Tzatziki

In Athens, near Monastiraki Square, the streets are lined with restaurants serving gyros, kebabs, and platters of grilled meats. I’ve spent several afternoons sitting in wooden chairs at small tables eating platefuls of grilled lamb topped with French fries and tzatziki, the yogurt sauce flavored with garlic and fresh dill.  Tzatziki is on nearly every menu in Greece, and although most recipes are the same, I like to add green chile for a little “kick”. It’s very versatile and can be smeared into pita or used as a dip for raw vegetables or meat kebabs.

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Ingredients

Makes 3 Cups

Tzatziki:

• 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated 

• 2 garlic cloves, minced 

• 1/2 teaspoon minced green chile 

• 2 cups whole milk Greek yogurt 

• 2 tablespoon lemon juice 

• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped 

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Process

Squeeze the grated cucumber with your hands to release as much water as possible.  Wrap paper towels around the cucumbers and continue to squeeze.  In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, garlic, chile, yogurt, lemon juice, and salt. Stir well. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least thirty minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.