Recipe - Greek Gyro

2 pound Lean, boneless lamb*
cut in 1" cubes
1/3 cup Olive oil
One half cup Fresh lemon juice
2 Garlic cloves
peeled, cut in quarters
1 teaspoon Chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon Chopped fresh oregano or
1 teaspoon Chopped fresh marjoram
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 Spanish onions; cut in
thinly cut or sliced up rings
24 small Romaine lettuce leaves
washed and dried
6 lg Pita bread rounds
3 md Ripe tomatoes

GARLIC YOGURT SAUCE
2 cup Plain yogurt
1 Garlic clove
peeled and minced
1 teaspoon Chopped fresh oregano or
1 teaspoon Chopped fresh marjoram
1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Olive oil
Salt and pepper; to taste

*Use meat cut from the leg or shoulder.

The morning before an afternoon barbecue, make marinade by combining oil,
lemon juice, garlic cloves, herbs and pepper in a medium bowl. Remove about
One fourth cup to mix with the onions. Place lamb cubes in bowl with remaining
marinade; toss to coat well.

Place onions in small bowl and toss with reserved marinade. Cover with
plastic wrap and chill, up to several hours, turning several times.

Meanwhile, make yogurt sauce by lining a medium bowl with cheesecloth and
spooning in the yogurt. Tie up edges of cheesecloth with string to form a
pouch. Suspend over bowl (tying from refrigerator rack above bowl), or
place in a colander over bowl and let stand to drain several hours.
Moisture will drip from the yogurt, giving it a thicker consistency. Mix
drained yogurt with minced garlic, chopped herbs, lemon juice, oil, salt
and pepper. Cover and chill. Makes about 1 cup.

Stack pita bread rounds into 2 piles and wrap each in foil, dull side out.

To barbecue, heat coals or gas barbecue. Remove meat from marinade,
reserving some marinade for basting. (Discard any large garlic pieces.)
Thread lamb onto greased skewers and grill over greased grill about 4" from
hot coals. Cook, turning and basting often, about 10 minutes or until lamb
is brown on the outside, still pink inside. Warm pita rounds over barbecue.

Before serving, lift the onions from the marinade with a slotted spoon and
place in a serving bowl. Cut whole tomatoes into thin wedges and place on
plate. Place lettuce leaves on plate. Set out yogurt sauce and lots of
napkins to facilitate handling of gyros.

To serve, cut each warmed pita bread in half and separate to form 2
pockets. Each person fills a warmed pita picket with some of the grilled
lamb cubes, lettuce, tomatoes and onions, topping with a spoonful of sauce.

Yield: 12 gyros, 2 per person.

From _Nancy Enright's Canadian Herb Cookbook_ by Nancy Enright. Toronto:
James Lorimer & Company, 1985. Pp. 5051. ISBN 0888627882. Electronic
format by Cathy Harned.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini