Tzatziki

Tzatziki is one of those dishes that really shows just how much Turkish, Lebanese, and Greek cuisines have in common. In Turkey, you’ll see a thinner, lighter version known as cacik; in Lebanon, a similar dish is called laban wa khayar. Like ezme, tzatziki is extremely flexible. You can eat it as a dressing on lamb and beef gyros, as a dip for warm pita, or make a salad out of a version loaded with seasonal vegetables. For me, tzatziki is best when it’s thick and creamy, so we use a combination of yogurt and labneh. Salting and draining the cucumber will also help get rid of extra moisture that can turn your mixture watery. We use tzatziki as a way to play with the best produce of the season: try tender English peas or nutty white asparagus in the spring, corn in the summer, apples in the fall, and celery root in the winter.

Ingredients:

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

  • 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced

  • 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 2 cloves Garlic Confit (page 29)

  • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt

  • 3/4 cup labneh

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh mint

  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh dill

  • Freshly ground white pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Season the cucumber with a tsp of salt and let sit for 1 hour. Wring out the cucumbers in a clean dish towel to remove excess liquid.

  2. Put the garlic into a medium bowl and mash into a paste with a fork or the back of a wooden spoon. Whisk in the yogurt and labneh, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil, continuing to whisk. Fold in the cucumbers and herbs, then season to taste with salt and white pepper.

  3. Spoon into a serving dish and garnish with a drizzle of oil.

  4. Cover any remaining tzatziki and refrigerate for up to a week.

For Spring Pea Tzatziki:

Instead of cucumbers, add 1/2 cup of fresh English peas (or frozen peas) to a pot of heavily salted boiling water and cook until soft and tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Roughly chop 10 sugar snap peas, add them to the boiling water, and cook for 1 more minute. Drain the vegetables, then chill them in an ice bath. Once cool, drain them again very well and add to the garlic-yogurt mixture, along with the dill and mint, then season to taste with salt and white pepper. Spoon the tzatziki into a serving dish and garnish with 2 Tbsp of roasted pistachios, 1/2 cup pea tendrils, and a drizzle of olive oil.

For White Asparagus Tzatziki:

Trim and peel 1 bunch of white asparagus and add to a pot of heavily salted boiling water. Remember to balance the size of the asparagus, especially white asparagus. Blanch the asparagus until tender but firm, about 2 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Drain and transfer to an ice bath until cold, then remove the asparagus and dry on a clean kitchen towel. Dice the asparagus into 1/4-inch pieces, reserving a few of the asparagus tips. Add the asparagus to the garlic-yogurt mixture along with the mint and dill, then season to taste with salt and white pepper. Spoon the tzatziki into a serving dish, garnish with the asparagus tips, and drizzle with olive oil. You can also combine green and white asparagus for this variation.

This recipe provides a creamy, thick, and herbaceous tzatziki, perfect for dipping or serving alongside various dishes. Enjoy!