Recipes: Souvlaki and REAL Tzatziki

When most people think of Greek food, they think of souvlaki with tzatziki - and why not?  Classic, simple, and delicious!  Don't eat this before a big date though! G-A-R-L-I-C....please don't come and breathe on me!

First things first, real tzatziki should be THICK.  And thick yogurt needs to be drained, and this takes time...  This doesn't take a lot of active work but you'll need at least an hour if using Greek yogurt, or 3+ hours if using Balkan or regular yogurt. Also 2 tsp of  raw garlic is strong.  Don't just grab some garlic cloves and guess here!  If you don't want to measure, go safe with one small clove.  In testing this recipe out, I've accidentally used too much, and trust me, the tzatziki bites back! Ouch!

Makes about 2 cup

-1 1/2 cup of Greek or Balkan yogurt (1/2 of a 750 gram tub)

-5" length of cucumber, seeded

-2 tsp of minced garlic

-1/4 tsp salt

-2 tsp of chopped fresh dill (dried dill works too)

• In a small bowl, place a strainer over it.
• Finely grate the cucumber.
• Add cucumber and minced garlic to the strainer and add salt.  The salt will extract the excess water from the cucumber and garlic.
• Give it a stir and set it aside in the fridge.
• Next, in a medium bowl, place a strainer and line it with a folder piece of cheesecloth.
• Add the yogurt, and tie the ends of the cheesecloth into a knot around a knife or other untensil.  Place the knife over a bowl, so that the yogurt is hanging to allow excess moisture to drain. Set it aside in the fridge.  You may need to discard the liquid from the bowl a few times.  Let it drain overnight for best results.
• If your bowls are shallow, pour off the excess liquid in the bowl halfway through, or if you notice it reaching the bottom of the strainer. 
• The next day, use the back of the spoon to squeeze out any excess water from the cucumber and garlic.
• Combine the dry cucumber, garlic, and yogurt in a clean bowl.
• Add 2 tsp of dill and adjust seasoning with salt to taste. Enjoy!

Souvlaki

Similar to tzatziki, this can also be done over night, but an hour to marinate is just as good!  Here I used pork tenderloin, but you can use chicken (breast or thigh), or leg of lamb too.

Serves 4

-1 1/2 lb of meat, in about 1" cubes

-2 cloves of garlic minced

-2 tsp fresh chopped oregano (fresh is much better than dried oregano in this recipe)

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1/2 tsp ground black pepper

-skewers

• Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Set aside in the fridge for an hour or overnight.  Do not add salt to the marinade.
• If using wooden skewers, soak in some cold water for at least 30 min.
• Skewer meat.
• Sprinkle generously and evenly with salt.
• Grill on medium heat for about 3 min on each of the 4 sides. There will be a tinge of pink inside.  Cook a bit longer if using chicken, or if you want to chew aggressively at over-cooked meat.  And yes, I am judging you well-done meat eaters. Amateur!
• Serve immediately with your authentic tzatziki. Enjoy!