I can remember sitting at a small, local Greek restaurant several years ago with my Mom. We sat on the patio and laughed and talked and laughed some more. (We do that a lot.) 🙂 Their gyros were phenomenal, and their Greek salads were, quite literally, to-die-for… Ever since, I’ve been on a quest to replicate that unique and savory taste of the gyros we had that day. I think I may be close this time… Enjoy. 🙂
Gyros:
* 6 oz Feta cheese, crumbled
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
* 1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
* 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
* 1 Tbsp minced fresh mint, about 7 leaves
* 1 Tbsp minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
* 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
* 1 boneless leg of lamb (1 1/2 – 2 lbs)
* 6 pita breads, cut crosswise into halves
Tzatziki Sauce:
* 16 ounces plain yogurt
* 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
* 1 Tbsp kosher salt, plus 1 more Tbsp, to taste (I needed about 2 Tbsp to make it taste right, but start with 1 and make it the way you like it)
* 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
* 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1 more Tbsp if sauce is too thick (I wanted a more fluid sauce, but still with body… I used about 3 Tbsp olive oil, altogether)
* 2 tsp red wine vinegar
* 6 mint leaves, finely minced
Place the yogurt in a double layer of cheese cloth (available at your grocer), gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Discard the liquid. (Do not skip this step.)
Place the chopped cucumber in another piece of cheese cloth. Squeeze gently to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint.
(Tzatziki recipe amended from Alton Brown’s, FoodNetwork.com, link to original recipe here.)
Gyros:
Prep your grill for medium heat.
Add the Feta, 1 Tbsp oil and lemon juice to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, mash together to mix thoroughly. Stir in the cucumber, onion, mint, parsley, and dill. Set aside.
Butterfly the lamb: flatten the lamb on a cutting board. Using a knife, make a 1/2-inch-deep X (about 2 inches long) every 1 inch along one side of the lamb, until 1 side of the lamb is covered in X marks. Be sure not to cut through the meat. You’re evening the cooking surface of the lamb by doing this, and it will cook more evenly when placed on the grill.
Brush the lamb with the remaining oil. Place on the grill rack and grill, turning once or twice, until golden brown on both sides. An instant read thermometer should read between 130 – 135 degrees F in the thickest part of the meat. The meat will still be slightly pink in the center. Remove lamb from grill and tent with foil. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
Slice the lamb across the grain on the diagonal, cutting it into 1-inchX1/2-inch chunks. Season with salt and pepper (if necessary). Evenly distribute the lamb and feta-cucumber salad among the pita halves. Top generously with Tzatziki sauce and serve immediately.
A great salad pairing? Check out my authentic Greek salad recipe.
Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma Cooking at Home, pg 185.
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