Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Good with the salmon spread, and a great dip on its own. Use it when making gyros.

Ingredients

2 cups plain yogurt (do not use low-fat or nonfat)

1 English hothouse cucumber (about 16 ounces), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded

3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill

1 large garlic clove, minced

Instructions

Place strainer over large bowl. Line strainer with 3 layers of cheesecloth. Spoon yogurt into cheesecloth-lined strainer; let stand at room temperature to drain 3 hours (liquid will drain out and yogurt will thicken). Transfer yogurt to medium bowl; discard liquid. Meanwhile, coarsely grate cucumber. Place in another strainer; let stand at room temperature until most of liquid drains out, about 3 hours. Discard liquid. Squeeze excess moisture from cucumber. Mix cucumber, dill and garlic into yogurt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

Recent Recipes

RSJ’s Greek Tzatziki

This is the style of tzatziki I fell in love with again in Greece - thick, cool, garlicky, bright and built around full-fat Greek yogurt and well-drained cucumber. The key is keeping excess water out of the sauce and giving it enough time to rest so the garlic, olive oil, herbs and acid come together. Once you eat the real thing in Greece, most American tzatziki tastes like yogurt that once heard a rumor about a cucumber.

Read more

Breakfast Casserole Number 3

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brown sausage in a large skillet and drain most of the fat. Add vegetables, garlic…

Read more

Amalfi Lemon Cake

There's a particular kind of sunshine that only shows up in citrus form, and this Amalfi Lemon Cake has it in spades. Bright, moist, and unapologetically lemony, it walks the line between a proper dessert and something you'd be just as happy eating with your coffee on a Tuesday morning. The glaze soaks into the crumb while the cake's still warm, so every bite carries that little pucker of acidity balanced against real sweetness. It's simple enough for a weeknight and pretty enough for company.

Read more