Simple garlic-herb yogurt dressing/sauce
This is another one of those deceivingly simple recipes that came about from improvisation and immediately wriggled its way into regular circulation. Some of the best ones happen that way, another testament to how important and fun it can be to develop and then rely on those kitchen instincts.
When we arrived in Vienna we had no olive oil or good vinegar in the apartment, but after a week in the Czech Republic I was dying for some salad – something cold, green, and crisp to counteract day after day of stews and dumplings and potatoes. So I combined what we had that seemed right – yogurt, garlic, parsley and thyme, and plenty of salt and pepper. It took two minutes to make, and we ended up cleaning the bowl out with our fingers, wiping up the last streaks and drips and smears. It was tangy and fresh and delicious and I’ve made it half a dozen times since, completely forgetting about oil and vinegar and switching entirely to this. Each time we remark on how it’s possible that something so simple could be so fantastic. Read more