Greek Taco

A little while ago a friend was wondering aloud what on earth she was going to do with all the cucumbers that had exploded out of her garden.  And being the helpful person that I am, I went digging around online for recipes.  This one looked so good I couldn't resist taking the extra step of testing it for her first.

You know, for the sake of our friendship..... ;)

WARNING: Do NOT freak out at the length of the ingredient list!  There are several components to this dish, but each is easy and FAST to put together.  And I'm willing to bet you have just about everything in your pantry or fridge anyway.

Greek Tacos
Recipe adapted from Jeff Mauro

For the relish: 
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 firm tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1/2 onion, diced
Freshly ground black pepper  

 

For the tzatziki:
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
Salt
1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

For the meat:
1 lb lean ground beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 onion, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste [Don't want to waste a whole can? Get tomato powder and mix in a little water]
2 tbsp dry red wine

Also don't forget:

4 flour tortillas

1.  For the relish: Toss the olive oil, vinegar, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a bowl and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cover and let sit at least 1 hour to marry the flavors. 

Need a reason to use up excessive garden goodness?  Now you have one.

2.  For the tzatziki: Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater and place in a fine-meshed strainer or cheese cloth fitted over a bowl. Salt the cucumber and let sit 10 minutes. Then squeeze out any excess moisture. Add the strained cucumber into a bowl with the yogurt, feta, and garlic. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. 

Love, love, LOVE fresh garlic and onion

3.  For the meat: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until the meat gets nice and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the beef and reserve. Lower the heat to medium and saute the onions in the meat juices until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano and garlic and cook until fragrant. Season. Add the tomato paste and cook until it caramelizes. Deglaze with the red wine and scrape any bits up that have adhered to the pan. Add the beef back in, stir and set aside.

Red wine should always be used to deglaze pans.

4.  Smear the tzatziki on the tortillas, then place on the beef mixture and top with cucumber tomato relish. Roll up and enjoy!

Prepare yourself for a flavor explosion