Yogurt Cheese Quenelles with Fresh Greens and Grains

Searching for the perfect late summer meal? This light and healthy dish by Irene McGuiness is perfectly paired with Township 7’s Sauvignon Blanc in the summer issue of  TASTE Magazine. The lemon yogurt in this recipe is an ideal match for the citrus notes of our Sauvignon Blanc.

Yogurt Cheese Quenelles
2 cups plain yogurt
2 TBSP sumac powder
2 TBSP poppy seed
2 TBSP fresh chives, minced

Place yogurt in a fine meshed sieve lined with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Place sieve over a large bowl, allowing plenty of room for the yogurt to drain without it touching the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. The longer you let the yogurt drain, the thicker it becomes. Once drained, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Greens and Grains
1/2 cup buckwheat (also known as kasha)
6 cups fresh mixed salad greens including mizuna leaves
3/4 cup yellow and red cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP sherry vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
1/2 tsp liquid honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
toast points

Rinse buckwheat thoroughly. In a saucepan, combine with twice the amount of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff up with a fork and set aside to cool (can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve). Rinse and spin dry the salad greens. Place in a large bowl. Scatter with tomatoes and cooled buckwheat. In a small blow, combine remaining oil, vinegar, mustard, lemon zest, honey, salt and pepper and whisk to blend. Taste and add more seasonings if needed. Set salad and dressing aside.

Warm a dessert spoon in hot water. Scrape it across the surface of the yogurt cheese and turn out onto a plate to make the quenelles (balls). Repeat, cleaning spoon each time. Dust each quenelle with a little sumac powder or poppy seed or minced chives. Toss salad with dressing and spoon onto serving plates. Garnish with a trio of quenelles and a sprinkling of alfalfa sprouts. Serve with toast points and Township 7 Sauvignon Blanc well chilled.

Serves 4

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