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Souvlakia
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The following delicious recipe is courtesy of Ellen Vidalakis Furgis and D. Eugene Valentine, and is excerpted from their book Greek Cooking at Its American Best.
Greek Shish Kebab,
or Souvlakia
Probably first made by shepards who cooked strips of meat on shaved sticks over open fires as they tended their flocks, this skewared meat dish was until recently more commonly known in America by its Turkish name: shish kebab. With the current proliferation of interest in Greek foods, and the simultaneous rise of take-out food establishments like the Souvlaki Drive-in in Salt Lake City, the Greek name has begun to take precedence. Perhaps one day this delicious food will be as commonly eaten here as it is in Greece, where souvlaki stands appear on almost every street corner throughout the country.
Traditionally, souvlakia are served on 6-inch wooden or metal skewers, and without the additional pieces of green pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions -- all of which Americans seem to like to alternate with the meat on the skewers. If you prefer to add these items to your souvlakia, use 12-inch metal skewers rather than the short ones and double the size of the meat chunks. (Serves 6 to 8)
| Ingredients: | 2 pounds lean lamb, pork, or beef |
| 1 medium onion, chopped | |
| 1/2 cup fine olive oil | |
| 1/4 cup lemon juice | |
| 1/2 cup red wine | |
| 2 cloves garlic, minced or presed | |
| 1 tablespoon leaf oregano | |
| 2 tablespoons parsley, minced | |
| Seasoned salt | |
| Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste | |
| 2 bay leaves | |
| Optional: | 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces |
| 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms | |
| 2 green pepers, cut into 1-inch pieces | |
| Cherry tomatoes |
Preparation:
| Step 1 | Cut the meat into 1 1/2-inch cubes. |
| Step 2 | Mix the rest of the ingredients (except the optional items) in a bowl, and then add the meat. Turning the meat occasionally, allow it to marinate overnight. |
| Step 3 | Thread 6 or 7 pieces of meat on each 6-inch skewer. Place in a shallow pan and broil for 20 to 25 minutes (they should be nicely brown on the outside but still pink and juicy inside). (See the directions above if you want to use the longer skewers and alternate meat slices with the optional items.) |
| Step 4 | When the meat is done, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the souvlakia and sprinkle on a bit of oregano before serving. Kali orexi! (Good eating!) |
