This is another meal that DH and I enjoyed recently. We had enough of the skewered lamb and rice pilaf leftover that we had it another night. We thought the leftovers were even better than the first time around. DH simply reheated the skewered lamb briefly on the grill. Though these were not served in Pita, DH wanted the Tzatziki so I made it too. I have played some with the recipe as I find that most Tzatziki that I make is a little too tangy for my taste even though I have been able to find strained Greek Yogurt here.

Souvlaki (Grilled, Skewered Lamb) Serves 8

3 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 large red onions, peeled and quartered (I just used 1 onion)
4 green peppers, seeded and cut into large square pieces (I used one and cut it into about 1 1/2-inch squares.)
6 small round tomatoes, cored and quartered (I used many cherry tomatoes, whole.)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2-3 Tbl. dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
8 skewers (If you use bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes so they don't catch on fire.)

1. Divide the lamb into 8 portions. Thread each portion on a skewer alternating the lamb cubes with the vegetables.
2. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to form a marinade. Place the skewers in a shallow pan (make sure that it is non-reactive such as stainless steel or glass) and pour in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. (We marinated the lamb and vegetables before skewering, then put them on skewers before grilling.)
3. Preheat the broiler or barbeque and grill the souvlaki, turning it several times, for about 20 minutes.

Rice Pilaf with Noodles (I believe that this recipe is maybe Lebanese and not Greek??!? It comes from my cookbook The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean by Paula Wolfert. I thought that it went well with the Souvlaki. Again, I halved the recipe but the recipe below is for the full amount. It's like a homemade rice-a-roni :-) )

"Here is a simple all-purpose eastern Mediterranena rice pilaf to accompany any and all stews, grilled meats, and stuffed vegetable dishes." Serves 5 to 6

3/4 c. vermicelli, broken in one-inch lengths (I thought this was a little long so the second time I made it, I broke the vermicelli into about 1/2-inch pieces.)
1 1/2 Tbl. melted butter
1 1/2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 c. long-grain rice (such as Uncle Ben's Original)
3 c. boiling water or chicken broth (I like the extra flavor the chicken broth provides.)
1 1/4 tsp. salt (You may want to use less especially if you use chicken broth.)
Freshly ground black pepper, ground cinnamon, OR ground cloves for garnish (not all 3)

1. In a 2-quart casserole, saute vermicelli in butter and oil until golden, stirring constantly. Stir in the rice and fry until glazed, about 1 minute. Add the boiling liquid (either water or chicken broth), and the salt and allow to boil 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until liquid has been absorbed, about 18 minutes. Place a folded paper towel or terry towel over the rice, cover the pot, and let rest, with the heat turned off, 10 minutes before serving.
2. Sprinkle with one of the spices and fluff the rice with a fork.

Greek Salad

The wife of a Greek friend of ours made this for us many years ago in California. She added a beautifully ripe avocado so in a nod of appreciation to her, I usually try to add one as well but it isn't traditional. Just try to make sure that all of the vegetables are beautifully and perfectly ripe - the best you can find.

Classic Greek Salad

4 plump tomatoes, cored and quartered or cut into eighths
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
2 green peppers, seeded and cut into thin round slices
2 to 3 salted anchovies (optional)
15 to 20 kalamata olives
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into thin round slices
1/3 lb. feta cheese, either sliced or cut into wedges or crumbled
1 or 2 avocados, peeled and sliced or cut into chunks (add right before the last toss of the salad)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, or slightly less to taste
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt to taste

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, anchovies, and half of both the onions, olives, and feta in a medium sized bowl. Toss gently. Strew remaining onions and feta over top of salad. Douse with olive oil and season with oregano and salt. Toss, gently, once more just before serving. If you like, you can add just a splash of red wine vinegar but the olives and feta give the salad a tang so you don't really need the vinegar.)

Tzatziki (Yogurt, Cucumber and garlic Dip) from The Food and Wine of Greece by Diane Kochilas

"Serve alone with bread or crackers, or as an accompaniment to vegetable fritters and other fried food such as keftedes and squid." I usually make a much smaller amount than this recipe makes since we just wouldn't eat this much.

1, 32 oz. container plain yogurt* (Use strained Greek yogurt if you can find it. I prefer not to use the low fat yogurt since I don't feel that it gives as nice a flavor or texture to the Tzatziki. In the end, it's your decision.)
1 large cucumber (I like the English cucumbers with fewer seeds.)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbl. finely chopped fresh dill or mint
3 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbl. red wine vinegar, or to taste
Salt, to taste

1. Empty yogurt into a large square of double cheesecloth. Tie at top and let hang to drip for 2 hours, until yogurt thickens and is strained. Place yogurt "cheese" in a medium-size bowl. You should have 1 1/2 cups.
2. Peel and grate the cucumber. Taking a little at a time between the palms of your hand, squeeze as hard as possible until water is removed. Add to yogurt cheese.
3. Mix in garlic, dill, olive oil, vinegar and salt. Combine all ingredients well. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
Yield: About 2 cups

*Note:In place of strained yogurt, use a mixture of 3/4 c. plain yogurt and 3/4 c. sour cream, if desired.

In the past, I have tried lots of different things to make this a bit less tangy. Other recipes I have seen have suggested adding a teaspoon of sugar and adding a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise. If you find this is too tangy for you, I think adding just a touch of mayonnaise helps to mellow it a bit.