Tzatziki (Greek cucumber yogurt sauce)

This excellent spread is also a great dip, and surprisingly versatile. It's mostly made of cucumber (at least it is when I make it) and thus a good way to get some extra veggies, too. It's low in fat, high in protein and calcium.

Tzatziki is traditionally served on gyro meat, but it's great on hamburgers, meatballs, chips (including pita chips of course) and vegetables.

Ingredients:
1 English seedless cucumber, peeled
2/3 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, finely minced, or 1/3 tsp garlic powder

The cucumber can be shredded if you want convenience, or it can be cut into very small dice (about the size of split peas) if you like the texture of the cubes. I do! So I usually take the extra effort. But most people dislike chopping and so shredding the cucumber is a good option for them.

Spread the cucumber on several layers of paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 15 minutes, then lay several more layers of paper towel on top and gently press down to soak up the excess veggie liquid.

Mix together the garlic and the yogurt, then carefully scrape the cucumber off the paper towels with a spatula or the back of a knife, and add the cucumber to the dip. Give it a stir.

Note: If you have time to let it sit, the garlic flavor will permeate better. But if you eat it all up right away, you can skip the paper-towels step because the cucumber will not release enough of its liquid to make the dip watery, especially if you dice it instead of shredding it. Dicing with a sharp knife preserves the internal structure of the cucumber, causing it to hold its water better.

You can personalize your tzatziki with the addition of cumin, ground black pepper, a pinch of dill weed or parsley, or adding extra garlic. Wikipedia cites regional variations that use shallots, minced walnuts, and mint, too.

Enjoy!