Tzatziki Sauce

The hubs and I got to spend some time with his family this summer and one of the best things I ate during that time was Aunt Lynn's Tzatziki Sauce. Although Aunt Lynn had to leave the night we arrived, she left a huge container of Tzatziki for us to gobble up during the week. After returning back home I emailed Aunt Lynn for her recipe and she graciously shared it with me. She recommended the sauce with middle eastern shish kebobs and whole wheat pitas, which is exactly what I made to go with this creamy, zippy cucumber sauce. The pita and kebob recipes will follow in the next couple of days. Since I had never made Tzatziki I was surprised at how long it took. You have to salt and drain the cucumbers twice so it takes about 1 1/2 hours to prepare. This timeframe actually worked out because the pitas needed time to rise and the kebobs needed time to marinate. What ensued after that was a fantastic, flavorful middle eastern feast. 

Tzatziki Sauce
Special thanks and love to Aunt Lynn


Printable Version

Ingredients
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and quartered
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
4 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (Greek is best!)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions
Place quartered cucumbers in colander and sprinkle with salt. Allow to drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile strain the yogurt through cheesecloth or a mesh wire strainer for the entire time you are working on the cucumbers. Pat the cukes dry with paper towels and chop coarsely in a food processor. Drain the cukes in a colander for an additional 30 minutes. 

Put cucumber back in food processor with the garlic, lemon juice, yogurt and vinegar. Blend well. Adjust vinegar and salt to taste. Pour in olive oil and blend until ingredients are well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve as a dip with fresh veggies, whole wheat pitas, and shish kebobs! (Recipes to follow)