Kitchen Hint #2 - Don't put too much garlic in the tzatziki sauce
Inspired by Trenton's wonderful tzatziki sauce a couple of summers back, we have been enjoying this yummy accompaniment regularly. I have come up with a delicious version that is fascinating to make (really, it is!), but recently got a bit carried away.
Confession time? I put in a whole head of very fresh garlic. Yeah. It hurt. It was the most painful tzatziki sauce I have ever eaten. Yipes.
I was really thinking, "Wow, this garlic is so fresh. It's slicing up so nicely." And clove after final clove later, I had a moment of "Hmmm. Is it possible that this is too much?" After tossing that caution into the wind, I continued on. Oh yeah, baby (sorry, Emeril), it was too hot.
Now, some of you are scratching your heads and twisting up your pretty faces over this one puzzling question: what in the world is tzatziki sauce? Tzatziki is a delicious (normally!) sauce that is served with Mediterranean foods. It's comprised simply of plain yogurt, garlic, mint, and cucumber.
So if you dare (after reading that!), here is a GOOD recipe for tzatziki sauce:
Greek Tzatziki (feeds 12)
Begin the night before:
~One large (16 oz) container plain yogurt (Mountain High is a great brand)
~4 cloves garlic, minced
~1/2 English cucumber, finely chopped
~3 mint leaves, coarsely chopped or torn into tiny pieces
~Dash kosher salt
What to do:
Line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth or 3-plies of paper towels. Place over a bowl big enough to rest the sieve over without touching the bottom of the bowl (you'll want to allow quite a bit of water to gather below without touching the sieve). Spoon the yogurt into the cheesecloth-lined sieve. Set in the fridge overnight to drain.
In the morning, remove the yogurt from the sieve. You will be amazed (this is the fascinating part) at how much water is in yogurt! The yogurt you started with will now be the consistency of cream cheese.
Mix together the yogurt and remaining ingredients. Let sit in fridge for a couple of hours to blend flavors. Enjoy with warmed pitas or flatbreads, on top of salmon, or with fresh veggies and kebabs as a dip.
Fresco e bello: Yogurt has more water in it than watermelon! True fact!
Confession time? I put in a whole head of very fresh garlic. Yeah. It hurt. It was the most painful tzatziki sauce I have ever eaten. Yipes.
I was really thinking, "Wow, this garlic is so fresh. It's slicing up so nicely." And clove after final clove later, I had a moment of "Hmmm. Is it possible that this is too much?" After tossing that caution into the wind, I continued on. Oh yeah, baby (sorry, Emeril), it was too hot.
Now, some of you are scratching your heads and twisting up your pretty faces over this one puzzling question: what in the world is tzatziki sauce? Tzatziki is a delicious (normally!) sauce that is served with Mediterranean foods. It's comprised simply of plain yogurt, garlic, mint, and cucumber.
So if you dare (after reading that!), here is a GOOD recipe for tzatziki sauce:
Greek Tzatziki (feeds 12)
Begin the night before:
~One large (16 oz) container plain yogurt (Mountain High is a great brand)
~4 cloves garlic, minced
~1/2 English cucumber, finely chopped
~3 mint leaves, coarsely chopped or torn into tiny pieces
~Dash kosher salt
What to do:
Line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth or 3-plies of paper towels. Place over a bowl big enough to rest the sieve over without touching the bottom of the bowl (you'll want to allow quite a bit of water to gather below without touching the sieve). Spoon the yogurt into the cheesecloth-lined sieve. Set in the fridge overnight to drain.
In the morning, remove the yogurt from the sieve. You will be amazed (this is the fascinating part) at how much water is in yogurt! The yogurt you started with will now be the consistency of cream cheese.
Mix together the yogurt and remaining ingredients. Let sit in fridge for a couple of hours to blend flavors. Enjoy with warmed pitas or flatbreads, on top of salmon, or with fresh veggies and kebabs as a dip.
Fresco e bello: Yogurt has more water in it than watermelon! True fact!
posted by Karen | 1:03 PM
7 Comments:
Karen~
Yummmm....My husband will love this. He loves Greek food.
Roberta:)
It is the BEST. We LOVE tzatziki.
~MamaK
Could you give me a phonetic spelling. Is it tat-teeky? or zat-zeeky? or tat-tikky? or zatz-icky? hahaha (get it zatz-icky, okay my husband thinks I'm weird, I thought it was funny! ;))
Good night, zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Roberta :)
Okay, that made me laugh out loud...and it's pronounced "Tzot-ziki"
:-D
Wait. Let me try that again:
"tsut" (light on the short 'u' sound)
"ziki" (kind of like 'bikini')
Say it really fast, now...
Say it fast?!?! I can't even say it slow!! lol
Roberta :)
Okay, now *I'm* laughing out loud!
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