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Souvlaki - Ground Beef and Lamb Lollipops

Here's how you make Souvlaki - Ground Beef and Lamb Lollipops
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  • Servings: 7
  • Prep: 3-4h
  • Cook: 15-20m
    • The following recipe serves 7 people.

Ingredients

The ingredients are:
  • FOR MEAT
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1 shallot, grated (or minced very fine, large shallot, make sure to grate over the bowl, to get all the juice)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped (white and green parts)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint (fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary, fine minced (fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • FOR SAUCE
  • 8 ounces Greek yogurt (if you can't get greek yogurt, plain yogurt is fine)
  • 2 teaspoons oil (olive oil)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed (if you don't have a press, read the note below)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh mint, minced
  • FOR SANDWICH
  • 510 to 680 grams flatbreads (6-8 flatbreads, pita bread is equally as good)
  • 1 cucumber (large cucumber, lightly seeded and thin sliced in half moons)
  • 1 red onion (medium onion, cut in half and thin sliced)
  • 1/4 cup black olives (cut in half, more of less to taste)
  • Baby spinach (if you don't want spinach, the dark leaves of romaine will work)
We recommend you get your ingredients ready before you start cooking. Once you're ready, here are the steps to making this delicious recipe

How to Make

  • Step 1: Meat ... Add all the seasoning, herbs, olive oil, shallot, onion, garlic and mustard to a medium size bowl and mix well. Add the meats and mix by hand. DON'T over mix, it can cause the meat to become tough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator 3-4 hours.

  • Step 2: Sauce ... Add the yogurt to a small bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dill, mint and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours to get the best flavor.

  • Step 3: Lollipops ... Make sure that you have soaked your wooden skewers (I prefer the 6") in water for 30 minutes to 1 hr. Take the meat mixture and roll into a large golf ball shape. Then, stick the skewer into the meatball and press the meat around the skewer firmly, forming a oblong shape making sure the skewer goes all the way through (one end to the other) so the meat so the meat has something to hold on to. Add the lollipops to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or foil and press each skewer down slightly to flatten. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 or more. These can easily be made a day ahead.

  • Step 4: Grilling ... Remove your lollipops from the refrigerator and brush lightly with oil. Season your lollipops with salt and pepper and grill on each side until golden brown. They take about 4-5 minutes per side depending on the heat of your grill. If you are baking them, I keep them on the same baking sheet, season well, and bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Make sure to flip them half way through.

  • Step 5: Serve ... My version: I love to use flatbread warmed up a bit, spinach, onion and cucumber; next one of the lollipops or two, sauce and finish with olives. Another option - My friend cuts up her pita and makes a salad on her plate. NO right or wrong for this sandwich. ENJOY!

We hope you enjoy this recipe!

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