Classic Tzatziki

I absolutely love tzatziki. It just may be my favorite dip of all time. Every bite dipped into a piece of warm pita reminds me of trips to Greece back in the day, meals shared around taking in the local sites. It's light and refreshing, full of bright Mediterranean flavors, and best of all, healthy. Creamy yogurt is blended with grated cucumber, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, a little olive oil, and a simple seasoning of salt and pepper. Before serving, stir in freshly chopped dill and you've got yourself an incredibly delicious dip. It's perfect for meze platters alongside sliced fresh vegetables, marinated olives and pita, or drizzled over savory protein and grain bowls.

If not making your tzatziki ahead, be sure to give yourself at least 3-4 hours before you plan to serve it, allowing the ingredients to meld for the best flavor.

---

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 C. Full-Fat, Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 Lg. English Cucumber (or two regular cucumbers)
• ½ Lemon
• 3 Cloves Garlic, Peeled
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Kosher Salt or to taste
• ½ tsp. White Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh Dill

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1) Gather all of your ingredients. If using a garlic press, squeeze the cloves through the press and add the minced garlic to a small bowl, covering with a tablespoon of olive oil. Otherwise, you can use a hand grater, or a Chef's Knife to finely mince the garlic.

Garlic soaked in olive oil will mellow that pungent bite of garlic without sacrificing flavor. If you love garlic, feel free to skip the olive oil and just add in the grated garlic.

Step 2) Peel and finely chop* the cucumber. If using regular cucumbers instead of the English variety, be sure to remove as many of the seeds as possible.

*If you are NOT using a food processor and doing this step by hand, carefully grate your peeled cucumber using a kitchen box grater. Because regular cucumbers have so many more seeds, I would highly suggest using the English cucumber (which is considerably less seedy) instead.

Step 3) Add the chopped cucumber to the bowl of your food processor. Add in a hefty pinch of salt. Hit the pulse button to processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until you reach a small, grated texture with no large pieces of cucumber- you do NOT want a super smooth texture. If using a box grater instead, you're ready for the next step.

Step 4) Remove the grated cucumber and place directly into a piece of cheesecloth that has been fitted over a bowl with a strainer. Squeeze as much of the water out that you can. If using a clean dishtowel instead, do the same.

Step 5) Using a rubber spatula, spoon the grated cucumber and place directly into the fine mesh strainer, pressing out any remaining liquid.

Step 6) Into your mixing bowl, add the yogurt, grated and strained cucumber, freshly squeezed lemon juice (from half a lemon), the white pepper and 2-3 teaspoons of kosher salt. Mix everything together until cohesive and well blended.

Cover the bowl and place it into the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Note: The dill does not get added until just before serving, so set it aside for now.

Step 7) Before serving and adding in the dill, adjust for seasoning (salt and pepper) as needed. Stir in the freshly chopped dill.

Step 8) Serve your tzatziki meze style alongside pita wedges, pita chips, crackers, fresh vegetable crudité and marinated olives, or as you wish. Tzatziki is also delicious served with chicken or lamb dishes, or as a savory spread for sandwiches.

Store leftover tzatziki, tightly sealed in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days, if it lasts that long!