Gyro will make you a hero with your taste buds. Opa!
Ethnic foods add so much depth to meals, especially ones where meats and vegetables are a mainstay.
One example of a dish that is fun to make and delicious as well as beautiful are gyros. This recipe features lamb stew meat as opposed to the standard ground lamb for an easier preparation*, but still the same effect: Delicious, savory lamb that your kids will fall for.
The pita rolls I prefer? Gluten-free buns. It gets no easier than that. For folks who are not gluten-intolerant, wraps used in the first picture are an excellent choice. The Tzatziki is easy to prepare. For a less ‘liquid’ consistency, squeeze the cucumber prior to processing, or add xanthan gum (a little goes a long way) to thicken.
Lamb Gyro
1 pound lamb stew meat, sliced/chopped into smaller bites
1 tsp onion powder
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp black pepper
In a covered baking dish, mix meat with the ingredients. Let sit for a 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.
In a 325 degree oven, cook covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until meat is brown and cooked. (If you’re not used to cooking lamb, pull a piece out at 30 minutes and cut in half to check for doneness).
Serve with Tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato and a gyro or low-carb wrap.
Tzatziki Sauce
1, 8 ounce cup of full-fat, plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp dill
2 cloves garlic, peeled
salt and pepper, to taste
In a blender, mix all ingredients until liquid and blended. Store in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Keep refrigerated.
Can also be used as a salad dressing.
To thicken up your tzatziki, you can also use Greek yogurt (ie Fage brand), or just strain your regular, plain yogurt beforehand. There are some pretty straightforward directions here:
https://greekfood.about.com/od/greekcookingtips/ht/strainyogurt.htm
I can't wait to try this recipe!
I tried this tonight and it was a big hit with the whole family. Next time I am making a lot of the meat mixture to freeze, for an easy quick dinner.
I am so glad this was a hit! I need to make this again, soon. The lamb is really tender and delicious.