Olive and Goat Cheese Stuffed Greek Burgers

I think I might have made a mistake in making those Stuffed Moose Burgers last week.  Now I'm kind of on a stuffed burger kick.  And apparently I didn't just want a regular beef burger, again.  No, I had to go and do something fancy.  But it was soooooooooooo good.  If you like Greek food, you will love this!  All the tastes of a gyro, in a burger.

It combines goat cheese, kalmata olives, and tzatziki with ground lamb.  I chose to use a kaiser roll for the bun in order to not overdo the bread.  It's light and the crust has a wonderful sheen to it.  I toasted the bun so that the tzatziki would just sit right on top of the bun instead of melting into it.  Overall, it was awesome.  If you don't like lamb (or don't want to splurge because it is pricey), you can use a lean ground beef.  One more piece of advice, drain your olives REALLY well.  You don't want to water down your cheese!  That's a crime against humanity!  Or at least us cheese lovers.

Olive and Goat Cheese Stuffed Greek Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb. lamb burger (ground beef would work as well)
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. thyme
1/3 cup drained and chopped kalmata olives
6 oz. goat cheese crumbles
1 Tbs. chopped fresh dill weed
Ripe Tomato
Green Leaf Lettuce
Kaiser Buns, halved and toasted
Tzatziki

Directions:

1. Preheat grill on medium high heat.  Grease grate with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine meat, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, onion powder, and thyme.  Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine olives, goat cheese, and dill weed.

4. Separate meat into four parts.  Pinch off about 1/3 of each portion and set aside.  Form 2/3 part into a patty.  Spray the bottom of a 1/3 measuring cup with cooking spray and press into patty to form a well.  Fill well with 1/4 of the cheese mixture.  Place reserved portion on top of cheese and pinch with bottom patty to seal.  Repeat with remaining mixtures.

5. Place patties on hot grill and cook for 8 minutes per side (16 minutes total).  Spread tzatziki on one half of the bun, top with lettuce and tomato, and place burger on bun.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Related articles

• Beefalo Burgers
• Grilled Steak Salad
• Grilled Pizza
• Fish Fillet Sandwich

Continue Reading... »

Chicken Souvlaki

I love Greek food.  LOVE IT!  Wait, do I say that about all food?  Right.  So back to Greek food.  

Souvlaki is a shish kebab.  It can be a variety of meats, but lamb is the most traditional.  For me, I can't afford lamb every time I have a hankering for Greek food.  So the next substitute is chicken.  The marinade is simple - equal parts lemon juice, olive oil, and soy sauce.  Add oregano and garlic and you have a wonderful, light marinade.  You can eat the souvlaki as is, right off the grill, or you can stuff it into a pita to make a Gyro (or sandwich).  Serve with Tzatziki, Lemon Rice, and Hummus for a great meal.

Chicken Souvlaki

Ingredients:

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 lbs. chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 medium red onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces

Directions: 


1. In a large glass bowl, mix together lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano, and garlic. Add chicken, onions, and peppers, and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.


2. Preheat grill on medium-high heat. Thread chicken, onions, and peppers onto skewers. (These are also great done in the broiler! The marinade keeps them from drying out, just turn them frequently.)


3. Lightly oil grate. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through, turning skewers often for even cooking.

Continue Reading... »

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is such a wonderful addition to any grilled meat - chicken, fish, lamb.  It's a yogurt base with cucumber, dill weed, garlic, and some other yummy ingredients.  I serve it mainly with Chicken Souvlaki.
The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to make sure you seed the cucumber completely and squeeze (yes, with your hands) all the liquid from the fruit after you have chopped it up.  That will ensure you don't end up with a super runny sauce.

Tzatziki

Ingredients:

8 oz. plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, cut lengthwise, and seeded
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. dried dill weed

Directions: 

1. Mince the cucumber. Gather up the cucumber and squeeze to drain the excess water.


2. Add the garlic to the cucumber. Mix together, then add the olive oil and vinegar. Stir to separate the cucumber and garlic.


3. Spoon the yogurt into a medium bowl. Add the garlic/cucumber mixture. Add salt and dill weed. Stir until everything is evenly distributed.


4. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.

Makes 2 cups

Continue Reading... »

Greek Style Lamb Burgers

Ingredients:
1 slice white bread, crust removed and cubed
2 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. onion powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. ground lamb

Toppings:
Tzatziki
Tomatoes
Spinach
Kalmata Olives, minced
Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Directions:

1. Combine bread cubes and milk in a large bowl.  Combine with fork, mashing bread into milk until it forms a paste.  Add onion powder, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and lamb.  Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.

2. Preheat grill on high heat.  Form meat mixture into four patties.  Place on grill and cook for 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until juices run clear.

3. Serve with toppings of your choice, or the suggested toppings listed above.

Serves 4

Continue Reading... »