#tzatziki

As you may recall, we have a special connection with Hellenic cuisine. The years we spent living in Astoria, Queens broadened our appreciation for Greek food beyond gyros and feta-studded salads and we took plenty of notes. Plus there was that one time my brother joined the Greek Orthodox Church and smuggled out his monastery’s yogurt recipe. This recipe, in fact, forms the base of our tzatziki(τζατζίκι), a sort of yogurt and cucumber salad. Tzatziki is excellent as a dip or spread and the fresh flavors of dill and oregano make it a summertime favorite.

Greeks, generally speaking, aren’t crazy about spicy foods so our version has more heat than you may be used to. Adjust accordingly. Our tzatziki is also loaded with cucumber. With this said, don’t make or buy non-fat yogurt. This is not a smoothie. Indulge in the luscious flavor of true στραγγιστό γιαούρτι!

• 2½ cups plain Greek (i.e., strained) yogurt (our recipe here)
• Half an English cucumber, finely diced (approximately 2 cups)
• ¼ cup fresh dill, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, finely minced
• ½ small red onion, finely diced (approximately 1/3 cup)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Fold ingredients together in a bowl and allow the flavors to mingle for at least 10 minutes before serving. Have plenty of pita and/or crudités on hand to accompany the tzatziki. Tzatziki goes particularly well with grilled meat and a bottle of retsina, Greek resinated wine.

The sole mission going to the grocery store this past Saturday afternoon was to gather as many Greek and/or Mediterranean staples as fast as I could before being lured into purchasing all the specialty items that are all too appealing to a shopper whose stomach started rumbling 30 seconds after she left for the market. 

I managed to escape with minimal damage to my bank account. I consider my $15 Malbec an investment in my wine education - with it’s origin of a stony terroir and proclamations of deep cherry and black currant…

I got all the things I needed to eat Greek for about five days, or maybe a week if I water down the tzatziki a little lot. 

To prep for the week, I chopped up cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion, added a small squeeze of lemon juice, tossed and refrigerated to use for Greek salads. 

Central market has an excellent array of Mediterranean side dishes in its to-go section, so surely I could replicate at least one of those with ease. Couscous with spinach and feta. Cook couscous, add spinach while warm, toss in some feta while cool. Refrigerate. Meh.

What did turn out fabulously was the tzatziki sauce, with a little help from Ina Garten.

1 container Fage plain nonfat Greek yogurt + ½ cucumber, grated + juice from ½ lemon

Cut cucumber in half, then cut lengthwise to scoop out the seeds. Grate one half, wrap in paper towel, and gently squeeze out excess water. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate to allow the flavors to come together.

What I love about the Mediterranean diet, other than getting to play up my nostalgia for days spent traveling through southern Italy and Greece, is that I am always satisfied. Plenty of lean meats, fresh fruit and vegetables, protein-packed Greek yogurt. This is most likely a base description, but I’m happy, my wine glass is happy, my kitchen is happy, and due to my habit of playing Italian opera loudly when I cook, my neighbors most likely are not too happy.

Santorini styled souvlaki with vegan lamb, vegan chicken, chips, tomato and tzatziki

I Should Be Souvlaki

Newtown - Sydney