Andrew McConnell's fresh take on tzatziki
Cucumbers, yoghurt and mint: Is there a better combination of three ingredients? Together they miraculously tick all the boxes; cool, refreshing, tasty, not to mention healthy. This snack recently made an appearance at the Cutler & Co bar and was incredibly popular. Other vegetables such as fennel or beans can be added but the refreshing quality of the sweet cucumber is what really makes it.
Ingredients
1 cup Greek yoghurt
8 small cucumbers
pinch each of sugar, salt and white pepper
2 tbsp light olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ bunch mint
Method
Step 1
To begin, line a sieve with paper towel and place over a small bowl. Add the yoghurt to the sieve and place in the fridge for an hour to drain. Meanwhile, peel strips off the cucumbers one centimetre wide about one centimetre apart. Season the partially peeled cucumbers with a good pinch of salt, sugar and white pepper. Leave these in a bowl in the fridge to cure for about 20 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, gently warm the oil and chopped garlic. When the garlic becomes aromatic, remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature. When ready, transfer the drained yoghurt to a small bowl and season with a pinch of salt. Drizzle some garlic oil over the yoghurt.
Step 3
Pick the leaves from the mint sprigs and chop the leaves finely. When the cucumbers are ready, pat each piece dry with a cloth and toss the cucumbers with one teaspoon of the garlic oil in a bowl. If the cucumbers seem a bit large, cut them in half lengthwise.
Step 4
Lay the chopped mint on a plate and roll the cucumber, one piece at a time, over the mint. Each cucumber should be evenly and well coated with the chopped mint. Arrange the coated cucumbers on a platter,with the yoghurt alongside for dipping.
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