This is how we do it

 

 

It's really pretty easy to create this wonderful dinner.  It takes about a day for us, but we've got the time.  Here's the recipe in case you want to try this one out!  Readers of my blog know the basic ingredients so I won't go into too much detail here, what's really important is the order in which you prepare!  Start early, in our case we began at noon.

1. Visit the local butcher.  The one you can trust to give you the best and the freshest cut of meat.  The one who is patient enough to listen, as you try to explain in Greek what you want.  In this case, ask him for 6 lamb chops.  He pulls out a large piece out of his walk-in fridge, slams it down on the butcher block, smiles and says only 6?  OK, make it 10.  Chops 10 nice size chops, and throws in a few extra small pieces that we all know are the best at the end of the grilling process.

2. Buy wine.  In this case, because we trust and now love our butcher, we ask him about the wine he has on the counter.  It's local, and is bottled in 1.5 liter plastic pop bottles.  Not exactly what we would normally buy, but he recommends the red NOT the white. Says he drinks it himself. And we believe him.

3. Buy vegetables.  Stop at a road side stand for tomatoes, cucumbers and green peppers.  In this case, stop at the stand of an elderly couple selling from, most likely, their garden.  Pick out a bag full, and they charge you 1 Euro, for all of it.  We give them 2, because we feel guilty.  You speak to them about the weather, because there is actually a cloud in the sky on this particular day.

4. Marinate the lamb.  This is the hard part, so pay attention.  Prepare the lamb chops with salt, pepper and oregano, ON BOTH SIDES.  Marinate in lemon juice and olive oil, place in the fridge.  Don't let this intimidate you.  You can do it!!

5. Go to the beach.  Spend the better part of the afternoon and the early evening at the beach.  Since you want to let the lamb marinate for at least 4 hours, you've got plenty of time.

6. Open that bottle of wine.  In this case, unscrew the plastic top.  Taste the butcher's choice wine, in this case a dark rose, that is amazingly delicious.  See all that a good butcher can add to your life? We decide we need to find a butcher at home.

7. Prepare the salad.  Make it a typical Χοριατικι Σαλατα (village salad).  Tomatoes, cucumbers and sliced green peppers.  Place a couple of good size pieces of feta cheese on the top.  You're done.  This is the absolute easiest and best salad on the planet.  No bias here!

8. Fire up the grill.  Grill the lamb chops.

9. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.  Yes, it was a long day.  The process took time, it is nearly 10 hours after we started.  Although I tried to include as many details as possible, there were many other things that we needed to do throughout the day that took up a bit more time.  For example, applying and reapplying sunscreen, can take a good chunk of time out of your day.  Finishing that beach novel before the sun goes down.  Stopping at the local bakery, to pick up fresh bread and κουλουρια (cookies).  So plan accordingly!

Kαλη Ορεχη!!  Guten appetit!

Comments

[Sigrid]

Es macht mich total an, Dein Rezept nachzukochen. Es wird mir vor dem nächsten Urlaub sicher nicht so gut gelingen. Auch wenn ich auf den griechischen Wein ganz gut verzichten kann: das griechische Gemüse, das Olivenöl, der Strand und der Sonnenuntergang sind sicher sehr wichtige Zutaten. Ich kriege wahnsinnige Lust auf mein Lieblingurlaubsland, wenn ich Deinen Bloq lese.

[Jesse]

Best part about this recipe: step 5!

[maria v]

hi kalliope
getting chicken cut nicely has to do with your own Tip Number 1: ask your nice butcher, not the bad one!, to cut breast meat without hacking it, and when you get home, slice it lenghtwise so it open up like a wing
i used 4 chicken breasts and 4 chicken legs in this bbq - the legs were also sliced lengthwise, and the meat stayed on the bone. I also had to flatten them with a mallet to make them stay that way.
they marinate and bbq really well that way.
your photos look fantastic - and Tip Number 4 is EXACTLY the way we marinate our meat normally!