Big Greek Gus Burger And Cucumber Salad Recipes

GREEK CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Mix tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, and onion together in a large bowl.
• Whisk vinegar, sugar, olive oil, black pepper, salt, and garlic together in a small bowl; pour over vegetables. Add olives; toss to coat. Divide salad among four plates; top each serving with feta cheese.

MY BIG FAT GREEK SALAD

Steps:

• Peel off a few strips of cucumber skin using a channel knife, creating a striped pattern. Cut cucumbers in half crosswise. Cut each half into quarters before cutting into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Place into a colander; toss with some kosher salt and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut cherry tomatoes in half. Rinse cucumbers; drain thoroughly for 10 to 15 minutes more.
• While cucumbers are draining, slice onion thinly. Cut bell pepper into strips. Turn knife diagonally and cut strips into diamond-shaped pieces. Slice Kalamata and green olives.
• Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, olives, and 2 tablespoons oregano in a bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Sprinkle in vinegar and toss thoroughly. Drizzle in olive oil. Add about 2/3 of the feta cheese and toss again. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Give the salad another mix. Taste and season as desired. Scatter remaining feta cheese on top and garnish with remaining oregano.

MY BIG FAT GRECO INSPIRED BURGER

Steps:

• Prepare an open grill for moderate direct-heat cooking
• Seed and chop the cucumber. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, dill and feta. Refrigerate and chill for 1 hour.
• In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil until thick and well blended. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch rounds. Arrange in a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish; coat well with dressing. Grill eggplant until tender, about 3 minutes each side, keep warm.
• Lamb burger:
• In a large bowl blend together lamb, mint, cumin, salt and pepper, to taste. Form 6 patties.
• Before grilling burgers, brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack turning once, 4 minutes each side.
• Cut pitas horizontally and lightly toast over indirect heat.
• Assemble burgers as follows: pita bottom, lettuce, burger topped generously with tzatziki, a slice of grilled eggplant, and the top of the pita.

BLACK BEAN VEGGIE BURGERS WITH GREEK MAYO

Steps:

• For the burgers: Add the beans to a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, eggs and onions. Mash with a fork or your hands until the mixture is homogeneous. Portion into 6 patties and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• For the mayo: In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, oregano, pepper, salt, garlic and lemon juice.
• Heat a medium pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Cook the burgers until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place each burger on a bun, and top with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and some Greek mayo to serve.

MOROCCAN BURGER SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pitas on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, preheat a grill to medium high. Combine the ground beef, grated red onion, 1 tablespoon each olive oil and harissa, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until just combined. Form into four 1-inch-thick patties; set aside.
• Whisk the lemon juice with the remaining 1 tablespoon harissa in another large bowl. Gradually whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs and sliced red onion; toss to coat. Set aside.
• Brush the grill grates with oil. Grill the burgers about 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Add the lettuce and pita wedges to the salad bowl; toss. Top each serving of salad with the feta and burgers.

SUMMER ZUCCHINI AND TOMATO PANZANELLA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Divide the zucchini slices evenly among 4 flat plates, overlapping each slice just slightly, like shingles. Brush with the lemon juice and season with salt. Let sit for 5 minutes to marinate and wilt.
• Meanwhile, toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the oregano, mint and some salt. Toast on a baking sheet in the oven until slightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
• For the vinaigrette, simply combine the red wine vinegar with the remaining oil and the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
• Toss the cherry tomatoes with the bread and about 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette. Let sit until the croutons start to soften, 5 minutes, then toss in the basil. Divide the tomato panzanella salad on top of the zucchini and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and more basil. Serve with the remaining vinaigrette on the side.

MY BIG FAT GREEK BURGERS

Steps:

• NOTE: I USE 50% GROUND BEEF WITH 50% GROUND LAMB, WHICH IS A BALANCED MELDING OF FLAVORS.
• TRADITIONAL PREPARATION METHOD: INTO a large bowl add the SEASONED GROUND MEAT ingredients without mixing; IN another small bowl beat one egg with 1 tablespoon flour; ADD egg/flour mixture to ground meat ingredients in large bowl; WHISK 1/4 cup milk and 1/8 cup ouzo or Pernod (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) in a small bowl and add 1/2 cup bread crumbs; ALLOW mixture to absorb; ADD to meat mixture; MIX well; CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (40 degrees F).
• QUICK FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: INTO large food processor add 1/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon flour, 1/8 cup ouzo (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) and 1/2 cup bread crumbs; PROCESS; ADD the MAIN MEATBALL INGREDIENTS except for ground lamb and feta cheese; PROCESS; ADD ground lamb; PROCESS (Feta cheese may be added to mixture now and processed or folded into after); CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (40 degrees F).
• SHAPE meat mixture into six patties.
• PLACE patties onto a baking sheet (do not use a broiler pan with grill since patties will stick to the grill and/or and be difficult to remove after broiling).
• PREHEAT oven to BROIL.
• BROIL the patties 2-3 minutes, TURN patties using a metal spatula (NOTE: YOU MAY ADD CRUMBLED FETA CHEESE OVER BURGERS NOW IF DESIRED); BROIL 2 minutes longer or until desired doneness is reached (patties will continue to cook after removing from oven); REMOVE pan from oven; COVER patties with foil.
• MAKE CUCUMBER-DILL SAUCE: Combine Cucumber-Dill Yogurt Sauce recipe ingredients in a small bowl (1 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup finely diced cucumbers, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 1/2 teapoons dried dill, 3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh mint or 1/4 teaspoon dried mint, 1/2 teaspoon finely minced onions, 1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest); CHILL before serving.
• WARM or toast buns if desired (For toasted steamed buns if desired, melt butter a large skillet over medium heat; PLACE place halved buns cut-side down; REDUCE heat and cover until buns are browned on bottom and heated through); SPREAD the CUCUMBER-DILL YOGURT SAUCE; ASSEMBLE burgers as desired with above FIXINGS.
• SERVE and say, "OPA"!

GREEK CUCUMBER SUMMER SALAD

Steps:

• Chop the cucumbers into 1 inch cubes. Place in a medium size bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let sit 15 minutes to release water.
• Drain excess water and stir in cherry tomatoes, onions and cheese.
• In a small bowl, whisk olive oil and lemon juice. Pour over cucumber mixture.
• Add black pepper and stir gently. Chill until serving.
• This light salad tastes especially delicious when prepared with fresh summer cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden!