Greek Tzatziki

Vacationing on the rural Greek coast with my family, we had plenty of opportunities to give ten-month-old Kai samples of local taverna fare. While fresh grilled fish seems to be a perennial favorite, a new delight was tzatziki. Most tavernas have a list of various prepared salads that accompany main dishes, but perhaps none is as ubiquitous as tzatziki, a combination of thick Greek yogurt, grated cucumber and sharp, fresh garlic. Kai took tremendous delight in covering himself in tzatziki, swimming in tzatziki and finally even tasting some off a spoon.
Ingredients
- 2 medium cucumbers
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, finely pressed
- Squeeze of lemon
- Drizzle of olive oil
Preparation
- Grate cucumbers, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, allow to drain in small colander for half an hour. Meanwhile, mix yogurt and garlic together and allow drain in cheesecloth-lined bowl for half an hour. Mix cucumbers and lemon juice into yogurt, and then drizzle with olive oil.
- Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons