Pork Souvlaki

La storia di questo piatto

Souvlaki is Greece grilled and skewered, a taste of sun and lemon carried from the street corner to the family table. Pork, olive oil, oregano and garlic speak the plain, generous language of the Greek kitchen, with cool tzatziki and soft pita beside them.

Ingredienti

• 800 g Pork (shoulder or loin)
• 3 pieces Fresh lemon
• 80 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Dried oregano
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1½ teaspoon Sea salt
• ½ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pieces Red onion
• 3 pieces Colored bell peppers
• 4 pieces Pita
• 250 g Greek yogurt
• 1 pieces Cucumber
• 1 cloves Garlic for the tzatziki
• 1 tablespoons Fresh mint
• 3 pieces Ripe tomatoes
• 12 pieces Wooden skewers

Preparazione

1. Cut the pork into 2.5-3 cm cubes, removing sinew and the tougher pieces of fat. Place them in a large bowl.
2. Squeeze 2 lemons (about 80 ml of juice) and keep the third for serving. Finely mince 4 garlic cloves. In a bowl, emulsify the lemon juice, 70 ml of oil, oregano, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper.
3. Pour the marinade over the meat and mix with your hands so that every cube is well coated. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours: beyond 8 hours the lemon makes the meat chalky.
4. In the last half hour of marinating, prepare the tzatziki: grate the cucumber, squeeze it well and combine it with the yogurt, 1 minced garlic clove, the chopped mint, 1 tablespoon of oil and a pinch of the remaining salt. Mix and return to the refrigerator. Soak the 12 wooden skewers in cold water.
5. Drain the meat of excess marinade. Thread 5 cubes per skewer, packed tightly, to make 8 skewers of meat only. Cut the onions and peppers into 3-4 cm pieces and thread them onto the remaining 4 skewers, since they cook at different times from the meat.
6. Heat the grill or griddle over medium-high heat and lightly oil it. Cook the meat skewers for 10-12 minutes, turning them often, until golden with slightly darkened edges: this is caramelisation, which creates the crust. The pork is ready at 70-72 °C at the centre, with juices that are no longer pink. Grill the vegetables alongside for 8-10 minutes, turning them.
7. Let the meat skewers rest for 3 minutes, covered. Warm the pita for 30 seconds per side in a pan over medium heat. Slice the tomatoes and season them with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of oregano. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges. Serve on each pita the cold tzatziki, the meat skewers and the vegetable skewers, with tomatoes and lemon on the side.