What follows is a short compendium of recipes that are meant to inspire and empower you to use skyr in one of the broad spectrum of contexts in which it sings. But it’s just a jumping off point. Let your imagination take flight!

VVF’s Life Affirming Potato Salad

Serves one and a half Laurens or 4 normal people

  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold, fingerling or new potatoes, halved or quartered to achieve roughly uniform bite sized pieces

  • 2/3 cup mayo (Kewpie or Hellman’s is yummiest)

  • 2/3 cup skyr

  • 2-3 tablespoons good quality Dijon mustard (if you can find Edmund Fallot Tarragon or Walnut mustard it will turn this all up to eleven)

  • 3-4 stalks celery or 4-5 radishes, sliced for maximum cronche

  • some sliced cornichons/gherkins (WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE, FR?!) if you’re into that sort of thing

  • one bunch finely chopped chives

  • one bunch finely chopped fresh dill

  • liberal amounts of salt and black pepper to taste

How to Make It

Cover potatoes in cold water by about an inch and bring to a boil. There is some debate as to whether you should cut the tates before or after cooking. I honestly do not know which is better so do what works for you. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and cool.

In a large-ish bowl, whisk together mayo, skyr and mustard, then add veg and herbs and mix well, then fold in potatoes and season to taste. Explode with joy.

Perfect VVF Toast

More of a serving suggestion than a recipe per se …..

Take a couple of hearty slices of your very favorite bread and, you know, toast them. Or better yet, lightly fry them in a cast iron pan w olive oil.

Schmear with a goodly spoonful or two of skyr and top with any of the following:

  • A simple drizzle of olive oil and a few pinches of flaky salt

  • A dollop of chili crisp

  • Some forkfuls of kimchi

  • Spiced or fried chick peas

  • Sliced tomatoes

  • Jam or fruit preserves

Cilbir (Turkish Eggs)

adapted from Ozlem’s Turkish Table

Ingredients

  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed and chopped finely

  • 1 cup / 8 fl. oz. skyr, brought to room temperature

  • 2 large free range eggs

  • 30 ml / 2 tbsp. olive oil

  • 30 ml / 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar

  • 10 ml / 2 tsp. Turkish pul biber, red pepper flakes or chili flakes

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the garlic sauce first – about 10, 15 minutes before poaching the eggs – and bring to the room temperature.

  2. In a small bowl, beat skyr with garlic and seasoning. Spoon this into two serving plates, creating a round thick layer to provide a nest for the poached egg. Let the mixture reach the room temperature.

  3. Fill a small pan with hot water, add the vinegar (this will help sealing the egg whites) and bring to a boil. Stir the water to create a whirlpool and crack in the first egg.

  4. As the egg spins and the white sets around the yolk, stir the water ready for the next one. Poach each egg for 2-3 minutes so that the yolk remains soft.

  5. While the eggs are poaching, quickly pour in the olive oil in a small pan and stir in the Turkish pul biber, red pepper flakes or chili flakes, over medium to high heat. Stir and let the red pepper flakes infuse to olive oil for a few minutes, turn the heat off.

  6. Lift the eggs out of the water with a slotted spoon and place them over the garlic skyr spread.

  7. Drizzle the red pepper flakes infused olive oil over the poached eggs. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Labneh Dip With Sizzled Scallions and Chile

adapted from Alison Roman, The New York Times

  • ⅓ cup olive oil

  • 4 scallions (or green garlic), white and light green parts, thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems) or chives, plus more for garnish

  • Flaky sea salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 cups skyr

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

PREPARATION

  1. Heat the olive oil, scallions, red-pepper flakes and cilantro in a small pot over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the scallions and red-pepper flakes start to visually and audibly sizzle and frizzle and turn the oil a bright, fiery orange. Remove from the heat, and let cool enough to taste without burning your mouth, then season with salt and pepper.

  2. Combine the skyr and lemon juice in a medium bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a bowl and swirl in the sizzled scallion mixture. Top with extra cilantro, if you like.

Simple Spring Pasta

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven

  • 1 pound (16 ounces) short pasta 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 1 shallot, peeled and minced

  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

  • 1 bunch (about 1 pound) asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces, ends trimmed off

  • 16 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, torn into bite sized pieces

  • 8 ounces skyr

  • 1/3 cup milk

  • 1 cup cup freshly-grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of generously-salted water, according to package instructions.  Once the pasta is nearly ready, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and reserve it on the side (we will use it later).  Then drain the pasta and set aside.  (<– For ideal timing, I recommend adding the pasta to the boiling water around the time you begin cooking the asparagus and mushrooms.)

  • While the pasta water is heating, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. add the shallot.  Saute for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the asparagus and mushrooms, and continue sauteing for another 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

  • In a separate small mixing bowl, add the goat cheese, milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water.  Whisk until combined.

  • Once the pasta is cooked and drained, immediately add asparagus/mushroom mixture and the goat cheese sauce to the pasta, and toss to combine.  If the sauce is too thick, you can stir in an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved hot pasta water to thin it out.  Otherwise, serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and black pepper, if desired.

Fattet Hummus

adapted from Saveur Magazine

  • 1 1⁄2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight with 1 tsp. baking powder, then drained, or two (16-oz.) cans chickpeas, drained

  • 2 (8") pita breads, torn into 1" pieces

  • 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 3⁄4 cup pine nuts

  • 1 cup skyr

  • 3 tbsp. minced mint

  • 1⁄4 tsp. paprika

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, browned

Instructions

  1. If using dried chickpeas, boil them in water in an 8-qt. saucepan until very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain; transfer to a shallow dish.

  2. Heat oven to 400°. Toss pita with 1⁄3 cup oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet; spread into an even layer. Bake until golden and crisp, 8–10 minutes; let cool slightly and toss with chickpeas. Heat remaining oil in an 8" skillet over medium-high. Cook pine nuts until golden, 4–5 minutes; set aside. Stir skyr mint, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl; drizzle over pita mixture. Top with pine nuts; drizzle with brown butter.

Dahi Toast

adapted from Indian(-ish) by Priya Krishna with Ritu Krishna

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for cooking the toasts

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

  • 3 sprigs fresh curry leaves, stripped (24 to 30 leaves)

  • 1 cup skyr

  • 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (stems and leaves)

  • 2 small Indian green chiles or serrano chiles, finely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Pinch of red chile powder

  • 12 large slices white sourdough bread

  • Ketchup, for serving (optional)

  • Cilantro Chutney for serving (see recipe) (optional)

Directions

1. In a butter warmer or small pan over low heat, warm the oil. Once the oil is warm but not super hot, add the black mustard seeds and as soon as they begin to pop and dance around in the oil, which should be within seconds, remove the pan from the heat. Add the curry leaves, making sure they get fully coated in the oil (there may be more popping and splattering, and that’s okay!). The leaves should immediately crisp up in the residual heat. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, onion, cilantro, green chiles, salt, black pepper, and red chile powder. Spread the yogurt mixture over 6 slices of the bread and top with the remaining slices to make 6 sandwiches.

3. In a large pan over medium heat, warm 1 teaspoon oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, reduce the heat to low and add as many sandwiches as will fit in the pan. Cook until the undersides are crisp and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip them, add another teaspoon of oil to the pan, and cook until the other side is crisp and slightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the sandwiches to a platter and repeat to cook the remaining sandwiches.

4. Divide the spiced oil mixture evenly over the top of the sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately with a side of ketchup and/or chutney, if desired.
 

Cilantro Chutney
Makes 1/2 cup (can be easily multiplied)

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, preferably organic, stems and leaves roughly chopped (about 4 cups)

  • 1 small Indian green chile or serrano chile, roughly chopped

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime), plus more if needed

  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed

Directions

1. In a blender, combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add a few drops of water to get it going. Taste and adjust the salt and/or lime juice, if needed. This chutney keeps, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 2 days.

Grapefruit Skyr Teacake

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen/Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (230 grams) skyr
1 cup (200 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar
3 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon grated grapefruit zest (approximately one large grapefruit)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
1/3 cup (80 ml) freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

For the glaze:
1 cup (120 grams) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the skyr, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, grapefruit zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup grapefruit juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the grapefruit-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and grapefruit juice and pour over the cake.