Pork souvlaki with skordalia

Souvlaki are "little skewers" of meat, usually pork, which are marinated and then grilled over a charcoal burner, all over Greece. The meat is best marinated for two to three hours to really absorb the flavours.

Credit: Lyndey & Blair's Taste of Greece

• serves

  4

• prep

  2 hours

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Delicious on their own, they may be wrapped in any type of bread, not necessarily pita bread, and are served just as they are as the ultimate fast food.  Skordalia is not traditionally served with souvlaki, but I love this garlic sauce. It is often made with potato but I like a thinner, bread-based, version.

Ingredients

• 400 g marbled pork (e.g. neck/scotch fillet or shoulder), cubed
• lemon, for serving
• pita bread (optional), for serving

Skordalia

• ⅓ loaf (100 g) strong white bread, crust removed
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-2 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Marinade

• ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp dried mint
• 1 tbsp dried rigani (Greek oregano) or oregano
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Instructions

1. To make skordalia, soak bread briefly in cold water then squeeze out well. Drop garlic into food processor. When chopped, add bread and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and ⅓ cup water until mixture is smooth and has a texture similar to white sauce. If too thick, add additional water, one teaspoon at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. To make the marinade, in a large non-reactive bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, mint, rigani and garlic together. Add the pork cubes, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. If using wooden skewers, soak these in water or freeze while the meat marinates.

3. Heat the grill, barbecue or hotplate to medium high. Thread the meat onto the skewers (about 6 pieces per skewer). Season with salt and pepper.

4. Grill over medium-high heat for about a few minutes each side, turning until cooked through. Brush with reserved marinade during cooking. Squeeze lemon juice over skewers and serve immediately with skordalia and pita bread, if desired.

Note

• If you are serving the souvlaki with pita this can be toasted on the grill too.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Delicious on their own, they may be wrapped in any type of bread, not necessarily pita bread, and are served just as they are as the ultimate fast food.  Skordalia is not traditionally served with souvlaki, but I love this garlic sauce. It is often made with potato but I like a thinner, bread-based, version.