Greek Menu Day- Spring Break- March 9, 2014

Sunday of Spring Break - Greek Day

Greek is not one of the "Heinz 57" that make up our ancestry, so I don't know everything that make up the cuisine.  I have eaten my share of Greek food at Greek restaurants and festivals, and what I do know...I love me some Greek food!  My family likes it, too, so this is what I have planned for our Spring Break Greek Day.

BREAKFAST
I have decided to make Sfouggato ahead of time and reheat it for breakfast.

Sfouggato

 

Ingredients

2 pounds zucchini
16 oz. feta cheese
4 eggs
1 bunch spring onions
1 onion
Salt, pepper, grated nutmeg
A little milk
Olive oil
Crumbed toasts
2 tablespoons butter

 

Preparation
Grate the zucchini and then squeeze them to strain them. In a pot, saute the zucchini and the onions. When their liquids evaporate, add the feta and the other ingredients and stir. When the mixture coagulates, remove from the heat. In a baking pan, coat the bottom with oil and sprinkle with a little of our toast. Next, add the mixture and sprinkle the surface with the rest of the toast. Dot the top with pieces of butter and bake at 200 degrees for about an hour.

 

 

LUNCH
I will make the meatloaf and reheat it when it's time to assemble.

 

Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce                                                                                                    

     

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded
• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
• 1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Tzatziki Sauce, recipe follows

 

 Tzatziki Sauce:

• 16 ounces plain yogurt
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
• Pinch kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced

Directions

Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.

Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.

 

Tzatziki Sauce:

Place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

 

DINNER
I am trying to keep it simple.  If there are leftovers, it won't fit into the next morning's cuisine choice.  Hopefully, this won't be too much for dinner...

 

Lamb Kabobs

  Ingredients

• 2 pounds top round lamb
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (4 to 5 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup mild olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• 2 small red onions
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• Wooden skewers
• For the sauce:
• 1/2 cup good chicken stock
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

 

Cut the lamb in 1 1/2-inch cubes. You should have about 20 cubes. Combine the garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, red wine, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. Add the lamb cubes, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. Toss occasionally.
Heat a charcoal grill with coals. Spread the coals in 1 tight layer on the grill.
Cut the red onions in quarters and separate each quarter into 3 or 4 sections. Loosely thread 3 or 4 pieces of lamb alternately with sections of onion on skewers. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Next place 4 or 5 cherry tomatoes on skewers, threading them through the stem of the tomato. Rub the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. First, place the lamb skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times, until the lamb is medium rare. Approximately 5 minutes before the lamb is done, place the tomato skewers on the grill, turning once, until seared on the outside but still firm inside.
For the sauce, bring the chicken stock, olive oil, and lemon juice to a boil in a medium pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until reduced in half. Add the rosemary, salt, and the pepper. Serve the sauce on the side.

 

The only recipe from the list I have made before is the Gyros, and they were very yummy.  I am looking forward to making the other two.  I hope you get a chance to make these soon.