Za'atar and Labneh

Since it is the beginning of the new year, now is a great time to try some new things. Some of you may have heard of za’atar spice and labneh, which are both great middle eastern foods. Za’atar is a spice blend of sumac, toasted sesame, thyme, marjoram, oregano, savory and mediterranean sea salt. I first tried this super flavorful blend when I was living in SF years ago, a roommate of mine introduced me to it. We ate it with pita bread and dipped it into labneh (middle eastern cheese - kind of like cream cheese, but better) that was topped with olive oil and the spice mixture.

It is very easy to make the labneh, just take a quart of your favorite whole milk yogurt, add 1/2 tsp of salt, and pour into a strainer covered with a fine mesh cheesecloth or clean dishtowel. The strainer should be over a bowl, big enough to catch all the liquid and not go back into the yogurt. Let the labneh strain in the fridge for 24 hours and serve with olive oil and za’atar. It goes well as a side dish with chicken or lamb, also it goes great with breakfast. Be creative with how you serve it! I’m sure you will like it, let me know what you think in the comments below.