wintertime grilling: greek-american fusion

our cooking club has wanted to do some wintertime grilling for a while, and we were excited when real simple had this lamb kebabs recipe in the february 2011 issue.  it was a great simple greek spin on lamb and lima beans using a shared vinaigrette.  definitely a recipe worth sharing, and one worth repeating.  good taste and great combination!  and we are sure grilling it in the snow made it taste even better.

as for our dessert we chose baklava. no one had made this before and we were up for the challenge, we chose a recipe from simply recipes.  it might have been helpful if someone had made this before, but we would definitely try it again because it’s a great dessert, and we don’t think we are too far from perfecting it.  

the major issue was the lack of phyllo dough.  the recipe called for one pound (as does every recipe actually) but that was definitely not enough…we used an even smaller pan and ended up rolling out the dough.  probably not what you are supposed to do…it also calls for 8 layers of phyllo dough on the top...which was totally impossible, as we rolled all 6 small pieces (which came from the 1 lb box), out just to have 6 layers in the middle.  so maybe before we try this again we will look at other recipes to compare, or simply just by a few more boxes of phyllo dough!

lamb kebabs with lima bean salad

serves 4| hands-on: 25m | total time: 40m

ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 cloves garlic, chopped

kosher salt and black pepper

3/4 pound boneless lamb top round steak or shoulder chop, cut into 16 pieces

1 lemon, cut into 8 pieces

1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges (stem end left intact)

1 pound frozen baby lima beans

1 ounce Feta, crumbled (1⁄4 cup)

1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves

directions

Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for at least 15 minutes. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. (these still charred and broke at the ends!)

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, make the vinaigrette: Whisk together the oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Transfer half the vinaigrette to another medium bowl, add the lamb, and toss to coat.

Heat broiler. Thread the lamb, lemon, and onion onto the skewers and place on a broilerproof baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Add the beans and 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water and cook until the beans are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain well, and add to the bowl with the remaining vinaigrette. Add the Feta, olives, and mint and toss to combine. Serve with the kebabs.

By Cyd McDowell,  February 2011 

baklava

ingredients

For the baklava:

1 lb. of chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pistachios are best, or use a combination of them)

1 lb of phyllo dough

1 cup of butter, melted

1/3 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/3 teaspoon of ground cloves

For the syrup:

1 cup of water

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of honey

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 cinnamon stick

Finely ground pistachios for garnish (optional)

directions

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and set the oven to 350°F.

Thaw the phyllo dough according to manufacturer's directions (this may take overnight). When thawed, roll out the dough and cut the dough in half so the sheets will fit in the pan. Cover with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.

Process the nuts until in small, even sized pieces. Combine with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.

Place a sheet of phyllo dough into the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Repeat 7 more times until it is 8 sheets thick, each sheet being "painted" with the butter.

Spoon on a thin layer of the nut mixture. Cover with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each one with butter. Continue to repeat the nut mixture and two buttered sheets of phyllo until the nut mixture is all used up. The top layer should be 8 phyllo sheets thick, each sheet being individually buttered. Do not worry if the sheets crinkle up a bit, it will just add more texture.

Cut into 24 equal sized squares using a sharp knife. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown, and edges appear slightly crisp.

While baking, make the syrup. Combine the cinnamon stick, sugar, lemon juice, honey, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and let simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool.

Spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Garnish with some finely crushed pistachios of desired.

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/baklava/