Souvlaki is Greek in origin. This is an exceptional way to do meat that is full of flavor. You will need skewers for this recipe.
Souvlaki
1 lb – 1 1/4 lbs meat to cut into cubes such
as beef, moose, venison, pork, lamb or
chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic pressed
1 onion grated (optional)
Cut the meat into 1” cubes and place in a glass or stainless-steel bowl. Stir the olive oil into the cubed meat. In a small bowl prepare the marinade by combining the lemon juice, rosemary, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, bay leaves, garlic and onion. To release a full aroma from the rosemary, oregano and thyme crush the dried herbs in your hands before adding them to the marinade or use a mortar and pestle. Do not crush the bay leaves, but leave whole to be easily removed and discarded. Do not eat the bay leaves. There is a piece of small kitchen equipment called a garlic press that does wonders with the garlic for this recipe. If you do not have garlic press then mince the garlic very finely. The grated onion is optional, but if you are using venison, it is a necessity in removing overt gaminess and developing a rich flavour. Pour the marinade onto the cubed meat and stir to coat the meat. Let the meat marinade 6 to 8 hours refrigerated. The olive oil draws out the pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid from the meat, while the lemon and red wine tenderize the meat. If you are opposed to red wine you can substitute red wine vinegar. Many of the flavonoids in the herbs are wonderful antioxidants. Thread the meat onto skewers. Additional vegetables can be added to the skewers. Vegetable choices can be yellow, red or green peppers, whole button mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, chunks of onion and zucchini pieces. You can roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, and then turn and roast for another 20 minutes. In the summer you can grill on a barbeque heated to 400 degrees about 6 or 7 minutes per side, for a total of 12-15 minutes. I cannot describe how wonderful these smells as it is cooking. Once you taste these, this recipe is sure to become one of your favourites for both family meals and company entertaining.
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