Tzatziki

I'm invited to a beachy BBQ this sunday, so naturally, I have to bring something delicious. This has proved to be a total crowd pleaser. It's cool, it's herb-y, it's good for picky eaters, its downright delicious. I just serve mine with chunks of crusty bread, but it's awesome with pita bread (especially if you fry it up!). I use greek yogurt so I can skip the stupid straining step. Who's got time for that?

1 pound (1 pint) plain yogurt

1 hothouse cucumber, peeled and seeded

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar (I prefer Champagne, I think it tastes crisper)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)

1 tablespoon good olive oil (see Liz's post below!)

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth or paper towel-lined sieve and set it over a bowl. Roughly grate the cucumber and toss it with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt; place it in another sieve, and set it over another bowl. Place both bowls in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours so the yogurt and cucumber can drain.
Transfer the thickened yogurt to a large bowl. Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as you can and add the cucumber to the yogurt. Mix in the sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. You can serve it immediately, but I prefer to allow the tzatziki to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours for the flavors to blend. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Tzatziki