Yum.

Tonight I made dinner.

I decided to make Greek food. Here is the run-down of what I made; first, let me warn you that I almost never follow recipes. Everything below is an approximation, and I typically just add ingredients to taste.

Tzatziki

Many of you may have referred to this in the past as “that white sauce on my gyro.” It’s fairly ubiquitous for Greek food in general, though. Here’s how I made it:

1 overflowing cup of plain yogurt
¾ of a cucumber, skinned then chopped
3 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 tablespoon of pre-chopped garlic cloves (surprise, surprise – I got sick of chopping them manually)
7 or 8 shakes of onion salt
A drizzle of olive oil

Mix the above together well. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors mesh.

Greek Salad

Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Honey
Feta cheese
Whatever greens you like
Salt/pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix together oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. I think the golden ratio is somewhere along the lines of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil, but I typically do half and half. The half vinegar, in this case, is about 25% fresh squeezed lemon juice and 75% balsamic vinegar. Add a drizzle of honey (the secret ingredient) plus salt and pepper. Blend well, toss in the fridge for a few minutes to let the flavors settle. Afterward, obtain whatever greens you want and mix with feta by hand so that everything is blended well. (Side-note: Greek people reading this are e-smiting me for not using olives)

Keftedes

These are Greek meatballs, similar in shape to the meatballs you’re used to, but the flavor is more exotic.

Ground Beef/Pork
Bread Crumbs
1 Egg
Mint
Garlic (I returned to manual chopping since the flavor is so much more intense)
1 Onion

You can use all pork, all beef, or whatever other ground meat you want, but I like the flavor of ground round mixed with breakfast sausage (Owens, regular). Tonight I used 1 lb. beef and 0.5 lb sausage. Add the egg, about ¼ cup bread crumbs, at least a tablespoon of freshly chopped mint (I had to use dried tonight, which simulates the effect but doesn’t quite hit it), tons of garlic, and a finely chopped onion (whatever type you like). Mix well by hand and form into balls slightly smaller than a racquetball (there’s a shout-out to Costa, my friend who provides inspiration for Greek feasts, and who I can totally conquer at racquetball). In a large pan at medium heat, place the balls into a layer of olive oil that’s not thick, but which completely covers the pan.

Now, the important part: EAT!