Category: Greek/Mediterranean
Orzo Salad with Shrimp, Feta, and Olives
| June 27, 2010 | Filled under Fish and Seafood, Greek/Mediterranean, Lent, Light, One Pan, Quick Weeknight Meals, Shawn's Favorites, Summer |
I’m often asked how I eat the way that I do without spending a fortune at the grocery store. One of these days, I’ll get around to doing a full post about that but my number one tip is to plan ahead. That way you can plan to reuse ingredients (no use letting half that bag of vegetables go to waste) without feeling like you’re eating the same thing over and over again. This orzo salad is a great example — it uses many of the same ingredients as the Greek Burgers with Tzatziki that I posted last week, but it’s an entirely different meal. Just plan to have this two or three days after you make the burgers, and you’ll be able to use up any feta, red onion, cucumber, and fresh dill that you might have left over. (Of course, it works the other way around too if you want to make this salad first!)
But, burgers aside, I really do recommend this salad. It’s so easy to make — you can even make it ahead and have dinner waiting for you when you get home from a long day at work — and it’s loaded with fresh flavor. I don’t know what it is about this type of dish, but there’s something about them that I love — even though everything is mixed together, each individual ingredient maintains its integrity. You can eat it all together, or pluck out specific items and eat them one by one for entirely different flavor experiences. Some other examples of recipes that I find to be similar include my Pasta with Brussels Sprouts and Gorgonzola Cream Sauce and my Roasted Shrimp with Orange and Fennel. In my head, I always think of them as “picky recipes,” both because you pick at them with your fork while you eat and because you’ll likely find yourself picking extra items right out of the serving dish when you’re dine with what on your plate. In fact, Shawn and I probably polished off another half serving of this salad between the two of us just by continuing to eat after we had finished what was originally dished out.
Greek Burger with Feta and Tzatziki
| June 20, 2010 | Filled under Beef, Lamb, and Pork, Greek/Mediterranean, Sandwiches, Shawn's Favorites, Summer |
It’s summer! Finally. What better way to celebrate than with a fat, juicy burger?
I’m usually a burger traditionalist — give me some bacon, cheddar, and barbecue, and I’m a happy girl. Then there was last summer’s favorite, stuffed with stilton and topped with onion jam. But this Greek Burger, laden with feta and spices and slathered with cool, tangy tzatziki sauce? I’m pretty sure this will be making frequent appearances on our table from now on. Especially since it pairs so naturally with a greek salad instead of unhealthy pastas salads or fries. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect meal to get my summer started.
The idea for this burger had been in the back of my mind for a few days, but when I found this beautiful fresh, local garlic at the farmer’s market (along with a crate of cucumbers that were marked down to a dollar because they were “ugly”) I knew it was time to act. We debated turkey vs. lamb vs. beef for a while before settling on lean beef — it was far leaner than the lamb, and I always get nervous cooking ground turkey (which had very similar nutritional stats to the beef anyway). By the time you finish mixing the meat together with the feta cheese and gyro seasonings, I don’t think the choice of protein really makes a ton of difference flavor-wise.
Burger Shaping Tip: Tired of your burgers shrinking in diameter as they cook? As you form your burger, press your thumb into the center to create a shallow crater about 1/3 the diameter of the patty. As your burger heats and the center puffs up, it will rise to fill in the crater instead of pulling the edges in. As a result, the burger will have a smooth top and a diameter that is almost identical to the raw patty that you formed.
Greek Burger with Feta and Tzatziki
Mixing feta into these burgers means you can use lean ground beef without sacrificing flavor or substance. The tangy yogurt and cucumber sauce is a refreshing alternative to other traditional toppings. Be sure to have plenty extra on hand, because your guests might really want to pile it on! The burgers can be cooked on a grill or in a pan on the stovetop.
- 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
- 2 ounces reduced fat feta, crumbled
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp diced red onion
- 2 clove garlic, grated and divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 6-ounce container of fat-free plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cucumber
- 2 Tbs fresh dill
- Salt to taste
- Rolls, sliced red onion, and lettuce for serving
To make the burgers: combine the beef, feta, oregano, 1 clove grated garlic, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to gently combine the ingredients. Form into four patties that are the same diameter as your rolls — the patties should be slightly thicker at the edges with a slight indentation in the middle. Let the burgers rest while you prepare the tzatziki.
To prepare the tzatziki: Peel your cucumber and grate it using the coarse side of a box greater (alternately, you can shred it using a vegetable peeler). In a small dish, combine the yogurt, cucumber, 1 clove grated garlic, and dill. Season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Grill the burgers over a medium flame for approximately 5 minutes on each side (you can also cook them on the stovetop in a pan set over medium heat) or until they are cooked to your desired level of doneness.
Serve with rolls, lettuce, red onion, and tzatziki.
Serves 4.
Approx. 235 calories, 10 grams fat, 0.5 grams fiber, 32 grams protein (Note this does not contain the roll, which can vary significantly from brand to brand)
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Don’t forget to enter my lentil giveaway and to vote for my pea & herb stuffed flatbread in the Recipe Rivalry! (You can vote once per day until the 23rd)
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I’m submitting this recipe to Regional Recipes: Greece
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