Tzatziki Sauce

We LOVE Tzatziki Sauce around here!  (A Greek cucumber/yogurt sauce).  I love all the flavors together- it's just divine.  I've made this recipe often, but it always gets scarfed down too fast for me to get a photo.  The other day, I made this for dinner, and it was our main dish, along with some homemade Naan bread.  Some garden-fresh veggies completed the meal (not from my garden, unfortunatley.  Actually, I don't even have a garden.  I'm hanging my head in shame!)  We're lucky enough to have a friend who is supplying us with a copious amount of fresh cucumbers, and some occasional tomatoes (they're not "on" yet over here, but will be soon).  I can't wait for the maters!!  My kids all like this, by the way, and two of them even love it.  :)

Tzatziki is great with some fresh herbs added.  Dill would be wonderful, or fresh mint.  I recently bought a fresh parsley and a fresh rosemary plant, so I threw some fresh parsley into this.  Also, if your cucumber peel is tender, leave it on, because the flecks of green make your tzatziki really pretty.  I partially peeled my cukes this time around since the peel was a little tough in spots. 

Use Greek yogurt for the best Tzatziki, or drain regular yogurt to get out some of the liquid.  (To do this, place your yogurt in layers of cheesecloth, or a coffee filter, set in a strainer over a bowl for a few hours).  If you're not using Greek yogurt and are straining it, I would add a little extra.

I use a little more yogurt than the original recipe calls for, and usually a long English cucumber, or two shorter, regular ones.

Tzatziki Sauce

adapted from Eating, Etc.

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 long cucumber or two shorters ones, shredded (squeeze out excess water with hands)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 fresh garlic clove, minced
fresh herbs, optional

1) Combine all ingredients together and stir well.  Refrigerate for a few hours before serving. 

2) Serve with pita or naan bread.

3) Refrigerate leftovers (if there are any- which there never are in my house!)

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