Tzatziki

Ingredients

• 1/2 large cucumber
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup thick Greek or Greek-style yogurt
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• Black pepper

Directions

1. Grate your cucumber. Set a colander or fine sieve over a small bowl, then line it with 4 layers of thick kitchen towel, or a cheesecloth. Use a box grater to grate your cucumber (skin and all). Place the grated cucumber into the prepared colander or sieve. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the cucumber and mix it through, then let it sit for a minute. PRO TIP: If you don’t have kitchen towel or a cheesecloth, just place the grated cucumber directly into the sieve.
2. Squeeze the excess liquid from the cucumber. Pick up the ends of your kitchen towel or cheesecloth, so that the cucumber collects as a ball at the bottom. Squeeze and wring the cloth, getting as much water out as you can. There should be a good 1/4 cup of water released from the cucumber. If you’ve put your cucumber directly into the sieve, use your hands to squeeze the cucumber together and press it against the sieve to release the water that way. It’s a little messier but works just as well.
3. Mix the tzatziki. Add the squeezed cucumber to a small bowl, along with 1 cup of Greek yogurt, the crushed garlic cloves, the zest of your lemon, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a good grind of black pepper. Give it a good mix to combine well, then taste, and add a little more salt or lemon juice if you think it’s needs something extra.