It’s national barbecue day🔥, and how do we make a good barbecue a great barbecue? For us, it’s all in the condiments, so here’s our favorite Tzatziki recipe.
We were taught this method by a Greek friend many moons ago, when our culinary expertise was limited to a mean ham & mayo toastie and pouring hot water over a noodle pot. Hey, we all had to start somewhere right? 🤷🏻♀️
The key to this method is letting the cucumbers hang out in garlic and salt before you add them to the yogurt. Serve this up with grilled lamb burgers, marinated chicken, veggie kebabs or just dive in with a lovely loaf of bread.
The only point left up for debate is whether you’re team dill or team mint. We’re fans of either one or both at the same time, and TBH it’s more a matter of what’s in our fridge. So wing it, go fire up the grill & gather some friends!
1 English cucumber, peeled and grated
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups (1 pint or 1/2 liter) Greek yogurt, we prefer whole milk or 2%
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill and/or mint
Grate the cucumbers and toss them with 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Transfer them to a sieve and place over a bowl to drain, set aside.
Using a pestle and mortar, smush the garlic and remaining salt until they form a paste. You can also use the side of your knife and smush the garlic and salt against your chopping board. Put the paste in a bowl and add the vinegar and olive oil, combine.
Spoon the drained cucumber into a kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Add it to the bowl with the garlic paste and combine well. Set aside for 15 minutes or so, and go make yourself a cocktail 🍹.
Then add the yogurt, white pepper, dill and/or mint. Combine thoroughly. Cover tightly and refrigerate for a couple of hours if you can wait that long!