# Meditereanian or Greek pitas



## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

I was playing around with a recipe from the internet that was a variation on the traditional plain Lamb Gyro with plain yogurt sauce yesterday. 
Sauce recipe is as follows:

8 oz. plain yogurt
2tsp each freshly chopped mint and cilantro
1 minced clove of garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
pinch of cayenne
zest of one lemon
salt and ground pepper to taste.

Did not have the lemon or the mint this time, so I used lime juice rather than zest

I had previously roasted some Bone-in, skin on breasts from lion with Paprika, Garlic salt,and Tony Cacherie, and black sifted pepper.

When complete I removed from bone and diced up along with cukes, Bermuda onion, last of my small garden tomatoes[Patio]
1Tbls. spoon of each into a bowl and mixed with generous amount of the yogurt mixture and then spooned into whole wheat pita with romaine spears.

I have created a monster and its all I've eaten for 2 days.

I have a semi boneless lamb cryo-vac that I will try it with next time.

Now, my question is. If anybody else a knockdown recipe for variations of this sauce and or pita, can you please post it. I am interested in taking mine to the next level. Thanx Peix


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## Outrigger (Nov 6, 2006)

Take a look at PatioDaddio’s gyro recipe. I’ve done it twice and it’s pretty tasty. The longer you let the meat sit in the fridge the more the flavor develops. I think the second go-round I added a tad extra (maybe half tsp-ish) of seasonings to the meat. Either way it’s yummy.
His tzatziki is IMHO just okay-ish; he uses dried dill and granulated garlic. I much prefer the fresher stuff. I use the recipe here but my own tzatziki sauce given at the bottom here.

http://www.patiodaddiobbq.com/2010/09/gyros-on-grill.html


*Alton Brown:*

He uses dried marjoram and dried rosemary along with fresh minced garlic to flavor the meat, but for the sauce he uses red wine vinegar for the acid and mint leaves (no dill).


Alton Brown Tzatziki Sauce: 

16 ounces plain yogurt 
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped 
Pinch kosher salt 
4 cloves garlic, finely minced 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 
5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced 

*Cook’s Illustrated Tzatziki*

CI tzatziki uses lemon juice and zest for an acid along with mint (2 tbsp) *and* dill (dried 1/2 tsp. or 2-3X more for fresh dill)
Blogger did the recipe here:

http://thefoodweeat.typepad.com/the_food_we_eat/2008/06/mock-gyros-with.html

Some other versions I had laying around.

*Tzatziki: Emeril’s Version*


1 medium cucumber, peeled, sliced in half and seeded, and finely chopped 
1/8 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 cup plain yogurt 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar 
1 teaspoon minced fresh dill or oregano leaves ….(never tried adding oregano to my sauce)
1 teaspoon minced garlic 
1/2 teaspoon Essence

Put the cucumber in a strainer set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and drain for 1 hour. Put the yogurt in another strainer set over a bowl and drain for 1 hour. Combine the cucumber and yogurt in a bowl with the remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. 

Yield: 1 1/2 cups 

*Tzatziki*


1 long thin cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 cups/480 ml strained Greek yogurt, chilled 
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
3 tbsp extra-virgin Greek olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Grate the cucumber on the coarse side of a box grater. Drain really well in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes, then, taking a handful at a time, squeeze out as much of the excess liquid as possible in the palms of your hands. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.

2. Combine the yogurt with garlic. Add the drained, squeezed cucumber and the dill. Pour in the vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Serve immediately. It should be served cold. 


*My preference for tzatziki :* 


FAGE Greek yogurt
Cucumber
Garlic – through a garlic press or zested on a microplane
Fresh dill - generous amounts to taste minced
Lemon juice & some zest
EVOO lightly drizzled in at end to tie all flavors together
Honey
Pinch of cumin
S&P (I used white pepper fwiw)

*Optional*


Red wine vinegar (sparingly added in addition to lemon juice)
Pinche(s) of cumin to taste
fresh mint leaves minced
Paprika
Cayenne


*Instructions:*

The measurements aren’t given as I eyeball most of the stuff going in and adjust for consistency and taste, but if you sort of reference the measurements for the above sauces you can pull this off as well.

1. I start off with about 1.5 – 2 cups FAGE greek yogurt.

2. For the cucumber, I trim off the ends and peel it mostly leaving a few thin strips of peel remaining on the cuc. Cut it into two halves crosswise and then cut each half lengthwise. You should have four pieces. Now scoop out the seeds with a spoon and grate each piece on the coarse side of a box grater. Dividing the cuc into four pieces makes it more manageable to shred on the grater. Once done, throw the gratings into a wire colander and mix with a generous pinch of salt and mix it up. Rest over a bowl for about 30 mins+ to catch and see all of the liquid that gets shed. If it's very wet let sit longer. The cuc really should not taste salty, if so, you maybe added a bit much salt and might need to adjust sauce seasoning at end. No worries. Give it a squeeze to wring out any extra liquid.

3. I add the amount of shredded cuc to the sauce until I get the consistency that I like.

4. Add garlic, starting with about 1-2 cloves and adding more to taste. Raw garlic tends to build in flavor the longer it sits in a sauce so I err a little on the light side and go from there. I love garlic btw!

5. Dill, lots of dill to taste. (I think I might try adding a touch of mint next time, but it is still tasty nonetheless.

*The addition of lemon juice and EVOO next will thin the yogurt a tad but it should still have some body and little excess liquid from the drained cucs.

6. Lemon juice and some zest to taste.

7. Light drizzle of honey to balance some acidity.

8. Pinch of cumin.

7. EVOO – light drizzle to round out savors.

8. Salt & Pepper.

9. Dash(s) of paprika for flair!

Give some time to rest in fridge and the flavors really come together. :beer:


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

Thanx Outrigger, I will roll it up and smoke it if you know what I mean. Peix


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## Seahawk (Oct 3, 2013)

After trying a number of different recipes over the years I finally decided on Alton Brown's recipe and process for the gyro meat and tzaziki as my "go to" gyro recipe. It always received compliments from family and friends that I've made it for. The only difference is in mine I use more garlic, mint and fresh squeezed lemon juice instead of red wine vinegar in the tzaziki. He's got a great video posted with his recipe _*here*_. I cook mine on a rotisserie over charcoal.


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

Thanx Sea Hawk And hidden behind clam chowder the entire time. Keep Pumpin it boys. Throw it in. That s what makes this board great. Peix


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## surfmom (Nov 3, 2012)

well you all got me wanting to make this but decided to be lazy and going to try lamb and chicken souvlaki instead
will let ya know how it turns out


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## Aristokles (Mar 5, 2013)

Opa!


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## surfmom (Nov 3, 2012)

Aristokles said:


> Opa!


 ti kanis aristokles..no i dont speak Greek just know a few phrases from my waitress days at a Greek reststarunt in bkyln. Many moons ago lol


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

All this Greek food makes me want to break out the Wineskin . . . Gotta have the right music playing, too !!!


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