Deborah Mazzoleni, photographer and co-owner of The Bicycle restaurant
This is one of my favorite summer side dishes. It complements any grilled skewers— meat, fish or poultry— especially those that have a spice rub or barbecue sauce. This dish cools a spicy hot dish. It is my version, no cookbook here, of a classic Indian raita. Please note I don’t measure; so the ingredients are not exact, but you don’t have to be exact on this, just do it to taste.
Sauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine or white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
chopped fresh parsley
juice of 1 small lemon
Salad
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped zucchini
1/4 diced avocado
salt to taste
ground cumin to taste
Fold everything together and season with salt and ground cumin. Chill for 15 minutes and serve. You can add other ingredients if you wish: chickpeas, English peas or any other spring or summer vegetables that your garden or market offers.
