Souvlakia (greek Marinated Lamb Kebobs)
Ingredients
- 1 small leg of lamb, 3-4 lbs (2-3 lbs meat boned)
- 1 cup good olive oil
- juice of 2 lemons, strained
- 1/2 cup dry, hearty red wine
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 TBL crumbled dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves, crumbled
- 2 to 3 TBL chopped fresh basil or 1 to 2 TBL dried basil
- pinch dried or fresh thyme
- pinch crushed rosemary
- 1 pound fresh white mushrooms, cleaned and sprinkled with juice of 1 lemon
- 2 large yellow onions, peeled and cut into quarters
- 3 large green bell peppers, scrubbed, seeded and cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
- 12 to 18 firm cherry tomatoes, washed
Instructions
Remove fat and sinew from lamb, cut into 2-inch chunks like large stew meat. Combine olive oil, juice of 2 lemons, wine, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, bay leaves, basil thyme and rosemary in large non-reactant kettle and bring to boil, drop mushrooms into boiling marinade and cook, stirring to coat about 1 minute. Drop in onions and green pepper, stir to coat, cook about 1 minute, remove kettle from heat, let stand uncovered til cool. Add meat chunks, stir to coat, add tomatoes, cover tightly and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours (flavors are better with longer marination). Thread ingredients alternately on skewers, salt and pepper lightly if desired. Grill on barbecue, turning frequently and basting with marinade til meat is brown on outside and slightly pink in middle. Slip off skewers using a fork and onto plates, serve immediately. 4-6 servings. Good with crusty bread, saffron-laced rice pilaf, black Green olives, red wine and anything from fruit to pastry for dessert, also good eaten by hand in pockets of warm pita bread.