Greek cooking made easy! Tzatziki & Skordalia recipes

[faye_arv]

The first thing that you should know is the spices that are most used in Greek cooking: oregano, parsley, dill, basil, cumin, cinnamon sticks and/or ground, bay leaves, nutmeg, garlic, cloves.

I'm sure there are more but we'll see them as they come up.

My first recipe will be an easy one, I guess you could classify it as a dip/side dish for lamb or pork mostly:

Tzatziki

Ingredients:

1 cucumber
1/2 kgr./1lb yogurt
olive oil
2 cloves garlic (more or less to taste)
salt 1
Ts vinegar

Preparation:

* You peel the cucumber and grate on the thick side of the grater (the onion side) so the biggest pieces come out. Place in strainer for a few minutes.

* Peel the garlic and crush it to a pulp. Add garlic to taste.

* Add to the yogurt all the ingredients and mix well.

* Garnish with dill and an olive in the middle

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Another sauce/dip/side dish that we make is called Skordalia, it's made with garlic and bread or boiled potatoes, and tastes amazing with fish. It can also be eaten with fried zucchini, beet salad, fried eggplant. It's traditionally eaten with cod fish on May 15th which we celebrate the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Skordalia

Ingredients:

1 whole garlic
1/2 kgr./1lb bread
parsley (garnish)
olives
olive oil
vinegar
salt

Preparation:

* Soak the bread in water. When fully soaked, remove the crust and squeeze out the water. Keep the bread to one side for later use.

* Crush the garlic and place in a mixer bowl with the vinegar and salt. Mix gradually adding the bread and oil a little at a time until it becomes thick and creamy.

* Garnish with olives and parsley

Kali Orexi!! (bon appetit)

[Robo410]

love eastern Mediterranean cuisine (which included Greek) so keep the recipes coming!

[deelady]

Oh you are wonderful Faye......more more more please!

[Aera]

Cumin? I never knew that. Strange.