Scallion-Marinated Labneh Balls

Name: Scallion-Marinated Labneh Balls
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H45M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M4DT0H45M0.000S
Yield: 40 balls
Ingredients: 1 quart whole-milk Greek yogurt; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed; 2 bunches scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces; Radishes with stems, crispy toasts, hard-boiled eggs seasoned with za’atar, mixed nuts, a bowl of olives, optional; Cornichons, English cucumbers sliced on the bias (and sprinkled with flaky salt) and dried apricots, for serving, optional

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Level: Easy

Total: 4 days 45 min (includes draining and marinating times)
Active: 45 min

Yield: 40 balls

Labneh, which is like a Middle Eastern cream cheese, is made from yogurt that’s drained until it's thicker than Greek yogurt. If you drain even more of the moisture, you can roll it into little balls, preserve them in infused olive oil and keep them refrigerated about five days. The texture is somewhere between crumbly and spreadable and they look gorgeous on a grazing board.

Level: Easy

Total: 4 days 45 min (includes draining and marinating times)
Active: 45 min

Yield: 40 balls

Ingredients

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1 quart whole-milk Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed

2 bunches scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

Assorted Accompaniments:

Radishes with stems, crispy toasts, hard-boiled eggs seasoned with za’atar, mixed nuts, a bowl of olives, optional

Cornichons, English cucumbers sliced on the bias (and sprinkled with flaky salt) and dried apricots, for serving, optional

Directions

Line a colander with 3 layers of cheesecloth and set the colander over a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, salt and lemon juice and pour it into the cheesecloth. Cover, refrigerate and let drain for 24 hours. (Discard the liquid in the bowl or reserve for another use.)
Line a small baking sheet with a layer of paper towel and use a melon baller to scoop out small blobs of the labneh onto the paper towel. Top with another layer of paper towel and place in the refrigerator for another 24 hours, changing the paper towel when it becomes saturated with liquid. The easiest way to do this is by changing the top layer of paper towel, placing another baking sheet on top of the balls, flipping it over and then replacing the bottom layer of paper towel (which has now become the top layer). As the blobs drain, you’ll notice that they’ll start firming up; at this time, you can use your hands to roll them into balls until they’re nice and smooth.
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Place the scallions in a heat-safe container and pour the hot olive oil over the scallions. Let cool to room temperature.
Add the labneh balls to the olive oil mixture, adding additional olive oil if needed to cover the labneh completely. Cover and refrigerate for 2 more days and enjoy! If the olive oil firms up in the refrigerator, let the container sit at room temperature for a bit before fishing out the balls. These will last another 5 days in the fridge.
Serve the labneh on a platter with radishes with stems, crispy toasts, hard-boiled eggs seasoned with za’atar, mixed nuts, a bowl of olives, cornichons, English cucumbers sliced on the bias (and sprinkled with flaky salt) and dried apricots if desired.