GREEK LAMB KEBABS (SOUVLAKIA) WITH TZATZAKI
MARINADE
80ml olive oil
15ml coriander seeds, crushed
10ml lemon rind
80ml lemon juice
10ml dried oregano
125ml dry white wine
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 fresh bay leaves
salt and black pepper
1kg boned leg of lamb, cut into 2cm cubes
10-12 wooden skewers, soaked pita breads, to serve
TZATZIKI
Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
10ml white wine vinegar
175ml Greek yoghurt
5ml crushed garlic
15ml chopped fresh mint
salt and pepper
MARINADE: Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Add the lamb cubes and marinate in the fridge overnight. When ready to cook, drain the lamb from the marinade and thread on to skewers. Cook over hot coals for about 10 minutes or under a preheated grill, turning and basting occasionally. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve in pita with tzatziki.
TZATZIKI: Sprinkle the cucumber with vinegar and place in a clean tea towel. Turn both ends to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Mix cucumber with remaining ingredients and season.
OLIVE AND MINT SPREAD
Serves 4-6
150g black olives, pitted
250ml picked mint leaves
10ml chopped garlic
80ml olive oil
15ml lemon juice
salt and pepper
feta cheese for sprinkling
crackers for serving
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Spoon into a dish and sprinkle with feta.
Drizzle with extra olive oil.
Serve with crackers, melba toast or pita bread.
BAKLAVA CIGARS
Makes 30
SYRUP
250ml sugar
250ml water
3 whole cloves
1 stick of cinnamon
125ml honey
juice of half a lemon
FILLING
300g whole almonds, chopped
10ml ground cinnamon
3ml ground cloves
250g butter, melted
10 sheets of phyllo pastry
SYRUP: Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
The sugar and water must be completely dissolved before boiling point is reached. Brush any sugar crystals off the sides with a pastry brush and water.
Add the cloves, cinnamon stick and honey, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Allow to cool.
FILLING: Combine almonds, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside. Unfold all the pastry sheets, divide into three sections equally and cut. There should be about 30 strips.
Pile each one on top of the other. Cover with a damp tea towel to prevent drying out.
Take one sheet, brush with butter and spoon a thin strip of the nut filling along the bottom edge, leaving a 3cm border on each side.
Fold in sides, brush with butter and roll up tightly to form a cigar shape. Repeat with remaining filling and pastry sheets. Arrange cigars in a well-buttered oven tray, then brush with any remaining butter.
Bake at 180ºC for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven, pour over the syrup and sprinkle with any extra nuts.
GREEK CUSTARD TART
Serves 8
SYRUP
375ml sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
15ml fresh lemon juice
375ml water
CUSTARD FILLING
1.5 litres milk
180ml sugar
250g butter
peel of 1 orange, cut into strips
250ml semolina
6 egg yolks, beaten
12 sheets of phyllo pastry
125g melted butter
15ml cinnamon sugar
SYRUP: Place sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and water in a saucepan over low heat. Dissolve sugar. Increase the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes until thick and syrupy. Cool and remove the cinnamon sticks. Set aside.
CUSTARD: Heat the milk, sugar, butter and orange peel in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the semolina just before the milk starts boiling.
Cook, while stirring, until the filling is thick and creamy. Cool before adding the beaten egg yolks. Mix well. Remove the orange peel from the custard.
Place a sheet of phyllo pastry in a 22cm x 30cm ovenproof dish. Brush with melted butter.
Repeat the process with four phyllo sheets. Pour custard filling into the baking dish and top with five phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Fold ends inside to enclose filling.Cut two phyllo sheets into thin strips. Mix with a little melted butter and place the strips on top of the phyllo sheets in the dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake at 180ºC for 45 to 50 minutes until golden and custard is set. Remove from the oven and pour over the syrup.
Cut into squares and serve lukewarm.
Makes 6-8
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