Michigan Cottage Cook: HOW TO MAKE BARBECUED CHICKEN SOUVAKI WITH EASY TZATZIKI SAUCE

Growing up eating Dutch, German, and Polish food, I knew nothing about Greek food except for the fact that Greek food was my favorite carnival/craft show/festival food. Tzatziki Sauce, the yogurt-cucumber sauce served on top of the meat was jewel on the crown in my opinion. When I started to go to luncheons at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids and after I bought their cookbook, I found out how easy it is to make the sauce and the skewers of meat. This recipe became one of our favorite things for Tom and I to make for parties on the deck.

The Souvaki booth at the Art Festival in June in Grand Rapids.

There are many good Greek seasonings available in the seasoning section of the grocery stores. I use a Greek seasoning that I purchased at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church's November luncheon.

Souvaki can be made with chicken, beef, pork, lamb or goat. When I make it with beef, I use a cheaper cut of meat and tenderize it with Adolph's Meat Tenderizer available in the meat section. The tenderizer is all natural as it is made from an enzyme, papain, found in papayas.

BARBECUED CHICKEN SOUVAKI WITH EASY TZATZIKI SAUCE
When I serve this for dinner, I have had guests return for lunch to have the left-overs from the night before. My family, going back to at least my Grandpa K., have always made extra food so no one would ever leave our home hungry.

Chicken, the usual amount is 1/4 pound of skinless, boneless meat per person, I make more
Olive oil
Greek seasoning
Lemon juice

Ingredients: Chicken, or meat of choice, olive oil, Greek seasoning, and lemon juice.

Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Place meat pieces in a bowl and sprinkle on olive oil. Seasoning with Greek seasoning and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix all together well. Cover, refrigerate, and let the meat marinate all night or at least 8 hours. Thread meat on skewers. According to Tom, grill over a medium-hot fire for 15 to 20 minutes depending on heat of your fire. He flipped them every 5 minutes to brown each side. When meat is 160°, remove skewers to serving platter. Serve with Pita bread, Taztziki Sauce, and garnishes. We use lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber slices, onion, black olives, and Giardinier for garnishes.

Cut meat into bite-sized pieces.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle Greek seasonings.

Squeeze lemons and sprinkle juice on meat.

Mix well. Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.

Thread meat on skewers and grill.

Tom's cousin, John, grilled these Souvaki.

Matt wanted Tom to write a cookbook about grilling as Tom was a master. He cooked everything on his Weber grills, he had three, to perfection. After he died, I went through our blog and found directions for most of his creations. Here are his directions for Kabobs.

TOM'S DIRECTIONS FOR GRILLING KABOBS Tom grilled ours over a medium-hot fire for 15 to 20 minutes depending on heat of your fire. He flipped them every 5 minutes to brown each side. When meat is 160°, remove skewers to serving platter.

So golden brown, so delicious.

Remove meat from skewers and serve in Pita breads with Easy Tzatziki Sauce plus garnishes of your choice. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!

EASY TZATZIKI SAUCE

This is one of my favorite sauces. It is not only luscious on Souvaki, it is wonderful on hamburgers, used in place of mayonnaise in wraps, spread on sandwiches or used as a vegetable dip. My version uses the minimum ingredients. You can also add lemon juice, olive oil or dill. I start my sauce by making yogurt cheese so the sauce is nice and thick so I don't have to drain off any of the delicious grated cucumber juices. I like to use English cucumber as I like the green skin in the sauce and sometimes cucumbers have a tough skin which doesn't lend itself to using in a sauce.

See all the ins and outs of making yogurt cheese or Labna at:

http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2012/09/how-to-make-yogurt-cheese-or-middle.html

1 (32oz) container of plain yogurt without gelatin in the list of ingredients

3/4 to 1 c English cucumber

2 cloves garlic

Salt, to taste

White pepper, use black if you don't have white pepper, to taste

Ingredients: Plain yogurt, cucumber, garlic, salt and white or black pepper. If using Greek yogurt, I add a little honey.

Ingredients: Plain yogurt, cucumber, garlic, salt and white or black pepper.

Put a coffee filter or a double layer of cheesecloth in a strainer and put the strainer over a bowl. Add yogurt and cover. Let yogurt drain in the refrigerator overnight or at least 8 hours. Remove yogurt from the filter or cheesecloth and place in a bowl. Grate the cucumber and mince the garlic. Add to drained yogurt and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover. Refrigerate to meld flavors. Serve chilled.