Greek Grilled Leg of Lamb: Gyros

Ingredients

• 1 (4 to 5-pound) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of visible fat
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into 20 slivers
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Essence, recipe follows
• 16 pita breads
• Tzatziki Sauce, recipe follows
• Chopped tomatoes

Directions

With a sharp knife, make 20 slits across 1 side of the lamb and insert the garlic slivers. Place in a large non-reactive dish.

In a bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pour over the lamb and rub evenly across the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 2 and up to 6 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Season lightly on all sides with Essence. Brush a grill lightly with olive oil and preheat to medium heat.

Remove the lamb from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium-rare, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the grill and transfer to a platter. Tent with foil and let rest for 12 minutes before carving.

Thinly slice the lamb and place the meat in the center of the pita breads. Top with Tzatziki Sauce and chopped tomatoes, and serve.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Tzatziki Sauce:

• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to marry.

Greek Pita Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope dry yeast
  
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 cups white all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine the yeast and sugar in a small bowl, add 1/2 cup of the warm water and let it stand for 10 minutes to proof and ferment it.
2. Dissolve the salt in the remaining warm water.
3. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl, making a well in the middle and put the dissolved yeast and salt water into it.
4. With your hands, blend it into a dough.
5. You may need a bit more or less water depending on your flour.
6. Knead the dough in the bowl with your fists for 10-15 minutes or until it is smooth.
7. Pour the oil over the dough and knead it again until the oil is absorbed.
8. Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel and set it in a draft free area to rise to double it's bulk (1-2 hours), then punch it down and knead it again for a few minutes.
9. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
10. Cut pieces of dough, egg size or larger, depending on the size of the pita desired, shape them into balls with your hands and roll them out over a lightly floured board or pastry cloth to 1/4 inch thickness.
11. Set 2 or 3 pites on a lightly oiled cookies sheet and bake them on the lower rack 2 to 3 minutes each side.
12. Pitas should be white and soft.
13. Wrap the baked pitas in a clean towel until they are cool, then store them in plastic bags to prevent them from drying out.
14. When you are ready to use them, heat a bit of oil in a shallow skillet and fry them a minute or so on each side, or until golden brown.
15. Use them immediately, because they get hard when they dry out.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/greek-pita-bread-60108#ixzz1gjtMrFCN

Skewered Lamb Kebabs: Souvlaki Arnisio

In Greek: σουβλάκι αρνίσιο, pronounced soov-LAH-kee ahr-NEE-see-yoh

The key to tender lamb souvlaki is the marinade, so don't skimp on the timing. The longer they marinate, the better they will taste... and they will disappear as fast as you can make them!

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8-10 pound leg of lamb, trimmed and boned, cut in 1-inch cubes
• Marinade:
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of Greek oregano (dried)
• 2 bay leaves, crushed
• sea salt
• cracked peppercorns
• Marinade Addition 1:
• 1 cup of green peppers, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 ounces of tomato puree (or 2 ounces of tomato paste + 2 ounces of water)
• Marinade Addition 2:
• 1/4 cup of port wine
• 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

Day One: Mix marinade ingredients in a bowl and pour over meat and stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Day Two: Add the ingredients in marinade addition #1, stir well, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Day Three: Add the ingredients in marinade addition #2, stir well, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Day Four: Soak small wooden skewers (5-8 inches) in water for an hour or more. Thread the meat on the skewers, leaving a little space between pieces. They can be cooked under the broiler, on the barbecue, or even in a hot skillet on the stovetop. If using the broiler, place close to the heat, turn frequently until crispy brown on all sides (about 15 minutes).

Serve hot on the skewers with other mezethes, accompanied by lemon wedges and crusty bread.

Yield: approximately 25 skewers