Lamb Pitas With Tomato Scallions And Mint Yogurt Dressing Recipes

SPICED LAMB IN PITA

Steps:

• Combine first 8 ingredients in medium bowl; blend well. Shape lamb mixture into four 1/4-inch-thick patties. Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb patties and sauté until brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Cut each pita bread in half; fill each half with lamb patty.

MINI LAMB PITAS WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• In a bowl combine mint and garlic for your marinade. Add lamb shoulder and mix, pressing in the leaves and garlic into the lamb. You can set aside overnight in an airtight container.
• For tzatziki, combine cucumber, yogurt and dill in a bowl and add salt and lemon juice to taste. Set aside (you can also make this a day ahead and place in an airtight container).
• Place lamb on a hot grill for 10-15 minutes each side or until done. Slice and set-aside. Cut your pita rounds into quarter points and fill with sliced lamb and tzatziki. Garnish with parsley and serve.

LAMB PITA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Add the coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of salt to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the spice mixture to the lamb stew meat and use tongs to coat the meat in the spices. Set aside.
• Heat an electric pressure cooker to the sauté setting and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pot. Once the oil is shimmering, add the stew meat in batches, being sure not to overcrowd the pot. Brown the meat on all sides, about 4 minutes, then remove to a plate. Add an additional tablespoon of oil, if needed, before adding another batch of meat. Once all the meat has been browned and removed from the pot, add the red wine to deglaze, stirring and scraping the bottom to release any brown bits stuck to the base of the pot. Once the alcohol smell has burned off, 1 to 2 minutes, add the canned diced tomatoes and the browned meat. Stir to combine.
• Place the lid on the pressure cooker and seal. Set to high pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once at high pressure cook for 15 minutes then allow the pressure cooker to naturally release for 10 minutes before manually venting the rest.
• While the lamb cooks, add the fresh chopped tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley, dill, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to a medium bowl. Toss to combine and set aside until ready to assemble.
• To assemble, slice each pita in half and open to create a pocket. Slather each side of the pocket with hummus, then add in a few pieces of romaine lettuce, covering the hummus. Next add a few spoonfuls of the cucumber-onion mixture and top with a few pieces of cooked lamb. Continue the process with the remaining ingredients.

LAMB WITH VEGETABLES AND YOGURT SAUCE IN A PITA

Steps:

• Turn on toaster oven or oven. If using broiler, turn on and cover pan with aluminum foil.
• Trim the lamb of fat, and marinate in a small bowl with a mixture of vinegar and oil until ready to cook.
• Mince the garlic, and combine with the yogurt and lemon juice.
• Wash, dry and mince the mint, and add to the yogurt.
• Wash and trim the ends from the cucumbers, and slice very thinly. Wash, trim and slice the tomatoes; then, slice the onion thinly.
• Prepare stove-top grill, if using. Broil or grill lamb 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until it is rare.
• Wrap pitas in foil and heat for about 3 minutes, until they are hot and soft.
• Slice lamb.
• Slice pitas open. If using large ones, cut in half; fill each half with sauce, lamb, cucumbers, tomatoes and onion, then serve. Keep remaining pitas hot. Repeat with remaining halves or whole small pitas.

LAMB PITAS WITH YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown lamb in batches. Transfer lamb to a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker, reserving drippings in skillet., In drippings, saute onion over medium heat until tender, 4-6 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in wine, 1 teaspoon salt, oregano and basil. Add to lamb. Cook, covered, on low until lamb is tender, 6-8 hours., To serve, dice enough cucumber to measure 1 cup; thinly slice remaining cucumber. Combine diced cucumber with yogurt and remaining salt. Fill pita halves with lamb mixture, tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and yogurt mixture. Freeze option: Freeze cooled lamb mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add a little broth or water if necessary.

GREEK LAMB WITH YOGURT MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the garlic, rosemary, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the herbs are finely minced. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine and combine. Place the chops in a glass or ceramic dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the marinade over the chops, turning to coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
• When ready to cook, prepare a grill with one layer of hot coals or turn a gas grill to medium-high heat. Remove the lamb from the marinade, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot with the cold Yogurt Mint Sauce.
• Place the scallions, mint, dill, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until it's a coarse paste. Add the yogurt, salt, and pepper and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.