PHRIDAY PHEAST #1 – Tzatziki, Greek ‘Salad’ + Marinated Lamb 0

Welcome to Phriday Pheasts’ Phirst post! I have added this new category because I always find Phridays SO hard in terms of coming up with ideas for a yummaroo dinner. It’s the end of the week. You’re over it. You just want to order a pizza. So now, thanks to Phoodie, all you will have to do on Phridays is check in here for inspiration! (Note: if you haven’t yet done so, SUBSCRIBEEEEEE to the blog, that way, you receive an email every time I write something new! To subscribe, go to the top of the homepage, and on the right there is a PHOODIE’S PHANTASTIC button – click it! SO EASY!)

So…… the theme of this Phirst Phriday Pheast is GREEK FOOD!

OBVIOUSLY, being Greek, I am biased, but I must say, I truly think Greek food is THE BEST TYPE OF FOOD IN THE WORLD! Well, one of the best types. And generally, it’s SO simple to cook! The below meal is an example of that. I cooked it in 1 second with my eyes closed, and that’s not because I have had practice!

Note Dinner below serves 4

Another note: Whenever using olive oil, try to get Extra Virgin, it’s soooooo much better!

Phirst up, you’ll wanna prep the Tzatziki – CAN I PLEASE POINT OUT HERE (and no, my use of capital letters does NOT indicate that I am shouting, but rather, that I have a sick obsession with the caps lock buttton and seeings as this is my blog, I shall not work on treating that obsession!) that Tzatziki is NOT pronounced TA-ZIKI!!!!!! This KILLS ME! The ‘T’ is silent, it’s ZAT-ZIKI!!!! Ok. Let’s move on.

For the TZATZIKI you will need:

2 Lebanese cucumbers – grated – TIP ALERT TIP ALERT – When grating STOP when you reach the seeds i.e. grate, grate, grate, the washed UNPEELED cucumber until you are about to hit the seeds, then STOP. Turn the Cucumber over, grate grate grate again until you are about to hit the seeds, then STOP, turn again and repeat, until you have grated all four sides and are left with the seedy middle – eat it, toss it, I don’t care, just DON’T include it – too watery!

2 cloves garlic – crushed

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar OR the juice from 1/2 lemon

500g Greek Style Yoghurt – TIP ALERT TIP ALERT – if you want to be REED THIN, it is ok to use low fat (FAT FREE JALNA IS AMAZZZZZZZING) but make sure that whatever yoghurt you use is THICK AND CREAMY – nothing says DEVASTATION like a watery Tzatziki.

Oregano – fresh dried – to garnish

Olive Oil – 1 teaspoon mixed in to Tzatziki, a drizzle on top to serve.

Salt and pepper – to taste – abouttttttt1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Chuck everything into a bowl (except oregano), combine, sprinkle oregano and olive oil on top, set aside.

For the GREEK ‘SALAD’ you will need:

1 Red capsicum – diced into little cubes, about 1/2 cm

1 Green capsicum – diced as above

10 Cherry tomatoes – diced as above (I remove seeds!)

1/4 bunch spring onions – cut into approx 1/2 cm lengths

20 olives – I buy marinated (balsamic) Kalamata – but just Kalamata is fine.

1 Lebanese cucumber – diced like capsicums, seeds removed

1 block Greek Feta – sprinkled in oregano and drizzled in olive oil.

Chuck everything into a bowl (except feta), combine, dress with Olive oil and balsamic, place feta on top, set aside.

So, you may have noticed above that I don’t call this a Greek Salad, but rather a Greek ‘Salad’ – this is because it really is a Greek ‘Salsa’ – the salsa reference relates to the fact that everything is cut into teeny, tiny bits. This is Phoodie’s preference (my mother strongly disagreed with me until recently) because with this salsa style of prepping, each and every mouthful gives you a COMBINED explosion of flavour. So as opposed to picking up a big chunk of tomato and chewing away, each forkful provides you with a taste of all the ingredients mixed together. I believe it is INGENIOUS.

For the LAMB you will need:

2 Lamb fillets / backstrap

Oregano – about a tablespoon – freshly dried

Salt and Pepper – 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 pepper

Olive Oil – oh, about 1/4 cup

Lemon – cut into wedges, to be served alongside lamb.

Scatter all ingredients (except the lamb and lemon) on a plate and mix together.

Roll your lamb through to make sure it gets well covered.

Turn on your stove, high heat, hot pan, hot hot, sizzling hot, chuck on the lamb, cook it on one side for abouttttttttttttt 3 mins, until it is well-seared, flip it, cook it on the other for aboutttttttt 2 mins, turn off heat, let lamb rest. You are AIMING for a gorgeous caramelised outside and a juicy, tender, pink middle.

AND THERE IS YOUR GREEK PHEAST!

Depending on the size of the fillets, I say half a fillet serves one person, and it’s nice to serve the meat sliced……sooooo, to serve, slice lamb and place on plate with a GENEROUS dollop of Tzatziki and a big pile of the ‘Salad’……you can crisp up some pita bread too if you are feeling adventurous!!

Bon Apetito! Or rather, Kali Orexi!

HAPPY WEEKEND!