Tzatziki - Yogurt Dip with Garlic, Mint, and Dill

To go along with our Greek Memorial Day Menu we have to have an all time favorite.

Tzatziki

If you've had Greek food them I'm sure you tried Tzatziki.  It's a tangy yogurt based dip made with cool cucumbers, garlic, mint and dill.  Just perfect for with wedges of pita bread.

Don't stop there though!  Use this wonderful dip as a spread as well.  On top of the Chicken Souvlaki...yum, yum!  Use it inside a pita pocket with a salad or chicken, or lamb tucked inside. Here's MGG's favorite way to eat it.  You take a piece of pita bread and put some rice on it.  Then add some Chicken Souvlaki and top it with the Tzatziki, fold it up and take a big bite! 

Use it as a dressing on a nice Greek salad.  The uses are endless!

I love this dip...straight up or combined with other foods!  Of all the dips I think this is the best during the summer.  The coolness from the cucumbers pleases your hot palate.  

Tomorrow I'll show how to make a fresh, straight from the garden salad with a wonderful feta dressing!

Enjoy!




Yogurt Dip with Garlic, Mint, and Dill (Tzatziki)
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Small Plates, by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1998)

2 cups plain strained yogurt (such as Fage)
About 1/2 English cucumber, peeled, halved and seeded
Salt, to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
1 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 2 to 3 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Using the large holes on a handheld grater-shredder, grate enough cucumber to measure 1 cup. Spread out the grated cucumber on paper towels, salt lightly and let drain for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, mint, dill, olive oil and lemon juice, to taste. Stir to mix well, then season with salt.

Transfer to a bowl and serve.  

 

Kopanisti - Greek Feta Spread

The other day I showed you a great Greek recipe for Chicken Souvlaki.

Chicken Souvlaki.

A wonderful dish to go with this is Williams-Sonoma's version of Kopanisti.  This is a Greek Feta Spread.  Kopanisti is really a type of cheese however, it also means beaten.  And this dish is just that....beaten.  You add a few ingredients to a food processor and "beat it"!

This version uses pepperoncinis as the wow factor.  Many versions use roasted red peppers, however the use of the pepperoncini gives this dip a definite kick!  Not for the person that likes things mellow, but if you can take a little heat, then this will put some zip in your step!

Easy to make, and goes perfect served with the chicken, along side, or used as a spread with pita.  Try topping the chicken with it too!  It's perfect anyway to try it.

Hope you enjoy this dish!  More to come later in the week.

Kopanisti - Greek Feta Spread

by Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. Greek or French feta cheese
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh mint or 1 tsp. crumbled
   dried mint
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, plus more as needed
• 6 Italian peperoncini (pickled green peppers),
   chopped, plus more as needed

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the cheese, olive oil, garlic, mint, the 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and the 6 chopped peperoncini and process until smooth. Taste and add more red pepper flakes or peperoncini, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Chicken Souvlaki

We just love to grill in the summertime.  

I think that MGG and I do most of our cooking on the grill.  It keeps the house cooler, and the food just tastes so darn good.  It allows me to create different marinades, experiment with different cuts of meat, and try new flavors.

This dish is just perfect for grilling.  Since Memorial Day is fast approaching this would be a great dish to add to your menu.  I recently took a class at Williams-Sonoma where we spent a day on Greek food.  This was just one of the many dishes we made.  

What's better than chicken kabobs?  They are first marinaded and then simply grilled.  Nothing fancy, it's all about the flavors.  Serve with a fresh vegetable salad and some Greek dips and you are set. We grilled them on skewers and then removed them for serving.  You can leave them on.  For our purposes they were just a little easier to serve and eat with the pita and dips when removed from the skewers.

You have to take the time to try this.  Trust me, it's that good!  You can swap the chicken for beef or lamb if you like, however the chicken is so lean and juicy it's hard to pass this up!  

Kitchen Tip:  If using wooden skewers make sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning during grilling.

Stay tuned for the salads and dips that go along with this main course.  I'll be posting them throughout the week.  Enjoy!

Chicken Souvlaki

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Small Plates, by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1998)

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. dry white wine

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1/4 cup minced yellow onion

1 garlic clove, minced

2 bay leaves, broken or chopped into tiny pieces

1 tsp. dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces

Lemon wedges for garnish

Flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish

In a bowl, stir together the olive oil, wine, lemon juice, onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to overnight.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. If using bamboo skewers, put 6 skewers in water to cover.

Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and drain the bamboo skewers, if using. Thread the chicken pieces onto the bamboo or stainless-steel skewers, dividing the pieces evenly among them. Place the skewers on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire or place in the hot pan and grill, turning once, until the chicken is opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a warmed platter and garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve immediately. Serves 6.