Spell Check – Tzatziki

Spelling has never been my long suit (a genetic failing according to my mother who was a champion speller)  The word for this weeks recipe – Tzatziki Sauce is a alphabet challenge and to make matters worse, it’s never in spellcheck – the life raft for someone like me.  I have to look the word up every time I use it – even in between drafts of this post.

Even though Tzatziki is a tongue twister, this delicious Greek sauce has been favorite in our house for years.  I had it once in a Greek restaurant in Chicago and fell in love.

The light creamy texture combined with a lemony garlic flavor makes it the perfect summer sauce.  It goes with everything from grilled chicken to my Great Greek Salad to plain old hamburgers.  Tune in for a delectable Turkey Burgers with Spinach and Feta recipe next week – just the vehicle for this lovely Tzatziki Sauce.

Make a batch this week, store it in the fridge and watch it disappear.

Tzatziki Sauce

This delicious Greek sauce is perfect for summer. It's light, fresh and has a bright zippy flavor. I serve it with my Turkey Burgers w/Spinach and Feta, with Greek Salad and/or grilled chicken. It's a household favorite.

Servings 8 people

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber or 4-6 small cucumbers
• 1 cloves garlic or 2 small cloves
• 2 cups Greek yogurt nonfat, 2% or whole milk
• 1 large lemon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Wash and peel the cucumbers - I often make this sauce when I have a bunch of cucumbers from the farmer's market. If you are using a regular cucumber, remove the seeds as well
  
• Grate the cucumbers - I love using this vintage Rapid grater from my mother's kitchen
  
• Place the grated cucumbers in a colander with a pinch of salt - let drain for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour
  
• Using a large spoon or your hands squeeze as much moisture out of the cucumbers as you can
  
• Press the 1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic or chop into a fine mince
  
• Measure your Greek yogurt - I love the Fage Greek yogurt found at most grocery stores and Costco. It tastes fabulous, is gluten free and has no fillers, starches or extra ingredients (The KilKenney Kitchen owl loves it too!)
  
• Place the 2 cups of yogurt in a large bowl and add the drained cucumbers
  
• Add the juice from the lemon, the pressed garlic and the 1/4 tsp of dried dill to the yogurt mixture
  
• Mix until well blended and drizzle with the 2 tsp of olive oil (if you use 2% or whole milk yogurt, skip the olive oil. I find the non fat yogurt needs a bit of fat to build the flavor) Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a week
  
• Serve with Turkey Burgers w/Spinach & Feta (check the recipe index) or your favorite chicken, beef or fish