Samogitian Kastinys (Žemaičių kastinys) — Warm Cultured Cream Spread

• 500 gcultured sour cream (20% fat, at room temperature)
• 120 gunsalted butter (softened but not melted)
• 60 mlfull-fat kefir (at room temperature)
• 1 clovegarlic (finely grated)
• 1.5 tspcaraway seeds
• 5 gfine sea salt
• 0.25 tspground white pepper
• 4 sprigfresh dill (finely chopped)
• 900 gwaxy potatoes
• 2 lwater
• 8 sliceruginė duona (Lithuanian dark rye bread, about 30 g per slice)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring the sour cream, butter, and kefir to 20–22°C before you begin, because cold dairy will split more easily. Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan containing 3 cm of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water.

2. 2

   Place the potatoes in a pot with 2 l water and 12 g fine sea salt, then bring them to a steady boil. Cook for 18–22 minutes, depending on size, until a skewer passes through the centers without resistance.

3. 3

   While the potatoes cook, put the softened butter into the warm bowl and stir it in one direction with a wooden spoon until creamy and glossy. Keep the heat gentle, because the butter should soften and emulsify rather than melt into a clear yellow pool.

4. 4

   Add the sour cream in 50 g spoonfuls, stirring continuously in the same direction after each addition until the mixture looks smooth. When all the sour cream has been incorporated, stir in the kefir in 20 ml additions to loosen the texture while keeping the kastinys thick.

5. 5

   Stir in the grated garlic, caraway seeds, 5 g fine sea salt, and white pepper, then continue warming and stirring for 3–4 minutes. The finished kastinys should be thick enough to mound softly on a spoon and should look satin-smooth rather than oily or curdled.

6. 6

   Drain the hot potatoes thoroughly and let them steam dry in the pot for 2 minutes. Spoon the warm kastinys into a bowl, sprinkle with the chopped dill, and serve immediately with the potatoes and slices of ruginė duona.