OPA!

 

Growing up I wasn’t a big fan of Greek food.  I hadn’t experienced it much until my adult years when I went to Opa Taverna for the first time with our friends.  Not only was the atmosphere so.much.fun, the food was delish!

Since then Mike and I have been to many Greek restaurants (chain and the mom&pop variety) and have never been disappointed. 

One of my favorite “condiments” when it comes to Greek food is Tzatziki, which surprises me since I am not a big cucumber fan AT ALL.  But for some reason, the combination of flavors in this concoction is delectable!

 

According to Wikipedia:

Tzatziki is a Greek and Turkish meze or appetizer, also used as a sauce for souvlaki and gyros. Tzatziki is made of strained yoghurt (usually from sheep or goat milk) mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, and sometimes lemon juice, and dill or mint or parsley. Tzatziki is always served cold. While in Greece and Turkey the dish is usually served as an accompaniment, in other places tzatziki is often served with bread (loaf or pita) as part of the first course of a meal.

After having Chicken Souvlaki while we were visiting Tarpon Springs a couple of weekends ago I became inspired to try to make it.  I searched quite a few recipes and found one to try.  I was pleasantly surprised at how 1) easy it was and 2)how authentic it tasted.  Ladies and gentlemen – we have a winner!

 

 

Cool and creamy, this tangy cucumber dip flavored with garlic is the perfect compliment to grilled meats and vegetables.

 

Eazy Tzatziki

Print this recipe!

 

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, strained
• 1 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced and diced
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Preparation:

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Using a whisk, blend the yogurt with the sour cream. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Finally, add the cucumber and chopped fresh dill. Chill for at least two hours before serving (the longer it sits, the better it gets).

 

TIPS: 

• Straining the yogurt may seem like a pain, but it is worth it to get a thick consistency.  I just put a mesh sieve over a bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.  You’ll be amazed at how much water comes out of already thick yogurt!
• The original recipe called for peeled, seeded and diced cucumbers, but since they aren’t my favorite and I don’t like big chunks in my Tzatziki, I used a handheld mandolin to slice them very thinly before dicing.  I could taste the flavor but wasn’t overwhelmed with big chunks.
• Cucumbers are also very watery.  Before combining them with the sauce, dab with a paper towel.

 

Inspiration meal:

  Chicken Souvlaki*

Hellas Restaurant, Tarpon Springs

*Marinated grilled chicken served on pita with tzatziki, onions and tomatoes (as you can see I nixed the last two ingredients).

 

Homemade Version:

Pros:  The chicken and tzatziki were a dead ringer to the original dish.  I was so excited!

Cons:  Instead of whole wheat pita I would probably use Naan next time.  I grilled the pita and (as you can see) ended up a bit stiff and broke apart, but still yummy. I also forgot the tomatoes and onions for Mike’s version…oops!

 

 

Happy eating!