Wild garlic cacık

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Cacık (pronounced ‘jajuk’) is the Turkish equivalent of Greek tzatziki – a garlicky yoghurt and cucumber dip/soup/salad, depending on what it’s served with.  It’s a fantastic accompaniment to kebabs, meatballs and cooked vegetable dishes, and there is some evidence that eating yoghurt with meat is good for us.  It’s usually made with pounded garlic cloves, but bright green wild garlic makes a very pretty alternative.

Recipe:  Wild garlic cacik.pdf

Serves:  6-10, depending on how served

475g plain yoghurt
1 large cucumber (approx 500g)
35g wild garlic leaves, washed and dried, tough stems discarded
leaves from 5 sprigs of mint (and/or dill), washed and dried
salt
75ml good olive oil
juice of half a lemon, or to taste
toasted pine nuts to garnish (optional)

1. Unless the yoghurt is already thick and creamy, strain it for a few hours in a muslin bag suspended in a bowl.
2. Partially peel the cucumber, halve lengthways, scrape out the seeds and then grate coarsely.  Toss with a good pinch of salt in a colander and let drain for 15 mins.
3. Roughly chop wild garlic and mint leaves then pound to a paste with a large, heavy mortar and pestle, adding a little coarse salt to help break down the leaves.  Mix in olive oil to make a loose paste.
4. Transfer yoghurt to serving bowl, mix in cucumber and lemon juice to taste and check for seasoning.  Swirl in wild garlic and mint oil.  Mix in thoroughly or leave streaky, as you prefer.  Chill for an hour before serving.  Garnish with toasted pine nuts if you like.