Cucumber Salad with Yogurt Dressing

• 2 cups thick yogurt
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Sea salt
• 2 to 3 tablespoons minced garlic (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or dill (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Olive oil, if needed
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into small dice or coarsely grated on the large holes of a box grater
• 1 cup yogurt dressing (above)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint or dill

1. Yogurt Dressing:
2. In a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the olive oil and lemon juice.
3. Season to taste with salt.
4. Fold in the garlic or herbs if desired.
5. Cucumber Salad:
6. If the garlic is hot, cook in a little olive oil over low heat for a minute or two, just to soften the bite.
7. The garlic kick never bothers me, as I think the yogurt cools it down, but some people complain about the burn.
8. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate.
9. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.
10. Variations:
11. If you like, add 1/3 cup plumped raisins, sour cherries, or toasted and chopped walnuts to the salad.
12. Or fold in the seeds from 2 small pomegranates, 1/3 cup walnuts, and some fresh rose petals (be sure they have not been sprayed with insecticide).

thick yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, garlic, fresh mint, garlic, olive oil, cucumbers, yogurt dressing, salt, fresh mint

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/cucumber-salad-with-yogurt-dressing (may not work)