Tzatziki

Ingredients:
3 cups of thick yogurt- Liberty Mediterranean Style preferably
4 or 5 cloves of fresh garlic- minced
1 Long English cucumber (approx. 1 cup ) - seeded and coarsely grated
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp. fresh dill -finely chopped
White pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:
Peel and cut the cucumber in half. Use a spoon to scrape and remove the seeds. Grate the cucumber coarsely then press the gratings firmly into a strainer to remove excess liquid. Place in a large mixing bowl when strained and squeeze in the juice of a lemon. Add the minced garlic then mix in the yogurt. Add the dill and stir thoroughly. Season with white pepper and drizzle the olive oil over top. Serve in a bowl garnished with fresh olives around the edges and an extra drizzle of olive oil on top. Best accompanied with warm pita bread and a great glass of wine.

Yogurt Tips:
If you have purchased yogurt that is slightly runny and not thick enough, it may be strained through a cheesecloth in a bowl in the fridge overnight before using. You may also substitute a cup of sour cream for 1 of the cups of yogurt. The blend of 2 cups yogurt and 1 cup sour cream will make the mixture thick enough to use immediately. The tzatziki can then be stored back in the yogurt container in the fridge for up to a week or until the expiry date of the yogurt if sooner.

Another original mouth-watering recipe From Kosta the Fishmonger ... for you to savour!

We welcome your feedback or questions at kostaz@telus.net or do stop by the Salmon Shop or Screaming Mimi’s Lonsdale Quay Market, North Vancouver.