Tzatziki

As mentioned in this post when I made Spanokopita, I consider myself an expert in all things Greek having been to Greece once and having attended two Greek Festivals so I was excited to find a new recipe for Tzatziki.  I’m always hesitant to make Tzatziki because I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t like shredding the cucumbers or mincing the garlic. Too much knuckle scraping labor.   And I really don’t like squeezing all the liquid out of the cucumbers.  In my opinion, there goes the flavor.

This recipe was a  little different from other recipes I have tried because you put all of the ingredients in the food process and chop them together.  I was hoping for a creamy dip but the texture was a little grainy in my opinion.  It didn’t really bother me because when you put the tzaziki on crackers or veggie chips, you don’t notice the texture.  At least I didn’t. However, you might want to stick with the traditional grated cucumbers if the texture is an issue.  If speed is an issue, go with this method.

Even though I’m a Greek expert, I didn’t know what Tzatziki meant. I’m often careful not to use a word unless I know what it means, for example, osculate. Be careful with that one.  It might get you into trouble.  I made a few guesses before looking up the meaning of tzatziki – “stinky-garlic-breath-foreigner” or maybe “cucumber-a-go-go”, or “Parthenon-trespasser.”

The translation wasn’t very easy to find but worth the hunt.  The root word, cacik, comes from Turkey and means herb.  That’s somewhat broad for a salad name, but I kept reading.  The fun part of my research led me to the name that they call this salad in Bulgaria and Serbia – Snow White Salad.  Of course I immediately think of Disney’s Snow White.  She would be saying, “Please resuscitate me with osculation,” but if she had eaten the salad, I fear there would be no osculation for her.  Princes don’t like “stinky-garlic-breath-foreigners” even in fairy tales.

Tzatziki

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 cucumber peeled, cored, and diced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons dried dillweed

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.  Great with fresh vegetables, on salads, or with crackers and vegetable chips.