27 July 2009

Yet another Tzatziki Recipe!

...I know, there are as many tzatziki recipes - in the kitchen, in your cookbooks, in your family's culinary treasures, online - as you can imagine, yes? And now I offer one more to the mix, Vera's Tzatziki, oh yes...


TzatzĂ­ki (Greek cucumber-yogurt salad)

Ingredients

2 32-oz. containers plain yogurt, strained
1 cucumber, preferably English hothouse (peeled, seeded and cubed to 1/4-inch thickness or grated)
3-4 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tsp for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
1 oz. fresh dill, finely chopped (optional)


Directions

1. If you can’t find strained yogurt at a local grocery or specialty store, line a medium size mesh strainer with cheesecloth (doubled), add yogurt and cover; strain over a larger bowl or pot for at least 3 hours, draining juice if needed to maintain enough space for juices to strain freely. Note: Danon brand plain yogurt is a jewel and available at your local supermarket!

2. Mix all ingredients in a non-reactive medium mixing bowl. Place several layers of paper towel on top. Change paper towels 1-2 times while chilling in refrigerator overnight (at least 6 hours).




Serves 8-12.
Recommended with roasted salads, fried vegetables (e.g. eggplant or zucchini) and warm crusty bread (e.g. baguette, any rustic loaf). Tzatziki is an excellent companion to Moussaka and Spanakopita. Our friend Katie eats it with her chicken salad sandwiches and "Cool Ranch" Doritos, sometimes even just with a spoon...or her fingers! And our habibti Abeer loves it with extra olive oil as a dressing for her monster salads chockfulla greens, cilantro and other colorful fresh veggies, mmm mm good!

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