Deconstructed Ground Lamb Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

Fage Greek Yogurt

Featured Ingredient: Greek Yogurt

I live in a house with 3 boys... rather 1 man, 1 hungry teenager, and one boy.  All die hard carnivores.  As you can imagine, I don't serve a lot of tofu, quinoa, or wheatberry  - unless I hide it in something.  The two older "boys" enjoy lamb gyros.  Without the yogurt sauce I can also sell it to my youngest and pickiest eater as mini hamburger.  It's an easy dish that can be served any time of year. It is especially great in the summer time as I can use an outdoor grill vs. my indoor grill pan and can enhance the sauce and the burger with fresh herbs from my garden.  This is the early spring recipe.

Lamb Patties - Makes 12 small slider size patties
2 lbs ground lamb
3 garlic cloves finely minced and crushed with back of knife
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp Fage Greek Yogurt from an 7 oz. container

Tzatziki Sauce:
Remaining yogurt from the 7 oz. container
1/2 a cucumber seeds removed and grated
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp dried dill weed  - In summer or when available substitute with fresh dill and or fresh mint!!!
Salt and Pepper to taste

Serve with:
Wheat or White Naan Bread - warmed in oven according to package directions
Red Leaf Lettuce
Chopped Tomato
Thinly sliced red onion (if you like)

Prepare Lamb Patties:
Mince garlic:

In large bowl add ground meat and all ingredients up to and including yogurt.  Fold with hands to combine.  Shape meat into about 1 inch meatballs and flatten to make 2 inch or so wide patties.  Set aside in fridge to let flavors meld.

Prepare Tzatziki Sauce:

Add yogurt to a small bowl. Grate cucumber into yogurt. Add red wine vinegar, salt and herbs. Taste and adjust seasonings.

On a grill or grill pan set to medium heat, cook meat on both sides until 165F. 


Deconstructed Ground Lamb Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

Israeli couscous makes a great side dish to this Middle Eastern treat!