@FageUSA We had the opportunity to learn how to use FAGE products at The International Culinary Center in New York City recently. The Center is located at 462 Broadway Avenue and we went to one of the kitchens on the 5th floor. Chefs from the Center guided us through a hands-on experience of cooking with FAGE Total in eight different recipes, 6 of which we had a hand in making.
First, let me talk to a little about FAGE yogurt. FAGE is pronounced “fa-yeh” or FI-E – it’s a little tricky.
This Greek strained yogurt dates back to 1926 and started in a small dairy shop in Athens, Greece owned by Athanassios Filippou. As time passed, Athanassios’s yogurt became known as a “delicious, creamy, one-of-a-kind yogurt.” In Greece, up until 1975 yogurt was typically sold in bulk quantities and the specific manufacturers were rarely known to the individual consumers. That changed in 1975, when FAGE introduced branded yogurt products. FAGE continued to grow and started exporting their products to the rest of the world. It became available in the United States in 1998. In 2008, they opened a plant in Johnstown, New York.
Greek yogurt is a strained yogurt that uses a natural straining technique which removes excess water, dissolved salts and sugars. This results in a thick, creamy yogurt having more protein and fewer carbohydrates than common yogurt. The thickness and creaminess of FAGE yogurt is a result using four pounds of milk to get one pound of yogurt. FAGE plain yogurt is offered in three Classic, 2% and 0% (% of fat) varieties. Each variety has several different flavors. Visit the FAGE website for more detailed information.
As I stated earlier our group, under the guidance of the master chef from the International Culinary Center, made five recipes using FAGE yogurt:
- Fage Fried Chicken
- Fage Lemon Coleslaw
- Fage Macaroni and Cheese
- Fage Yogurt Dill Biscuits
- Fage Yogurt Greek Eggs Benedict
- Fage Yogurt Parfaits
- Fage Potato Salad
- Fage Panna Cotta with Rhubarb Strawberry Compote
The five recipes had a theme of a summer picnic using yogurt as a substitute for other dairy products. Once we had completed the different recipes, we sat down to enjoy them.
We started with the Eggs Benedict but never got to try them so that is the recipe I am going to give you. We did get to eat the Dill biscuits that were used in the Eggs Benedict as part of our lunch.
Fage Yogurt Greek Eggs Benedict Recipe
Recipe created by Edward Magel on behalf of FAGE
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 8 medium FAGE Yogurt Dill Biscuits
- 8 medium Canadian B
- 10 ounces Fresh Spinach leaves, washed and dried
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 recipe FAGE Yogurt Hollandaise
- 8 large Eggs
- 1 tablespoon White Vinegar
- 1/3 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
Directions:
- Place 2 biscuits on each plate.
- Put salted water in a large skillet to the depth of about 2 inches. Add vinegar. And bring to a simmer.
- Gently sauté Canadian bacon in a dry sauté pan and keep warm.
- Warm a medium sauté pan with olive oil. Add spinach and sauté until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
- When water with vinegar is just barely simmering, crack an egg into a small dish, and then gently slide egg into water. Repeat with remaining 7 eggs. Cook 3 – 4 minutes.
- While eggs are poaching, top each biscuit with 1 slice of Canadian bacon and sautéed spinach.
- With a slotted spoon, top the spinach with one poached egg.
- Spoon Hollandaise Sauce over each egg and garnish with crumbled feta.
- Serve immediately.
Fage Yogurt Blender Hollandaise Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 large Egg Yolks
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Dry Mustard Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Siracha Pepper Sauce
- 4 ounces Butter, warm & melted
- 3 tablespoons FAGE Total Classic
Directions:
- Place all ingredients (except the melted butter) in the bowl of the blender. Mix briefly to combine well.
- With machine running on low, gradually add the warm melted butter in a slow stream through the
center opening of the lid. - Transfer mixture into a double boiler over warm water (no flame). Whisk in yogurt. Serve warm, not
hot.
More recipes are available on the FAGE website.
I had a great time working with two young ladies from Woman’s Day magazine; Mandy and Brynn. Wendy was busy documenting the experience with her camera, chatting it up with other bloggers, and tweeting and updating Facebook about the event. We worked in groups of three and there were around 10 different groups. Other than the chef and FAGE representative, there was only one other guy present besides me. Us guys like to cook, eat, and blog about it and we need more.
I have used yogurt a couple times in recipes before, but those recipes actually called specifically for yogurt. Based on yesterday’s experience, I think I will start using yogurt more and part, in lieu of milk or cream, especially Fage because of its creaminess and it nutritional value.
Italian cuisine is generally quite simple in its nature: you won’t find dishes with many parts and a wide variety of spices. Instead there is an almost obsessive focus on simple superb ingredients – Italian chefs make sure their olive oil is perfect, that their tomatoes are just ripe and that their prosciutto is of the highest quality. So your first port of call has to be a good grocery where you can pick up premiere, authentic ingredients – these will really make a difference.
