Name: Garden Houses Tzatziki Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt; 1 each English cucumber; 2 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbs fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp white wine vinegar; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tsp kosher salt (for salting cucumber); 2 tbs cold water; 8 pieces crispbread or flat crisp crackers; 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling); 1 tsp coarse sea salt (for finishing)

Method

Tzatziki

Prepare the cucumber

Trim the cucumber ends and, if the skin is thick or waxed, peel half the skin in vertical strips (leave some skin for color/texture). Halve the cucumber lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out large seeds if present. Grate the cucumber coarsely on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl.

Salt and drain cucumber

Sprinkle the grated cucumber with the 1 tsp kosher salt reserved for salting. Toss gently to combine and let sit 10 minutes to draw out water. After 10 minutes, press the cucumber with a fine-mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or clean kitchen towel to squeeze out as much liquid as possible (aim for 2–3 tablespoons of drained liquid). Discard the liquid and set the drained cucumber aside.

Mix yogurt base

In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 cups Greek yogurt until smooth. Add the minced garlic, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk to combine.

Combine cucumber and dill

Fold the well-drained cucumber and the 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill into the yogurt mixture until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt, lemon juice, or dill to preference.

Rest and chill

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (ideally 1–2 hours) to let flavors meld. Stir again before serving. If the tzatziki is thicker than you prefer, whisk in up to 1–2 tablespoons cold water to reach desired consistency.

Finish

Transfer tzatziki to a serving bowl, make a shallow swirl in the surface, and drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil (about 1 tsp). Optionally sprinkle a few flecks of chopped dill or a tiny pinch of coarse sea salt on top for presentation.

Salted cucumber quick brine

The small amount of salt and water listed in the brine section is used to lightly season grated cucumber before draining (see 'Salt and drain cucumber' step). Mix 2 tablespoons cold water with 1 teaspoon kosher salt to dissolve if you prefer a quick liquid rinse rather than dry-salting; toss grated cucumber in this mixture for 1 minute, then drain and squeeze out excess moisture as described above.

Sea salt crisp bread (serving)

Arrange 8 crispbreads on a platter. Lightly brush or drizzle each piece with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil (~1 tsp total) and sprinkle a tiny pinch of coarse sea salt across the crackers for a finishing crunch. Spoon the chilled tzatziki alongside or dollop onto each crispbread just before serving so they remain crisp.