LAMB SOUVLAKI

Inspired by Corfu, this lamb souvlaki recipe makes for a great barbecue dish. From Rick Stein, the juicy lamb is accompanied by flatbread, tzatziki and pickles

Can there be anything more exquisite than skewered cubes of lamb marinated with olive oil, lemon juice and Greek oregano and cooked over charcoal.

A souvlaki is not dissimilar to a Turkish shish kebab.

INGREDIENTS
2kg boned shoulder of lamb
1 tablespoon dried, oregano Greek if possible
Juice 1 large lemon150ml extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the tzatziki:

1 large cucumber
2 garlic cloves
500g natural Greekyoghurt
75g spring onions finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

First, make the tzatziki.

Peel the skin of the cucumber away in strips – you want some but not all of it. Then coarsely grate the cucumber, pile it into the centre of a clean tea towel and squeeze out most of the excess liquid. Put the garlic cloves onto a chopping board, sprinkle with a large pinch of salt and crush into a smooth paste with the flat blade of a large knife.

Spoon the yoghurt into a bowl and stir in the cucumber, garlic, spring onions, mint, olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Set aside until needed.

Cut the lamb into strips and cubes, trimming away any excess fat. Put the meat into a bowl with the oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and some black pepper and leave in the fridges to marinate overnight.

Bring to room temperature an hour before you are ready.

Light your barbecue. Being up to temperature

Thread about 5 pieces of meat, folding the thinner strips in half, on to sixteen 25-cm-long metal skewers and cook, in batches if necessary, for 6 minutes, turning them 2-3 times during cooking, until they are nicely browned on the outside and cooked through but still moist and juicy in the centre.

Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm while you cook the remainder.

Serve with flatbreads, the tzatziki, ripe tomatoes, pickled cucumbers or gherkins, pickled chillies and sprinkle with paprika.

Original Recipe Rick Stein  Mediterranean  Escapes