Tzatziki Platter

Here’s a quick dish to take to a summer party, colorful and so flavorful. When I make tzatziki for friends and family I use “real” dairy yogurt for a traditional flavor, it’s just too good!

You can easily double or triple this tzatziki recipe, it does keep well in the fridge for a few days.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain Greek full fat yogurt 

• 2 “baby” English cucumbers, washed and dried

• 1 T extra virgin olive oil

• 1 T fresh chopped mint, dill or parsley

• 1 small clove garlic, crushed 

• 2 t fresh lemon juice (or to taste)

• generous pinch salt 

Instructions:

Grate the cucumbers on the wider hole side of a grater, then squeeze excess water out by pressing them in a fine sieve or wrapping and squeezing in cheesecloth.

Mix cucumbers, yogurt and remaining ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Let tzatziki chill for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight to allow the flavors to marry. 

Serve drizzled with a bit more olive oil, accompanied by your favorite vegetables, olives and cubes of feta cheese.

When I was in Crete years ago we had a few different varieties of tzatziki. One had grated carrots in addition to the cucumbers, another was flavored with red wine vinegar instead of lemon. All were delicious!