Lamb Lemon Dill Souvlaki Recipes

LAMB SOUVLAKI

Steps:

• Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Add cubed lamb and stir until all of the lamb is coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Thread marinated lamb onto skewers, reserving any remaining marinade. Grill skewers until desired doneness, 10 to 12 minutes, basting with the reserved marinade and turning occasionally for even cooking.

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.

LAMB, LEMON & DILL SOUVLAKI

Steps:

• Pound the garlic with sea salt in a pestle and mortar (or use a small food processor), until the garlic forms a paste. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, zest, dill and garlic. Mix in the lamb and combine well. Cover and marinate for at least 2 hrs or overnight in the fridge. If you're going to use bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water.
• If you've prepared the lamb the previous day, take it out of the fridge 30 mins before cooking. Thread the meat onto the soaked or metal skewers. Heat the grill to high or have a hot griddle pan or barbecue ready. Cook the skewers for 2-3 mins on each side, basting with the remaining marinade. Heat the pitta or flatbreads briefly, then stuff with the souvlaki. Add Greek salad (see 'Goes well with', right) and Tzatziki (below), if you like.

LAMB SKEWER PITAS

Steps:

• Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, sour cream, cucumber, onion, dill, vinegar, cumin, honey, salt, cinnamon, pepper and garlic until combined. Set aside in the refrigerator to chill.
• Make the lamb skewers: In a large bowl, combine the lamb, oil, coriander, cumin, salt, allspice, cinnamon and garlic until evenly coated. Divide the meat into 6 portions and form into logs. Thread each log onto a skewer, then transfer to a plate, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• Heat a cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat until very hot. Brush the griddle with oil. Grill the skewers, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• To serve: Brush the pitas with oil and sprinkle with the zaatar. Add them to the griddle with the lamb and cook until toasted and warm, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• In a large bowl, toss the cucumber, cilantro, parsley, oregano, onions, tomato and fennel. Add the vinegar and 3 tablespoons oil and toss to combine. Season to taste. Remove the meat from the skewers and place on the pitas; top with some salad. Serve with the lemon wedges and tzatziki sauce.

LAMB WITH LEMON & DILL

Steps:

• Toss the lamb in the flour with a little salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, add the onion and fry for 5 mins until softened. Add the lamb and stir well until tinged brown.
• Stir in the stock, 2 tablespoons of the dill and the bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins.
• Add the potatoes and lemon juice and cook for a further 30 mins until the potatoes are tender. Serve in soup plates or individual dishes with a spoonful of crème fraîche and a scattering of lemon zest and dill on each serving. Some crusty bread on the side will be useful for mopping up all the juices.

LAMB SOUVLAKI

Steps:

• For the kebabs: Combine oil, lemon juice, herbs, and garlic. Combine marinade and lamb. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).
• Make the tomato relish: Preheat grill to medium-high. (If you are using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for just 3 or 4 seconds.) Brush tomatoes with oil, and season with salt. Grill until charred and softened, about 5 minutes per side. Coarsely chop, then place in a sieve set over a bowl. Let drain for 10 minutes. Discard liquid.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallot until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add water and sugar, and simmer until liquid has reduced by half. Add tomatoes and vinegar, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cayenne. Let cool.
• Make the marinated feta: Combine oil, lemon zest and juice, dill, pink and black peppercorns, and red-pepper flakes in a nonreactive dish. Add feta, and turn to coat. Marinate until ready to serve (no longer than 1 hour or cheese will begin to break down).
• Thread lamb and onions onto 8 skewers, alternating. Thread a lemon wedge onto one end of each skewer. Season with salt and pepper. Grill until a meat thermometer inserted into lamb registers 130 degrees for medium-rare and onions and lemons are caramelized, about 5 minutes per side. To serve, place each kebab on top of a whole pita, pull out the skewer, and top lamb with relish. Crumble feta over top.

LAMB SOUVLAKI WITH YOGURT-GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• For souvlaki, mix first 5 ingredients to make a marinade and set aside. Distribute lamb, bell peppers, onion and tomatoes among 8 skewers. Place in a large shallow pan with marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, rotating skewers once. Heat a gas grill to medium, or use a charcoal grill and allow the coals to turn a light-ash color. Coat grill with cooking spray. Grill until lamb is medium rare and lightly charred, 5 to 8 minutes. Rotate to cook evenly. To cook in oven, broil on metal skewers 6 minutes, rotating until evenly browned. Grill or toast pitas. For sauce, puree cucumbers and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Place in a fine-screen colander and squeeze out the juice. Reserve juice and discard pulp. Whisk cucumber and lemon juices in a bowl with yogurt. Mix in garlic; season with salt and pepper. Serve with pitas and skewers.