Greek Souvlakia Food

GREEK SOUVLAKI

Steps:

• Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, onion, oregano, parsley, mint and black pepper in a bowl& mix well.
• Add meat, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate; marinate for a minimum of 2 hours but overnight for best results.
• If using wooden skewers soak them in water overnight or for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the grill to medium high.
• Thread meat evenly onto 4 skewers& season with salt and pepper.
• Grill skewers 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium or cook a few minutes longer if you prefer well done (6 to 7 minutes).
• Serve with tzatziki sauce and pita bread.

SOUVLAKI

Steps:

• To marinate meat: Cut tenderloin into bite-size chunks and put into a Tupperware with remaining marinade ingredients.
• Swish everything around to distribute, put in fridge and forget for a day (this long marination is not absolutely necessary- but longer means more flavour. If you haven't the time, just do what you can).
• When ready to BBQ, skewer meat onto metal or wooden skewers (remember to soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 1/2 an hour first) and bbq until the meat is nicely brown all over, and you know you can't possibly wait any longer to eat.
• To prepare the fixings: As you are barbecuing the meat, brush as many pita breads as there are souvlaki generously with olive oil and put on the bbq to crisp slightly or alternatively, into a hot frying pan, and cook about 30-45 seconds per side or until starting to brown and give off a yummy,'toasty' smell.
• Here is the 'technique' part.
• Have cut some squares of foil a bit larger than the pita breads.
• Put a square in the palm of your hand and lay a pita in the centre sitting in your flat palm.
• Take a skewer of meat and place in center of pita.
• Squeeze palm shut around meat to get a grip with the pita and pull out skewer, leaving meat inside the bread.
• Open up your palm slightly, making the pita gape open and throw in some onion, slices of tomato, a good dollop of tzatziki, some parsley, along with a healthy shake of salt.
• Roll sandwich up by squeezing palm again (gently this time as the salad stuff is inside) and enclosing neatly with the foil, giving a twist on the bottom so no yummy juices drip out onto your clothes as you are eating this!
• Enjoy our contribution to fast-food!
• You will never settle for a Big Mac again!
• To freeze: Place meat and marinade in a freezer bag or rigid freezer container.
• To serve: Thaw in fridge overnight and proceed with cooking directions.

PORK SOUVLAKI

Steps:

• Trim and cut pork into 1 inch cubes.
• In large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Add pork and stir to coat.
• Marinate for 10 minutes (make ahead: cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours).
• evenly thread pork onto six 8 inch skewers; place on foil lined baking sheet.
• Brush with marinade.
• Broil 6 inches away from heat, turning halfway through, until just a hint of pink remains inside, about 12 minutes.
• Spread tzatziki over each pita.
• Remove pork from skewers and place on pitas; fold over.

GREEK SOUVLAKIA

Steps:

• Cut lamb into 1-1/2" cubes, trimming the fat.
• Combine all of the ingredients in a gallon"zipper" bag.
• Shake well to combine.
• To achieve the best flavor, marinate 24 hours in the refrigerator, shaking a few times.
• Put lamb on metal skewers with each chunk touching, but not tightly.
• This will taste best on a good, hot charcoal fire.
• Turn often on the grill, and they should be done in about 15-20 minutes.
• Dont put vegetables in between the meat, as they just do not grill well together.
• Please use a good burgundy or full bodied red wine, that you would enjoy drinking by itself, not that stuff they call"cooking wine".