where sometimes they may clarify which measure they are using.

As a further note, fluid ounces may be abbreviated in recipes as "fl. oz." and ounces as just "oz."

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^* The scientist in me wants to say that is true provided that the water is close to room temperature and the ambient air pressure is close to standard pressure at sea level, but for most practical purposes you can consider them to be equivalent.

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If you have food or cooking questions, send them to Questions@KitchenSavvy.com



Due to the volume of questions received, not all can be answered.
© Lost Hobbit Enterprises 2004 onward