Bad news: The weather has been too rainy and overcast to get any good shots.
Good news: I had this family recipe for Tsatsiki, (Greek Cucumber dip/sauce) typed and photographed and waiting on standby for just such an occasion :0)
If you have ever had a Gyro sandwich, (correctly pronounced “yee-roh”) this is the wonderful sauce that is used. Any cucumber will do, but I like to use the greek cucumbers that my mother grows in her garden. A few years back, she gathered the seeds and brought them back home with her from a trip to Chios, the island that my father's father came from. I look forward to them all year long!
TSATSIKI
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup yogurt*
2 cups diced cucumber**
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients.
*Yogurt first needs to be drained by placing in a strainer lined with either paper towel or gauze cloth. Put strainer in a bowl to catch the water. Place in refrigerator overnight to drain sufficiently. Afterwards it will look like what is pictured above.
** After cucumbers have been been peeled and diced, squeeze them in between cloth or paper towels to remove excess water.
(I tend to keep my cucumber pieces pretty big, as I like the crunch... feel free to dice them smaller for a smoother, more traditional dip/sauce!)
I like to eat the dip with pieces of pita or flat bread. (I find that this is even better the second day as all the flavors have had a chance to blend together and the raw garlic has had some time to mellow out a bit!)
Since I am not a meat eater I also like to combine it with vegetarian meat, (Morningstar, Garden or Boca Veggie burgers, chic patties, or sausage patties) that I have seasoned with a bit of cumin, some sliced tomatoes and shredded lettuce piled in a thick pita or on top of some more flat bread, as shown above. Makes for a delicious and light veggie version of a gyro sandwich! Enjoy!
oh my so yummy and delicious, I used to love tsatsiki, you make me want to give up my vegan ways, Greek food is the best ever as is Greece, such a beautiful country.
ReplyDeleteYep the weather has been a little damp and stormy here to I am hoping next week will be searingly hot!
MMMM Looks yummy. I need to try and photograph food one of these days. I hope the sun comes out so you can take photos of your new work soon.
ReplyDeleteI'll be giving this recipe a try tomorrow. It looks absolutely delicious!
ReplyDeleteIt looks yummy! It reminds me of Australia because I used to eat it all the time when I was still living there.
ReplyDeleteDarn. Now I'm hungry. Sounds SO yummy!
ReplyDeleteYUM! What a great idea to have a standby post!! :)
ReplyDeleteI love Tsatsiki. My friends and I meet at a nice Greek restaurant not too far from my home and we always order extra Tsatsiki. It goes with everything!
ReplyDeleteFor the last three years we have had a holidy in greece. I don't think we will be going this year so this is making me feel a bit sad..but I can make my own..re create Greece here.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble is all the poil in Greek cooking. I asked for a stuffed aubergine recipe in a taverna, and it went like this.
'Cook some tomatoes in a pan'
I said 'Fry them you mean?'
He said 'No no..just in a pan with oil'....
Its such lovely oil though!
Thanks.
We have a delicious little Greek restaurant very close by. I love Tsatsiki. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
ReplyDeletei love gyros!!that recipe souns really yommy and perfect for a sunny day (well here is raining too)! have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteMy god, that looks good. I'm about to devour my monitor (I'm hungry and I haven't had lunch!). Am a big fan of Greek foods, so this is going to hitting the dinner table one of these nights.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the recipe! My family and I enjoy the Greek food at the little downtown shop. Each time we eat there I say I need to google a recipe for the cucumber dip. Now I have the authentic recipe!
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I missed the most when I moved from Pittsburgh to Wyo was the little gyro shop I would stop by once a week on the way home from work. I LOVE this sauce, and though I can't get that yummy sliced lamb, I make lamb meatballs when I can find ground lamb and you know, it's pretty darn good if I do say so myself.
ReplyDeleteI'm really hungry now! ^___^ This looks very delicious! So thank you so much for this vegetarian recipe: I can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend.
Tzatziki...yum! I grew up in Astoria, a predominately Greek section of NYC. My recipe-gleaned from my JHS Latin/Greek language teacher is similar only, I use a tsp of red wine vinegar, in lieu of the olive oil and 3 minced cloves of garlic. It's one of the most requested dips at our gatherings!
ReplyDeletethis looks awesome Victoria! Is this the same sauce you can put on falafel?
ReplyDeleteNew work to share is exciting! I'm looking forward to seeing it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your Tsatsiki recipe. It looks simple enough that even I may be able to pull it off with some success! Yours looks really really tasty!!!
I love this post!! My best friend growing up is Greek! I spent countless hours at her house and learned some greek too. I am Italian and my grandparents came straight from Italy, so my friend and I were a terrific ethnic combo. I shared authentic Italian food and she authentic Greek food. I loved it all!! Her parents also owned a restaurant which we hung out in. But my favorite thing was to go over to her house and sample the Moussaka, Spanakopita, stuff grape leaves, pastisto (spelling). So anyway, yesterday on the way home from NJ, we stopped at a greek restaurant and hubby got a Gyro!! I kept saying to my family how much I just love them and the best part was the Tsatsiki sauce. I kept saying Tsatsiki over and over, just something about the word. Anyway, when I saw your post, I just had to be wordy and tell you this whole story!! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
ReplyDeleteoooh...thanks for sharing this. our cucumbers are just coming in now. i've always used the store bought version of this...so glad i can make my own! yum!
ReplyDeleteyou just made me very hungry!
ReplyDeleteOh HOORAY! I am so grateful to have this recipe; thank-You so much for posting it!
ReplyDeleteI am having this for dinner tonight!
ReplyDelete