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Souvlaki with Tzatziki

Souvlaki with Tzatziki

Ingredients

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

  • 1 teaspoon (about 1/3 palmful) each green oregano, thyme, cumin and smoked sweet paprika

  • About 1/3 cup EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • 1 red onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces

  • 1 1/2 pounds (trimmed weight) boneless leg of lamb, pork tenderloin or boneless chicken, cut into bite-sized cubes

  • Salt and pepper

  • 8- to 10-inch metal skewers

  • Olive oil cooking spray

For the Tzatziki:

  • 1 medium cucumber or zucchini, peeled and seeded then grated and salted

  • 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • 2 cloves garlic, grated or pasted garlic

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped dill

For serving:

  • Greek pita or flat bread

  • Vine tomatoes, chopped or thinly sliced

  • Thinly sliced and cold-soaked white onion, drained well

  • Flat-leaf parsley leaves/tops

  • Giardiniera (chopped pickled vegetables), drained and chopped

  • Hot pickled pepper rings

Directions

In a shallow bowl, whisk together lemon juice, Worcestershire, garlic, spices and oil. Add onion and meat, season with salt and pepper, turn to coat and refrigerate overnight or several hours.

Thread meat and onions on metal skewers.

For the Tzatziki, drain salted cucumber or zucchini for 20 minutes and press gently to squeeze out any excess liquid. Place in a bowl and combine with yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and dill; adjust salt to taste.

Heat a cast-iron grill, griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Spray skewered meat with olive oil spray and grill until charred outside but pink in middle for lamb, 7-8 minutes, or cooked until just opaque for pork or chicken, 9-10 minutes.

Remove meat from skewers and arrange on a platter with pitas and veggies. Serve Tzatziki alongside.