Hugo Arnold finds many uses for home-made yogurt
I make up small batches of yogurt, combining milk at blood temperature with a starter culture, and bottle it in glass jars. It has an acidic kick to it which is refreshing, without being jarring. It goes well over a summer breakfast of melon and watermelon. The richness adds a soothing element. If I'm feeling more adventurous, I add muesli.
Yogurt comes into its own in the evening. A recent supper of pot-roasted lamb was served with couscous, spiced butter and yogurt spiked with garlic and roasted cumin. Swirled into soups at the last minute, yogurt adds depth and interest in a way cream cannot. And as the weather gets warmer and cold soups appear on the table, it takes pride of place in a cucumber soup.
The acid in yogurt makes it a useful marinade ingredient. I don't believe in the power of marinades to tenderise meat significantly, but they do bring complexity. If you add roasted spices - coriander and cumin are my favourites - to yogurt laced with garlic, a leg of lamb takes on an altogether different hue. Wrap it in tin foil and keep it at least a few days. It will look quite messy when you put it in the oven, but roasting coagulates everything nicely.
Labneh is a Middle Eastern way with yogurt which involves straining off some of the liquid to give something firmer, almost like a soft cheese in consistency. Spooned over salads, or used with vegetables and grilled meats, it brings richness without heaviness. Courgettes braised with olive oil and garlic accompanied my grilled lamb the other night, and a spoonful of labneh brought the whole assembly together.
For real summer freshness look no further than the Indian drink lassi. In the south of India this generally comes salted, and in the north with sugar. Sometimes spices are added; a dusting of nutmeg to soothe, or cumin to enliven it. Whatever route you take, this is a concoction designed to refresh and invigorate.