lemon roast potatoes, Greek salad, Baklava

Lamb Kebobs

Juice and zest of 2 lemons
½ cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
Combine the above in a bowl and whisk together well.

1½ pounds leg of lamb or lamb loin trimmed of most of the fat and any connective tissue cut into 1½” square pieces Add the lamb pieces to the marinade and marinate for up to 12 hours. Note: This can also be done in zippered bags. Just be sure that the marinade coats all of the pieces well.

Remove the lamb from the marinade and drain well. Discard the marinade. Skewer the lamb. Note: if you are using bamboo skewers they will need to be soaked in water for 12 hours before using.

Grill the skewers over high heat, turning three times during grilling to be sure that all of the meat is grill marked and the lamb is cooked to the desired degree of doneness. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Remove the skewers from the grill and serve with lemon wedges and tzatziki.

Tzatziki

2 cups plain yogurt (be sure to select a brand that is not set with gelatin

Place the yogurt in cheesecloth or a coffee filter to drain until approximately ½ of the whey has drained off. Retain the whey to adjust the consistency of the tzatziki.

1 cup cucumber, grated and squeezed to remove water
2 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons red onion, finely diced, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, drained
½ tsp salt

Add the above to the yogurt and mix together well.
Taste and adjust the seasoning and consistency of the dip by adding more whey to the dip.

Lemon Potatoes

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
Water to cover
Salt

Place the potatoes in a pan and season with a generous amount of salt. Bring the potatoes a boil and cook just until they are about ¼ way cooked through, approximately 5 minutes only.

Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
¼ tsp each salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon oil

While the potatoes are cooking whisk the above together and have it ready once the potatoes are cooked.

Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain well. Place the potatoes back on the heat for 1 minute, tossing well to help the potatoes dry. Immediately add the marinade and toss together well.

Pour the potatoes into a baking dish and bake at 400°F, tossing several times during cooking, just until the potatoes are golden brown and cooked through, approximately 25 minutes.

Serve alongside the lamb.

Greek salad

Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Whisk the above in a bowl until well combined. Let the dressing sit for 1 hour (if possible) to allow the flavours to blend.

1 small red pepper cut into 1 inch squares
1 small green pepper cut into 1 inch squares
1 small yellow pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
1 small cucumber, cut into 1 inch squares
2 large tomatoes cut into wedges
½ small red onion cut into 1 inch squares

Add the above to the dressing and toss together well. Let the salad sit for as long possible.

½ cup kalamata olives
¾ cup good feta cheese (it should be brined)

Top the salad with the olives and feta cheese and toss again just before serving.

Baklava – Makes about 12 squares

¾ tsp of ground cinnamon
⅓ cup sugar
Zest of ½ lemon

Combine the above and set aside.

½ cup blanched almonds
¾ cup raw walnuts
½ cup raw pistachios

Place the nuts on a sheet tray and toast in a preheated 400°F oven until golden brown. Stir the nuts around at least once to help them brown evenly. Do not walk away. Nuts go from white to burnt in seconds if you turn away.

Turn the temperature of the oven down to 175°C. Cool the nuts and then process them in a food processor just they are fine with some larger pieces. Use the pulse function of the processor to avoid turning the nuts into nut butter. The nuts should look like sand but with some larger pieces in the mixture.

1 package filo dough
½ cup butter, melted

Brush the bottom and sides of 11 by 7 inch non stick pan with butter. Brush one half of a filo sheet with butter and fold in half with the butter between the layers. Fit the prepared sheet in the pan, folding the edges slightly to make it fit. Repeat this step 4 more times for a total of 10 layers of filo for the bottom layer. Top with ⅓ of the nut mixture and spread thinly. Top the nut layer with ⅓ of the sugar mixture.

Layer 3 more folded sheets of filo with butter in between each of them, followed by another third of the nuts and more of the sugar mixture. Repeat with another 3 more folded sheets and the remaining nuts and sugar mixture. Top with 4 folded sheets of filo brushing with butter in between each sheet. This will give you a total of 20 layers of filo pastry.

Brush the top generously with butter. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cut into 28 squares. Return pan to the oven and continue to bake for another 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, place on a rack and cool for 1 hour.

¾ cups good quality honey
¾ cups water
¾ cups sugar
½ cinnamon stick
1 small piece lemon peel
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (juice of ½ medium sized lemon)

Make the syrup during the last 30 minutes of cooling. Combine the honey, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon juice and peel in a heavy bottomed pan and set over high heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and discard the peel and cinnamon stick.

Re-cut the lines and then pour the hot syrup evenly over top, allowing it to run into the cuts and around the edges of the pan. Allow the pan to sit, uncovered until completely cool. Cover and store at room temperature for at least 4 hours and up to overnight before serving. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 5 days.

To get this meal to the table easily:

• Up to 5 days in advance:
  • Make the baklava
• The day before
  • Prep and marinate the lamb
  • Soak the skewers if necessary
  • Strain the yogurt
• Earlier in the day:
  • Cook potatoes and set aside at room temperature
  • Skewer the lamb
  • Make the tzatziki and store refrigerated
  • Make the salad dressing and store covered at room temperature
  • Prep the salad veggies but don’t toss with the dressing ingredients until later

Cathie Hamilton
Certified Culinary Scientist
E-mail Cathie Hamilton

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