Roasted Garlic Tzatziki Food

ROASTED GARLIC TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Place yogurt in a paper coffee filter, paper towel or 4 layers of cheesecloth set in a strainer or colander, and then set over a bowl to catch the liquid. Allow yogurt to strain for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Peel and grate the cucumber, squeeze out excess water; place into a bowl. Add strained yogurt, garlic puree, lemon juice, mint, and olive oil; mix until combined. Season to taste with salt; chill before serving.

EASY TZATZIKI WITH FETA

Steps:

• Place the yogurt in a medium bowl. Grate the cucumber on a box grater on the largest grating side and squeeze it with your hands to remove most (but not all) of the liquid. Add the grated cucumber to the yogurt. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, dill, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and combine. Taste for seasonings.
• To serve, artfully arrange salad plates with slices of feta, drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Add the olives, pita triangles, and the tzatziki and serve cold or at room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Slice the pita bread into 8 triangles and place them on a sheet pan. Place the sheet pan in the oven and toast the bread for 10 minutes.

EASY TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Grate the cucumber by hand on a box grater, as you would grate carrots. Squeeze the cucumber with your hands to remove a lot (but not all) of the liquid. Place in a medium bowl and stir in the yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, dill, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature.

GREEK TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Grate cucumbers and allow to drain in a sieve, weighted by a heavy plate, for 15 minutes.
• Wrap grated cucumbers in cheesecloth to squeeze all remaining liquid out.
• Set grated cucumbers in a mixing bowl.
• Place garlic cloves in a mortar and sprinkle with a little salt.
• Grind into a paste and add mixture to cucumbers.
• Whisk together yogurt, vinegar, pepper, mint, and oil.
• Add yogurt mixture to cucumbers and garlic and mix all together thoroughly.
• Refrigerate until needed.

SPIT-ROASTED LEG OF LAMB WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Prepare a very hot fire (500°F) in a fireplace or a medium-hot fire (425°F) in a wood-fired oven.
• Lay the lamb flat on the work surface with the exterior of the leg on the work surface. With the point of a knife, make several incisions in the lamb and insert a slice of garlic into each incision. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, stir together the parsley, chives, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, minced garlic, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.
• Spread the herb mixture evenly over the exposed side of the lamb. Roll and wrap the lamb around the spit and secure with kitchen twine or small metal turkey skewers. Brush the outside of the lamb with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the spit 6 to 8 inches from the fire and spit-roast the lamb, using an electric or battery-powered unit to rotate the spit consistently, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 1 hour. Alternatively, put the lamb in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb registers 135°F. Let the meat stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with Tzatziki.
• Combine the yogurt and salt in a bowl and stir to blend. Turn into a cheesecloth-lined sieve placed over a bowl and let drain for several hours to remove excess moisture in the yogurt.
• Meanwhile, shred the cucumber to make 1 cup. Spread the shredded cucumber on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let drain for 30 minutes. Using paper towels, squeeze out the excess moisture.
• Combine the yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, mint, dill, and olive oil in a bowl. Mix well. Add the lemon juice to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Use now, or within 1 day.