Homemade Cream Cheese, Mustard, and Ketchup

What if I told you that through one simple process, you could have cream cheese, mustard, and ketchup from your own kitchen? It's true, and so easy. By separating whey from yogurt, you get cream cheese and in turn, the whey can be used to make fermented mustard and ketchup with digestive benefits. Aside from feeling empowered by the knowledge that you can make your own condiments, this process also gives you control over the quality of ingredients that contribute to your final product. If you're even the slightest bit curious, please keep reading to see how easy it is to make all three of these foods at home with very little effort.

Whey and Cream Cheese:

3 cups organic plain yogurt

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and line it with a clean tea towel (or other thin towel). Add the yogurt and cover by folding up the corners of the towel. Let stand at room temperature for several hours to let the whey drain into the bowl while the milk solids stay in the strainer, thanks to the towel. When the whey stops dripping into the bowl, the cream cheese is ready and can be transferred to a clean container with a lid. Squeeze any remaining whey out of the towel and then pour the whey into a mason jar with lid. The cream cheese will last for about a month and the whey for about six months, both in the refrigerator.

Spicy Mustard:

1 ½ cup ground mustard

¾ cup filtered water

2 tablespoons whey

2 teaspoons sea salt

juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, mashed or minced

1 tablespoon honey

(Makes a little less than 2 cups)

Blend all ingredients together well, adding more water if necessary to reach your desired consistency. Place in a clean jar with the top of the mustard being at least one inch below the lip of the jar. Cover with a lid and keep at room temperature for about 3 days, then transfer to the refrigerator. Room temperature is generally considered to be 72 degrees Fahrenheit, so if your kitchen is warmer or colder, you can adjust the fermenting time by a half day to a whole day in either direction.

Note: This mustard is very strong and has a horseradish-like flavor. Experiment with different additions such as whole mustard seeds, herbs, etc. Adjust the amount of honey and/or garlic to your liking.

Ketchup:

1 ½ cups tomato paste

1/8 cup whey

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

¼ cup maple syrup

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed or minced

¼ cup fish sauce*

(Makes approximately 2 cups)

* If the thought of adding fish sauce gives you pause, I would ask that you at least try it once. In his book, “The Sriracha Cookbook,” Randy Clemens includes a recipe for Sriracha ketchup in which he also calls for fish sauce. He suggests making two batches, one with and one without the fish sauce, in order to really experience the difference. I suggest that you follow the above recipe but divide it into two jars before adding half the amount of fish sauce called for (1/8 cup), to only one of the jars.

Blend all of the ingredients together well and then place in a clean jar. There should be at least one inch of space between the ketchup and the top of the jar. Cover with a lid and leave at room temperature for about two days, depending on the temperature of your kitchen, as discussed in the mustard recipe above. Transfer to the refrigerator and enjoy.

Can you believe how easy that was?

All three of these recipes were adapted from Sally Fallon's “Nourishing Traditions” cookbook. For the most part, my changes were in the measurements and proportions.