The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (199 page)
Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
When we crave Greek gyros—sandwiches of seasoned, marinated lamb, tomato, lettuce, and cucumber-yogurt sauce stuffed inside a soft pita—we usually head for the nearest Greek restaurant. We wanted gyros we could make at home that would have the same flavors and textures as restaurant gyros, even if they didn’t have the traditional appearance. Rather than the traditional shaved slices of meat from a vertical rotisserie, we pan-fried ground lamb patties flavored with oregano, onion, and minced garlic. To make the patties juicier, we added a panade (a paste of fresh bread crumbs and lemon juice), using pita for the bread. Cooking the patties in a hot oiled skillet ensured a crisp outside and moist inside. Topped with lettuce, tomato, yogurt sauce, and a sprinkling of feta, these home-style gyros are a satisfying alternative to the real deal.
SERVES 4
Since the yogurt and cucumbers in the
TZATZIKI SAUCE
(recipe follows) need to drain for 30 minutes, start making the sauce before the patties. For the patties, we prefer the flavor of fresh oregano, but 1 teaspoon of dried can be substituted. The skillet may appear crowded when you begin cooking the patties, but they will shrink slightly as they cook. If using pocketless pitas, heat them in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes. Do not cut top quarters off pocketless pitas; instead, use a portion of a fifth pita to create crumbs in step 1. When cooking the patties, use a splatter screen to keep the mess to a minimum.
LAMB PATTIES
4 | (8-inch) pita breads |
¹⁄ | onion, chopped coarse |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh oregano |
4 | teaspoons lemon juice |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1 | pound ground lamb |
2 | teaspoons vegetable oil |
ACCOMPANIMENTS
1 | recipe Tzatziki Sauce (recipe follows) |
1 | large tomato, cored and sliced thin |
2 | cups shredded iceberg lettuce |
2 | ounces feta cheese, crumbled (¹⁄ |
1. FOR THE LAMB PATTIES:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut top quarter off each pita bread. Tear quarters into 1-inch pieces. (You should have ³⁄
4
cup pita pieces.) Stack pitas and tightly wrap with aluminum foil. Process pita bread pieces, onion, oregano, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in food processor until smooth paste forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer bread mixture to large bowl; add lamb and gently mix with hands until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls. Gently flatten balls into round disks about ¹⁄
2
inch thick and 2¹⁄
2
inches in diameter. (Patties can be prepared through step 1 and refrigerated for up to 1 day or frozen before cooking as directed in step 2. Frozen patties should be thawed in refrigerator prior to cooking.)
2.
Place foil-wrapped pitas directly on oven rack and heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add patties and cook until well browned and crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip patties, reduce heat to medium, and cook until well browned and crust forms on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer patties to paper towel–lined plate.
3.
Using soupspoon, spread ¹⁄
4
cup Tzatziki Sauce inside each pita. Divide patties evenly among pitas; fill each sandwich with tomato slices, ¹⁄
2
cup shredded lettuce, and 2 tablespoons feta. Serve immediately.
Decrease lemon juice to 1 tablespoon, increase oregano to 2 tablespoons, increase garlic to 3 cloves, and increase oil to 1 tablespoon. Substitute 1 pound 80 percent lean ground chuck for lamb.
The grill imparts a smoky flavor to the meat and pitas in this variation.
1A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled three-quarters full with charcoal (4¹⁄
2
quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place and cover. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
1B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and reduce other burner(s) to medium-high.
2.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place patties on hotter side of grill, cover (if using gas), and cook, turning once, until well browned and crust forms on each side, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer patties to plate. Place pitas in single layer on hotter side of grill. Cook, turning once, until each pita is thoroughly warmed and faint grill marks appear, 30 to 40 seconds. Remove pitas from grill and wrap tightly with aluminum foil until ready to assemble sandwiches.
FLIP TRACKER
When cooking the patties for our Greek-Style Lamb Pita Sandwiches, we found that with 12 small patties all frying at once in a large pan, it was hard to keep track of when each patty needed to be flipped or removed. Laying the meat down in an organized spiral—working clockwise from the handle and toward the center of the pan—made it a simple matter of flipping the meat in the same order that it went into the pan.
This same technique can be applied any time you need to keep track of a large number of items in a pan, from searing scallops to frying meatballs. It’s also helpful when managing a grill full of meat or vegetables (for rectangular grills, work in even rows, from left to right and back to front).
MAKES ABOUT
²⁄
3
CUP, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE GREEK-STYLE LAMB PITA SANDWICHES
Although we prefer the richness of plain whole-milk yogurt, low-fat yogurt can be substituted. Greek yogurt can also be substituted, but use ¹⁄
2
cup and skip the step of draining. While we didn’t like the flavor of dried mint, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon dried dill may be used in place of fresh dill.
1 | cup plain whole-milk yogurt |
¹⁄ | cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped fine |
1 | tablespoon lemon juice |
³⁄ | teaspoon salt |
1 | tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint or dill |
1 | small garlic clove, minced |
1.
Line fine-mesh strainer set over deep container or bowl with 1 paper coffee filter. Spoon yogurt into lined strainer, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2.
Meanwhile, combine cucumber, lemon juice, and ¹⁄
8
teaspoon salt in colander set over bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
3.
Discard drained liquid from yogurt. Combine thickened yogurt, drained cucumber, remaining ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt, mint, and garlic in clean bowl.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Pan-roasted fish seems like a simple dish, but in reality it is usually only well executed by practiced chefs. Attempts made by home cooks often result in dry, overbaked fillets. We set out to develop a foolproof recipe for producing succulent, well-browned fillets. We quickly learned we needed thick fillets; skinnier pieces overcooked by the time they achieved a serious sear. We then turned to a common restaurant method to cook the fish: we seared the fillets in a hot pan, flipped them, then transferred the pan to a hot oven to finish cooking. Sprinkling the fillets with sugar accelerated browning on the stovetop, shortening the cooking time and thus ensuring the fish didn’t dry out. After a short stay in the oven to finish cooking through, the fish emerged well browned, tender and moist, and best of all, not one taster detected any out-of-place sweetness.
See “REMOVING SKIN FROM FISH FILLETS” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 4
Thick white fish fillets with a meaty texture, like halibut, cod, sea bass, or red snapper, work best in this recipe. Because most fish fillets differ in thickness, some pieces may finish cooking before others—be sure to immediately remove any fillet that reaches 135 degrees. You will need a 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet for this recipe.
4 | (6- to 8-ounce) skinless white fish fillets, 1 to 1¹⁄ |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
1 | tablespoon vegetable oil |
Lemon wedges or relish (recipes follow) |
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Pat fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle very light dusting of sugar (about ¹⁄
8
teaspoon) evenly over 1 side of each fillet. Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Place fillets in skillet, sugar side down, and press down lightly to ensure even contact with pan. Cook until browned, 1 to 1¹⁄
2
minutes. Using 2 spatulas, flip fillets, then transfer skillet to oven. Roast fillets until centers are just opaque and register 135 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes. Immediately transfer to serving plates and serve with lemon wedges or relish spooned over each fillet.
MAKES ABOUT
1¹⁄
2
CUPS
If the olives are marinated, rinse and drain them before chopping.
¹⁄ | cup slivered almonds, toasted |
¹⁄ | cup green olives, pitted and chopped coarse |
1 | garlic clove, minced |
1 | teaspoon grated orange zest plus ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup extra-virgin olive oil |
¹⁄ | cup minced fresh mint |
2 | teaspoons white wine vinegar |
Salt and cayenne pepper |
Pulse almonds, olives, garlic, and orange zest in food processor until nuts and olives are finely chopped, 10 to 12 pulses. Transfer to bowl and stir in orange juice, oil, mint, and vinegar. Season with salt and cayenne to taste.