ARNISIO SOUVLAKI WITH GRILLED VEGETABLES: EVERYONE LOVES KEBABS

Monday, September 20, 2010

adapted from Epicurious.com

Souvlaki, Greek kebabs, are small pieces of meat that are skewered and grilled. They can be made with a variety of meats, but “arnisio” means lamb in Greek. The best cut of lamb for arnisio souvlaki is the leg. Souvlaki is often served with grilled seasonal vegetables. Here, I have chosen bright red cherry tomatoes and a couple of red onions which I marinated briefly and then skewered like the lamb and grilled. Served over couscous, rice or on top of flat bread, arnisio souvlaki with grilled vegetables makes a fantastic warm weather meal.

When you take a bite, this lamb will almost melt in your mouth it is so tender. The key is the marinade. I have posted the recipe for it before. It is simply equal amounts of olive oil and fresh lemon juice mixed with lots of garlic and lots of Greek oregano. A long two-day soak in this herbaceous bath followed by a sizzle over smokey coals tenderizes and flavors the meat like nothing else. My whole family is mad for it. That plus the fact that most of it can be prepared in advance, makes it completely gratifying. As a bonus, this recipe feeds lots of people. That means another night’s dinner or a casual dinner party.

Note: For this dish to be its best: trim as much fat and connective tissue from the lamb as possible or, preferably, ask your butcher to do it and then cut it into cubes for you; use Greek or Mediterranean oregano (other oreganos are more bitter); marinate the meat for 24-48 hours; and ABSOLUTELY do not overcook the meat (eat it pink).

For the lamb:

3 1/2 – 4 lbs leg of lamb fat trimmed and meat cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

1/3 extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup dried Greek oregano or 1/2 cup fresh chopped Greek oregano

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

For the vegetables:

2 large red onions, cut into quarters

4-5 cups cherry tomatoes

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Note: Although optional, I recommend serving this with a dollop of garlic yogurt sauce. It is like the cherry on top of a sunday. Garlic yogurt sauce can be thrown together in 1 minute. Mix about 1/4 – 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, a clove of minced garlic and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice. Season with salt to taste.

1. MARINATE LAMB: In a gallon-size sealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add chunks of lamb. Seal bag and squeeze the lamb around in the marinade until all of the chunks look coated with it. Refrigerate 24-48 hours.

2. 1 HOUR BEFORE YOU ARE READY TO COOK, MARINATE ONION AND TOMATOES AND BRING LAMB TO ROOM TEMPERATURE: Take lamb out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine olive oil and vinegar. Place vegetables in a sealable gallon size plastic bag and pour marinade over them. Lay flat so that the vegetables are coated in the marinade. Marinate 1 hour.

3. SKEWER AND GRILL: Thread the meat onto the skewers lengthwise, spaced just far enough apart so they do not touch, 4-5 to a skewer. Thread the vegetables onto skewers separate from the meat. Preheat grill. When coals are MEDIUM HOT, grill skewers of meat to medium rare, turning once, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let souvlakia rest while you grill the vegetables. Lay skewered vegetables on the grill and cook until soft and slightly charred, turning once, about 3 minutes per side.

4. SERVE: Slide meat and vegetables off of skewers and then onto plates. Serve with rice, couscous, or on top of flat bread with a dollop of garlic yogurt sauce.