Tzatziki

I used to think of tzatziki as just an accompaniment or part of a larger meze not as a dish in its own right but after visiting Kefalonia I could quite easily tuck into a bowlful of tzatziki with some warm pitta bread for lunch.

Ingredients
serves 4
500g Greek yogurt
½ large cucumber
2 garlic, large cloves, crushed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh dill (10g), finely chopped
½ lemon, juiced

Method
Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Coarsely grate the remaining cucumber, including the skin. Put the cucumber in a sieve and lightly salt. Leave to rest over a bowl and leave to drain.

Do the same with the yogurt, place in a sieve over a bowl and leave to drain.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, extra virgin olive oil and the lemon, then leave to infuse.

The longer these three are left to drain the better. Excess liquid will ruin a good tzatziki.

When ready to prepare the tzatziki, give the cucumber a final push with the back of a spoon then place on some kitchen paper to absorb the last of the moisture. Then combine with the garlic oil and finally the yogurt.

Leave to infuse for as long as you can, even overnight even.  When ready to eat finely chop the dill (remove any thick stalks) and mix well into the yogurt mix.  Taste and adjust the flavour to your taste adding salt, lemon juice or olive oil.