Here's Emeril's recipe for this wonderful meal:
- 2 pounds lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch strips
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup grated onion
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced (I chop the **** out of mine, not "thinly slice")
- 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows (I don't use this)
Pita bread rounds

Trim excess fat off the lamb and cut into small chunks (I know the recipe says "1-inch strips" but that's kind of large, I'd say half-inch cubes is a better target). Mix all the ingredients above, except the pita bread, of course, and pour over the meat. You want this to marinade at least a couple of hours, I almost always let it do so overnight. Grill your meat and all is good!

For the pitas, brush each side with a little olive oil and lightly sprinkle with paprika and salt. Throw 'em on the grill for a few seconds each side and use immidiately.


Tzatziki sauce:
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, sliced in half and seeded, and finely chopped (We almost never peel the skin off, but do try to remember to remove the seeds)
- 1/8 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill or oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows (Again, we never use Essence and if I were to use this kind of spice, I'd use Tony Chachere's)

For the tzatziki sauce, we use the recipe as a guide. I'd say almost all the ingredient sizes above are "to taste." We don't use plain yogurt. Instead we use sour cream. It's much cheaper and tastes every bit as good.

So, grate your cucumbers and put them into a colander over a bowl, sprinkle a bit of salt on them and let them drain. Once drained, mix all ingredients and allow to refrigerate overnight for everything to blend.

Enjoy!

Looks great J. Thanks for the recipe. Are you familiar with Adam Perry Lang's Smoked Lamb Gyro? Get the book from the library. I did, then liked it enough to order online from Amazon through the TVWBB link. Haven't made the Gyro yet, but hope to soon.
Cheers!

Thanks for sharing the recipe. It's now on my to do list

I find that if one is not using greek yogurt, draining extra liquid from yogurt by putting it in some cheesecloth and letting fluid drain really helps the tzatziki flavor and texture.

quote:

Originally posted by Oleg Rovner:
I find that if one is not using greek yogurt, draining extra liquid from yogurt by putting it in some cheesecloth and letting fluid drain really helps the tzatziki flavor and texture.

I've done this before too, but I find I still like sour cream just as well. I mean Greek yogurt is the best, but other than that is what I mean.

Gary, I've seen the post here about the Gyro meat, but my wife remains terribly skeptical - it's not "authentic" enough for her or some such. I'm just gonna have to do it and stop running it by her before hand.

Thank you, John.

Leftover tzatziki sauce is plenty num.

I don't think it was this recipe but I had some souvlaki last weekend and it was fantastic. Definitely on my list to make.

LOVE souvlaki my first take in the "greek" restaurants. but i will try to make this myself,looks great.

Bless

I was stationed in Greece for a year. Crete.

Souvlaki was a staple in my diet. LOVED it.

I have not found a souvlaki in the US that even remotely compares, in ANY Greek restaurant, to the small side shop they had in downtown Chania behind one of the dance clubs.

Interestingly enough, the meat used in the souvlaki at "Souvlaki Mike's" was not lamb. It was seasoned pork, cooked on a turning, upright spit, which was carved off as it cooked.

quote:

Originally posted by ShawnW:
Interestingly enough, the meat used in the souvlaki at "Souvlaki Mike's" was not lamb. It was seasoned pork, cooked on a turning, upright spit, which was carved off as it cooked.

I started doing this recipe because my wife lived in Greece for six years. Her dad was stationed in Athens before they closed down the AFB there. She's fixated on lamb as it's what she grew up on, but I've read recipes that use pork, lamb and beef. In fact, last time I made it, I made up a bunch of lamb and beef and I personally preferred the beef.

I'm surprised the place in Greece that served to you served the sliced of Pork as souvlaki as opposed to Gyro meat, though. Perhaps it was a regoinal thing.

The best (according to my wife, and I agree) Greek food I've had in the States is this little corner shop in New Orleans. I don't have the ability to look up the address right now, but I'll come back and do so. It was off Decatur, a couple of blocks from Jackson Square. That much I remember.

What cut of lamb are you using for Sovlaki. Great post, thanks.

I use leg of lamb, Ray. Whatever Costco is carrying

BTW, that Greek place I talked about in New Orleans is called Angeli on Decatur and the address is 1141 Decatur, on the corner of Decatur and Governor Nicholis St.

Well in the swedish greek restaurants they serve a mixed Souvlaki with lamb and pork.

A geat dinner with different flavours.

Souvlaki is like a burger in the us u only use beef right? over here in sweden we can make a burger out of 100% pork.

great resault with both.

Well night ppl im off to bed.

Bless