Sometimes I like It Greek Style

Mark Bittman, aka The Minimalist conjured up the recipe that formed basis for my spin in his column in the New York Times back June 24th, 2009 entitled "Nachos by Way Of Greece".

The first time I made it I pretty much copied his recipe, but I find the Greekness is suited to audibles on the herbs and spices, or variations on tzatziki and different meats. This most recent time I had dill in the cupboard, along with whole cumin and coriander seeds, so in they went. Instead of more traditional lamb I defaulted to a tried and true, cheap and nutritious ground meat, 93% lean ground turkey. Lamb certainly would have been more distinct, but the ground turkey is a good vehicle; cook it just until done to retain its moisture.

To throw another curve in, I decided to use a new gadget. I got a meatball griller from

Williams Sonoma a couple weeks back (on sale for $10 from $50) so I decided to form the meat portion of the dish into balls and grill them. Obviously a very different result than sauteing in oil, but it certainly worked. The turkey held up pretty well to the intense dry heat, retaining decent moisture, but my gut told me to use beef or lamb, and next time I will.

The only difference if you decide to grill the meat is to mix it together with spices of choice and the onions pre-cooked. If you have a meatball griller, portion them accordingly, otherwise you can form them into patties like burgers, or Kefta, which are long skewered patties made in the Middle East.

All assembled, the plate looks quite nice and it's a good weeknight meal because it comes together quickly. Nutritious, balanced, salty, the fullness of the smooth yogurt dressing everything makes it quite satisfying.

Ingredients (Serves 2 people with leftovers for lunch the next day):

Yogurt Sauce:

Plain Greek yogurt, at least 2% fat

Juice of 1/4 to 1/2 a lemon

1 tablespoon dry dill or fresh equivalent

1 clove garlic minced very fine

1/4 English cucumber finely diced

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes:

3/4 English cucumber partially skinned, 1" diced

2 medium ripe tomatoes 1" dice, or 2 cups grape tomatoes halved

1 cup Kalamata or other briny olives, halved

8 oz. good feta cheese, 1" diced

Couple handfuls of fresh baby spinach to make up bottom layer of the plate

Meat Component:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. ground lamb, turkey or beef, at least 7% fat

1 teaspoon cumin seeds or ground

1 teaspoon coriander seeds or ground

1 medium onion, finely diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: Pita pockets, cut into quarters, brushed with olive oil and baked for 10-15 in a 350° oven

Optional Equipment:

Meatball griller

Make the yogurt sauce by folding the ingredients into the yogurt and checking for seasoning. This is not meant to be too salty but rather smooth and refreshing against the salty olives and cheese. Put it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Assemble the garnishes in individual bowls and set aside.

Grind the spices (if whole) in a spice grinder and set aside.

Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a fry pan or dutch oven and when it's hot add a couple tablespoons of oil. Add the onions and cook until softened and beginning to brown, 10 minutes or so. Add the spices and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes or so. Add the meat and break it up with a wooden spoon or masher. Increase the heat to high and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the meat is beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Don't let it overcook and dry out though. Remove from the heat.

For the optional grill method: Dice and cook the onions low and slow before assembly until caramelize and soft, then let cool. Mix them in with the meat and spices, season with a teaspoon+ salt and pepper to taste. Place them in a meatball griller or directly on the grill and cook until finished, which will vary depending on the type of meat.

To assemble the dish, place some spinach on a plate, then add the warm meat. Begin garnishing with yogurt sauce, vegetables, olives and cheese in no particular order. Drizzle some olive oil to lubricate the spinach and serve.