Greek Night

Greek Night

If you like exploring other cultures as much as we do, try implementing a once a week trip to another country without leaving your home! Of course, I know this isn't as good as actually going to Greece, China, Italy or Mexico, but it will curb your appetite until you get there.

In addition to food and music, try finding a flag for the country you are visiting or maybe watch a movie in that culture's language! My current favorites are Chinese, Korean and Spanish!

There are so many great international films. My children are so accustomed to watching movies and shows with subtitles that they even keep subtitles on for English films. So what are you waiting for, expand your horizon!

Recipe for Leg of Lamb

1 boneless leg of lamb
5 cloves garlic, peeled minced
1/4 cup grass fed organic butter (traditionally, the recipe would call for olive oil, however, I do not cook with olive oil, I only use it at room temperature for pouring or salad dressings due to it's low smoke point, if you prefer you can use olive oil instead, but I suggest doing research before cooking with olive oil, since it is not heat stable and the properties change upon heating)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons whole grain or dijon style mustard, no sugar or propylene glycol added please!
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Recipe for Tzatziki Sauce:

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 cups plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Celtic Sea salt (or other real salt)
1 teaspoon oregano, parsley and rosemary (at least one, but preferably all three!)
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Fresh cracked pepper to taste

For serving:
Pita Bread
Sliced Onions
Sliced Tomatoes
Arugula, optional

In a bowl, whisk together the butter, lemon juice, garlic, mustard and spices. Pour over the lamb and rub evenly across the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 2 or if you can, overnight. This will allow the flavors to really absorb into the meat.

Remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.  Remove the lamb from the marinade and place on a grill. Cook, turning occasionally until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium-rare, about 1 1/2 hours. Or alternatively, place in the oven on broil for no more than 5 minutes, then bake at 325 degrees until internal temperature reaches :

• Rare: 125°F (about 15 minutes per pound)
• Medium-Rare: 130°F to 135°F (about 20 minutes per pound)
• Medium: 135°F to 140°F (about 25 minutes per pound)
• Well-Done: 155°F to 165°F (about 30 minutes per pound)

We like ours Medium-Rare.  Remove from the grill and transfer to a platter. Cover loosely and let rest for 15 minutes before thinly slicing the lamb and placing the meat in the center of the warmed pita breads. Top with Tzatziki Sauce, sliced onions and chopped tomatoes; I also like to add a little arugula.

For Greek Night, I like to play some Greek Traditional Music on my Amazon Prime Music account and have several albums and songs on a playlist. It's very festive!

If you live near Knoxville, Tennessee, you won't want to miss the annual Greek Fest! (and Latin Fest and Asian Fest!) Do you regularly explore other cultures? If so, what tips do you have for making it more fun? Here's what Greek Fest 2015 looked like!