Fresh Approach Cooking

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Hi ev'body! Did you have as rockin' a weekend as me?

(Minus the outrageously killer Sunday morning hang-over, I should say...and for that I am compelled to give a shout out to The Ombudsman, provider of beverages and my date for an awe inspiring evening of food and revelry with Ghetto Gourmet...check it out if they come to your town. Oh, and while I'm promoting things to do, if you love LA, and her history, all served up with strong drinks and an uber-cool vibe, get thee to The Edison.)

And now, on to the post at hand...

Ignore the salmon in that photo. This here post is NOT about that pink fish.
(Which was tasty, by the way. I cooked it over high heat in some olive oil, then salted it. That's all. Simple. Gourmet.)

Nope, this post is about my new addiction. Cucumber, uh, sauce. Cucumber-dill sauce? Wait, is it raita? (I guess not, since raita is made with yogurt...) How about Cucumber-Dill-Sour-Cream sauce. Sure, that works. (Now that the hang-over is fully worn-off: Actually, I think its tdziki. Thanks for reminding me Kalyn!)

I gotta tell you, as a girl who loves her dill, this is like, all kindsa gonzo-goodness. A mouthful of yum. Big grin tasty.

And it just gets better the longer it sits. So make it a few hours in advance, and then enjoy (doesn't work as a dip with carrots though, it's not minced enough. If you want to go that direction, totally mince the cucumbers.) it any which way you can think of. Salmon is a natural match, but I loved it on cooled, roasted potatoes too. What can I say. I'm an addict.

Try this, and enjoy.

1 medium hot-house cucumber (I didnt peel it)
1 lemon
1 large bunch, dill
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon white vinegar
white pepper and salt to taste
sugar if needed

Shred the cucumber using the largest holes on your box grater. Using the smaller holes, zest the lemon. Stir the cucumber and the resulting liquid together with the zest and the rest of the ingredients. Adjust all as needed. (I added a touch of sugar at the end, which was nice.)

Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, or in the fridge for up to six hours. Serve with grilled salmon, cooled roasted potatoes, as a sandwich spread or with roast beef.

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Sour cream is made by adding a special bacterial culture to light cream. The bacteria produce lactic acid, which sours the cream. Sometimes manufacturers use food-grade acid instead of bacteria to make sour cream. The product must be labeled "acidified sour cream" if this process is used. - USDA.gov

Tonight in Birmingham, Oakland County, Michigan, the City Council is meeting to decide the fate of "the controversial but hugely successful Blue Martini lounge" by holding a vote to allow them to renew their license. If you are in the area, and want to get involved, find more info here.

Labels: Condiment, Entree, Seafood