Saturday, March 1, 2014

Greece

Greece
My husband loves Gyros, prior to this I had never had one. They were so delicious, especially the cucumber sauce. Unfortunately I did not take pictures(grr!).
This is a great recipe for the summer- it is cool, easy and yummy.

Menu - serves 4-6
Gyro with Tzatziki
Salad

Gyro
2 1/2 pounds of boneless pork loin, shoulder, or fresh ham
white wine vinegar
----------
GREEK GYRO SEASONING MIXTURE
3 tablespoons of sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of finely crushed (powdered) Greek oregano (rigani)
----------
FOR PITA WRAP SANDWICHES
6-8 pieces of thin pita bread (not pocket pita)
1/2 cup of tzatziki
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
olive oil

In a small bowl combine paprika, salt, pepper, and oregano.
Make the Gyro Meat:
Slice the meat against the grain as thinly as possible and pound with a meat mallet to less than 1/4-inch thick. In a flat-bottomed container, arrange one layer of slices, sprinkle liberally with seasoning mixture, then with a little vinegar. Spread the vinegar over the meat so that all pieces are moistened. Add layers, spices, and vinegar until all the meat has been marinated. Cover and refrigerate for 1/2 hour to 2 hours.
Remove meat from the refrigerator and slice into strips about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch wide and 2 to 2 1/2 inches long. Dry fry (without any oil) in a non-stick frying pan until well browned and slightly crisp.


To Make the Gyro Pita Wrap Sandwich:
Brush the pita bread with olive oil and fry in a dry frying pan or grill for a few minutes until warmed and softened, not crisp.
In the center of each pita:
spread 1 heaping tablespoon of tzatziki
add 2-3 slices of tomato
add sliced onion to taste
add gyro meat
sprinkle with sea salt (to taste) and more sweet paprika




Tzatziki

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 cup greek yogurt, strained
1 cup sour cream
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Using a whisk, blend the yogurt with the sour cream. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Finally, add the cucumber and chopped fresh dill. Chill for at least two hours before serving.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill just before serving.


Beth's Greek Salad
1 whole head iceberg lettuce (or any lettuce you like)
6-8 pepperocini, diced
1 green or red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red onion, cut into thin strips
1 cucumber, unpealed, cut into thin strips
1/2 c. feta cheese, crumbled
1 jar Kalamata olives, pitted if desired
Greek House Dressing (see below)

Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and toss with everything except the dressing. Serve with Greek House Dressing.


Greek House Dressing
1/4 cup and 2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

In a container with a lid (or with a blender or hand mixer), mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, onion powder, and Dijon-style mustard. Pour in the vinegar, and mix vigorously until well blended. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

No comments:

Post a Comment