Souvlaki: It’s time to meet an easier meat

Also follow this recipe in a photoessay by Kelley Van Dilla on the Miscellany's photojournalism blog, Exposure.

There still seems to be a misconception that cooking meat is inherently expensive and overwhelmingly difficult. So many people have approached me and told me that, while they're not a vegetarian, they basically eat that way in college because it's so much easier on the wallet and requires far fewer culinary skills. This week, I have prepared a meat dish that is both satisfying and light, delicious and inexpensive. Souvlaki is a type of traditional Greek street food: small pieces of meat on a skewer, marinated with olive oil, lemon, garlic and fresh herbs. To round out this week's meal I prepared a warm salad of orzo, spinach, toasted pine nuts and mint. As I said in a previous column, the food of Greece and the Mediterranean is hands-down my favorite to prepare. The bright, fresh flavors of that region perfectly compliment the emergence of springtime, and the simplicity of the preparation really works well for those of us in college.

Souvlaki is traditionally made with pork, but you could easily substitute lamb, beef or chicken. You could even take some of your favorite vegetarian ingredients—tofu, mushrooms, peppers, squash—and use the same marinade; it would still be simply scrumptious. The trick to this dish, because of its simplicity, is packing the meat with as much flavor as possible. It's essential to marinate the meat for a few hours—at the very least—and overnight would be ideal. Pork tenderloin works especially well for this dish because it's tender and delicious, but also holds up well to strong flavors and intense marinades. It's also quite inexpensive, only $4.99 per a pound at Adams Fairacre Farms.

One of my favorite ingredients to use is Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is gaining quite a following in the snack food and cooking worlds alike, and has a much higher milk fat content than regular American yogurt, making it especially creamy and perfect for providing a cooling compliment to spiced meats. You can mix it with some lemon juice, mint, parsley or cucumber to boost its flavor, but it's also perfect as is, left alone by itself. The orzo could also go just about a million ways in this dish, but I settled on pulling some of the mint and lemon from the marinade and incorporating them in a new way with the side dish. I also could have used couscous or bulgur, but something about the rice-shaped pasta was calling to me as I perused the grain aisle.

Part of the reason home cooks are afraid of cooking meat is a fear of over-cooking or under-cooking. In case you haven't picked up on this already, I am a strong advocate for the preparation of meats by employing a dual-cooking technique: searing at a very high temperature to seal in juices and create a golden brown exterior, and finishing in the oven to bring the internal temperature to a consumable level. Invest in a meat thermometer: It will take the guesswork out of meat preparation and ensure that each piece of meat you serve to your guests will be perfectly cooked. In this case, roast your pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees and then let it rest so that it will rise another five degrees to the desired (and safe) temperature of 160.

The last piece of advice for this week is to make extra; nothing is better than leftover souvlaki, sliced thin and eaten on a pita. Dinner easily becomes tomorrow's lunch, and the smile on your face from eating this meal will last a bit longer.

Souvlaki

2 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 10, 2-inch pieces
1/3 c. + 2 T olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 T dried oregano
1 T fresh mint
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 Wooden or metal skewers
Greek yogurt, for serving
Lemon wedges, for serving

Combine 1/3 c. olive oil, the lemon juice, oregano, mint, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper in a small bowl. In the same bowl or in a Ziploc bag, combine the pork with the marinade. Cover and let sit at least three hours, but preferably overnight.

When it has finished marinating, place two pieces of meat on each skewer and set aside. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat (you could also do this in a grill pan or on an outdoor grill). Sear each skewer for two to three minutes a side, until the pork has a golden-brown crust. Place all the skewers in a roasting pan/sheet tray and roast in a 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest five to 10 minutes.Serve alongside some Greek yogurt and lemon wedges.

Warm Orzo Salad

16 oz. orzo
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 gloves garlic, chopped
3 T pine nuts (optional)
2 c. baby spinach
1 c. packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

Cook the orzo according to the directions on the package (usually boiling them in water for four to six minutes) and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic for 10 minutes, until soft and light brown. Add the pine nuts and cook one minute more. Add the orzo to the onion mixture and add the baby spinach, mint, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for a couple of minutes, until the spinach has just begun to wilt. Toss in the feta cheese right before serving.

Grocery List

Baby Spinach, $2.69
Fresh Mint, $1.69
Lemons, $0.80
Greek Yogurt, $1.50
Pork Tenderloin, $9.33
Shallots, $0.22
Orzo, $1.99
Feta, $1.74
Total, $19.96

Products purchased at:

Adams Fairacre Farms
765 Dutchess Turnpike
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(845) 454-433