Lamb Souvlaki With a Traditional Greek Salad
If desired some Homemade French Fries
We will soon be entering into another grilling season, preparing exciting dishes on our grill to tantalize the taste pallets of family and friends, so I thought I would share with you my recipe for one of my favorite Greek dishes, Lamb Souvlaki served with a side dish of Greek Salad and a second side dish of Homemade French Fries. This is a traditional Greek dinner recognized and served the world over. It is inexpensive to buy for and quick and easy to make.
IngredientsWe need 2 to 3 pounds of Lamb meat cubed.
Lamb is the traditional meat used in Grecian Souvlaki, but some people prefer to substitute pieces of either pork tenderloin, or even skinless chicken breast.
Meat MarinadeUsing a medium to large mixing bowl combine the following ingredients.
4 Lemons (juiced)
1/2 Cup of pure Olive Oil
1 Cup of White Wine
1 Teaspoon of either table or sea Salt
1-1/2 Teaspoons of Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon of Rosemary (chopped)
1/2 Teaspoon of ground Black Pepper
2 Bay leaf
3 Cloves of Garlic (smashed and diced)
1/2 Teaspoon of dried hot pepper seeds (optional) this offers a little spicy heat to the taste and texture
Whisk these together to combine them.
Add in your meat and toss the pieces by hand in order to ensure that you coat all of the meat thoroughly and then cover the top of the bowl and refrigerate this for a minimum of 24 hours allowing the meat pieces to absorb all of the goodness of the marinade.
Cooking InstructionsHeat up your BBQ grill to a temperature of 400 degrees F.
Bring out your refrigerated meat while your grill is heating up
Slide your cubes of meat onto a skewer keeping the pieces close together filling the skewer. Do this until you have skewered all of your meat. Do not throw away the marinade you can use it to baste the meat as it is cooking
Lay your skewers of meat onto your grill and grill the meat on all sides until browned, basting the meat with the marinade as it is cooking.
Once all the meat is browned on all sides, remove your skewers to a serving dish and serve Hot.
Homemade Greek Tzatziki Sauce
1 medium to large cucumber (peeled, sliced, and seeds removed)
2 cloves of Garlic (crushed)
1 Cup of Plain Yogurt
1 Table spoon of Pure Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon of Lime Juice (optional)
1-1/2 Teaspoons of Oregano
1/4 Teaspoon of Salt
Using your electric blender if you have one.
Puree the Cucumber and Garlic
Slowly carefully Pulse in the Yogurt, Olive Oil, and Lemon and Lime Juices, then pulse in the Oregano and Salt
You wish to achieve a thick and creamy consistency
Empty this into a bowl, cover and refrigerate
Your family and guests can spoon this sauce over their Souvlaki to intensify the taste experience
Homemade Greek Salad1 Head of Romaine Lettuce (washed and roughly broken by hand)
Ingredients
1 Red Onion (peeled, sliced in half and separated into onion rings)
1 Each Red, Green and Yellow Bell Pepper ( Top removed, seeds removed and sliced into rings)
1 Medium to large Cucumber (peeled and roughly chopped)
12 Pitted Black Olives (sliced in half)
12 Cherry Tomatoes (sliced in half)
1-1/2 Cups of Feta Cheese
1 Table Spoon Oregano
6 Teaspoons of Pure Olive Oil
1 Lemon (Juiced)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Toss all of these ingredients together in a large salad serving bowl and chill. Serve with the Souvlaki and French Fries
Home made French FriesUsing you deep frying pot heat up about 2 inches of Canola cooking Oil to a temperature of 375 degrees F.
Peel and slice 2 to 4 large potatoes slicing them into about 1/4 inch slices and rinse in cold water
Once you oil is hot enough dry off your potato slices in some paper towel placing slices into the frying basket enough to cover the bottom. You may have to do 2 or 3 loads to cook all the fries.
Lower the basket into the hot oil and fry your potato slices until the turn a dark golden brown. If you are not using a basket then simply lay in the potato slices until you cover the bottom of the pot you are using. (Be very careful not to burn yourself)
drain off the oil from the potatoes, add salt and vinegar to taste, and store them in a large stainless steel bowl in your oven with your oven set on warm or low heat. Serve once the Souvlaki is cooked and ready to serve.