Ground Lamb Loaf Tzatziki Sauce Recipes

GYRO MEAT WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• 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.
• To cook in the oven as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:
• 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.
• To cook on a rotisserie, proceed as follows:
• Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap that are at least 18 inches long. Roll the mixture in the plastic wrap tightly, making sure to remove any air pockets. Once the meat is completely rolled in the wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap until the surface of the wrap is tight. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, to allow the mixture to firm up.
• Preheat the grill to high.
• Place the meat onto the rotisserie skewer. Place a double-thick piece of aluminum foil folded into a tray directly under the meat to catch any drippings. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. Turn off the heat and allow to continue to spin for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.
• 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

GROUND LAMB LOAF & TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• LAMB:.
• Process the onion in food processor for 10 to 15 seconds.
• Put into dish towel and squeeze almost all juice and discard juice.
• Return onion to food processor and add lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
• Process about 1 minute until it becomes a fine paste.
• Scrape sides occasionally.
• TO COOK IN ROTISSERIE:.
• Form the meat mixture into a loaf.
• Roll tightly in plastic wrap removing all air pockets.
• Twist ends so wrap is tight.
• Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Place meat on rotisserie skewer.
• Place aluminum foil, shaped like a bowl, underneath to catch drippings.
• Cook on high for 15 minutes.
• Reduce to medium and cook 30-45 minutes, until inside temp is 175.
• TO COOK IN OVEN AS LOAF:.
• Preheat oven to 325.
• Place mixture in loaf pan.
• Place loaf pan in water bath and bake for 60-75 minutes.
• Temp should reach 165-170.
• Remove from oven and drain off fat.
• Place loaf pan on cooling rack.
• Place something heavy (such as a brick wrapped in aluminum foil) directly on top of meat fof 15-20 minutes.
• TZATZIKI SAUCE:.
• Place yogurt in a tea towel, suspend over a bowl and drain for 2 hours in refrigerator.
• Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid.
• Discard liquid.
• Combine drained yogurt with all other sauce ingredients.
• Store in refrigerator in air tight container up to a week.
• TO SERVE:.
• Slice lamb and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.

LAMB SOUVLAKI WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Place the meat in a non-reactive bowl. Mix together the lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon oregano, garlic, and grated onion, and pour over the meat. Cover and chill at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Thread the meat onto metal or bamboo skewers.
• Heat the oil on a griddle or in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions, remaining teaspoon oregano and Essence to the griddle and cook light brown, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the pan.
• Preheat a grill. Grill the skewers, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Remove from the grill. Quickly heat the pita bread on the grill until just warmed through and pliant. Holding a pita in the left hand, and the skewer in the right hand, pull the contents from the skewer into the pita bread. Repeat with the remaining skewers. Divide the cooked onions among the pita, and top with Tzatziki (cucumber sauce). Serve immediately.
• Put the cucumber in a strainer set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and drain for 1 hour. Put the yogurt in another strainer set over a bowl and drain for 1 hour. Combine the cucumber and yogurt in a bowl with the remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

ROAST GREEK LAMB WITH TZATZIKI, ROASTED VEGETABLES, AND GREEK SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Open the "pocket" on the wide end of the leg of lamb and stuff with some garlic slices, 1 rosemary sprig, 1 bay leaf, and salt. Make 3 long incisions in the top of the leg with your knife. Stuff remaining garlic, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, and some salt into the incisions. Season well with salt all over.
• Season eggplant, zucchini, and 1 red onion with salt and tumble into a roasting pan. Place the leg of lamb on top.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and cover pan with aluminum foil. Continue baking until lamb is tender, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Spread potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with sea salt. Place in the bottom third of the oven. Bake lamb and potatoes for 30 minutes. Remove lamb and let rest while potatoes finish cooking, about 30 minutes more.
• Combine grated cucumber, mint, oregano, and salt in a bowl. Mix in yogurt until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Combine tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, and black olives in a deep-sided dish. Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil and red wine vinegar on top. Place feta on top and cover with dried oregano.
• Carve lamb and serve on a big platter. Scoop out vegetables and juices from the roasting pan and add to the platter. Place roasted potatoes, tzatziki, and Greek salad nearby.

GYRO MEAT LOAF WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble lamb over mixture and mix well. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 11x7-in. baking dish., Bake, uncovered, 55-60 minutes or until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 160°. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with tzatziki sauce. Freeze option: Securely wrap and freeze cooled meat loaf in plastic wrap and foil. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Unwrap meat loaf; reheat on a greased shallow baking pan in a preheated 350° oven until a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°.

GYRO LOAF WITH TSATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix loaf ingredients together and shape into a freeform loaf in a baking pan.
• Bake at 375°F for about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Once loaf has cooled to room temperature or has chilled in the refrigerator, slice it as thin as possible (maximum of 1/4 inch).
• Serve it warm or at room temperature.
• Can be served in pitas, flatbreads or tortillas with lettuce, tomato, black olives, feta cheese and Tsatziki Sauce or as a main course with a Greek salad, pasta salad or potato salad.