At the peak of the summer produce season, everything you need for a fabulous Greek meal is available at the Market. Make a delicious lamb dish, beautiful roasted vegetables, and a simple fresh salad (see recipes below). Then pretend you’re vacationing on a sunny Greek island and enjoy! (Thanks to market volunteer Lynn Zachmanoglou for turning me on to these amazing Greek recipes.)

Get lamb from Sunshine Valley Farm this week, and Goat Feta from Sirocco Ridge.

Maroulosalata – A Simple Greek Lettuce Salad

recipe from Salads with Anastasia

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups romaine lettuce, Shredded
  • 3/4 cup green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 4-5 ounces feta cheese
  • Sea salt & cracked black pepper

For the Dressing:

  • Olive oil
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Oregano

Optional add-ins:

  • Cucumber: thinly slice it into half-moons for a crunchy bite.
  • Feta cheese: add a chunk of feta cheese on top, with some dried oregano sprinkled on.
  • Kalamata olives: meaty, briny kalamata olives add another layer of flavor.
  • Other herbs: such as mint, tarragon or basil

Directions:

  1. Gently wash the lettuce in a colander under cold running water in the sink. Pat or spin dry. Remove any damaged or wilted leaves from the lettuce, cut off the core then shred. Trim and wash the green onions then slice thinly. Wash the dill, shake and pat dry, discard the stems and chop finely.
  2. Place all the dressing ingredients in a glass container, season. Shake well until well combined and emulsified.
  3. Put everything in a large mixing bowl, season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
    Pour over the dressing and toss well to combine, taste and adjust seasonings. Makes 4 servings.

Briam (Greek Mixed Roasted Vegetables)

recipe by Eli K. Giannopoulos at My Greek Dish

Ingredients:

  • 35 ounces ripe fresh tomatoes, (or 3-4 cans of plum tomatoes, strained and chopped)
  • 18 ounces potatoes, sliced
  • 18 ounces eggplants, sliced
  • 18 ounces zucchinis, sliced
  • 3/4 c. olive oil
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Feta cheese and good bread for serving

Directions:

  1. Start by preparing your vegetables. Peel and cut the potatoes in slices.  Wash thoroughly the eggplants and zucchinis and slice into 3/8” slices.  Alternatively, you can cut the vegetables into chunks.  Peel the tomatoes and cut into thin slices.
  2. Use a large baking dish, approx. 11×13, so that the vegetables are not layered too deep. Layer the bottom of the pan with the sliced tomatoes and season. Place on top the sliced potatoes, eggplants and zucchinis and season well.  Sprinkle with the and garlic and top with te rest of the tomatoes.  Season well, garnish with chopped parsley and drizzle with the olive oil.
  3. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven at 392F for 1-1/2 to 2 hrs. Uncover halfway through the cooking time, toss the vegetables and continue baking until nicely colored.
  4. Serve this traditional dish with salty feta cheese and lots of bread. Makes 8 servings.

Marinated Greek Lamb Souvlaki (Skewers) with Pita and Tzatziki

recipe by Eli K. Giannopoulos at My Greek Dish

Ingredients:

  • 35 ounces lamb leg or shoulder, cut into chunks
  • 5-6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 red onions, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional)
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 10 metal or wooden skewers

For the tzatziki sauce:

  • 1 large cucumber (or 2 small)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/4 of a cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 18 ounces of strained yogurt
  • 1–2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • a pinch of salt

To serve:

  • 10 pita breads
  • olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt

Directions:

  1. To prepare, cut the meat into equal sized chunks and set aside.
  2. Prepare the marinade. In a large bowl add the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, the herbs and spices and season with freshly ground pepper – don’t add salt yet. Whisk all the ingredients to combine. Add the meat and the onions and blend to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, chill and let marinade for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight, to soak up all the flavors.
  3. In the meantime, prepare the tzatziki sauce. Pour in a blender the olive oil and grated garlic and blend until combined. Remove the skin and seeds of the cucumber and grate it into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and leave for 10 minutes. Wrap the grated cucumber in a towel and squeeze, to get rid of the excess water. In a bowl, add the cucumber, the blended garlic and oil, the yogurt, 1-2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and blend, until the ingredients are combined. Store the tzatziki sauce in the refrigerator and always serve cold.
  4. To assemble the lamb kebab, you can either use wooden or metal skewers. You will need about 10 skewers, depending on the size of each souvlaki. If using wooden skewers, cut them to fit your griddle pan and soak them in water. (This will prevent them from burning.) Lift the chunks of lamb out of the marinade and thread the pieces, comfortably, on the skewers. At this point don’t forget to season your lamb souvlaki with salt.
  5. Heat a grill, barbecue or griddle pan and cook the lamb kebab for about 10-15 minutes, turning, until cooked to your liking.
  6. Prepare the pita breads. Preheat the oven to 482F. Use a cooking brush to lightly oil the pita breads on both sides and season with salt and oregano. Place a large oven tray at the bottom of the oven and place the pita breads on top of the tray. Bake for 2-3 minutes. (Alternatively grill the pita breads, until nicely colored on both sides).
  7. Enjoy this delicious Greek lamb souvlaki recipe with pita bread and tzatziki sauce with a nice refreshing salad. Makes 6 servings.

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