Grilled Steak and Eggplant Gyros with Zesty Yogurt Sauce
⅔ cup Greek vinaigrette with extra-virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons, minced garlic
4 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds beef top round steak
2 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced in ½-inch lengthwise strips
5 pocket pitas
4 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half and cut in thin strips
1 medium onion, sliced in half and cut in thin strips
Zesty Yogurt Sauce
1 container (16 ounces) Opaa Zesty Greek Yogurt Dip
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons dill
1 teaspoon of agave nectar
Dash salt
For the marinade: Whisk the Greek vinaigrette, minced garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, paprika, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Divide the mixed marinade equally between two shallow containers.
Rinse the beef and trim any visible fat. Flatten the steak with a meat tenderizer or pounder and add the steak to one bowl of marinade. Cover and let marinade overnight or for at least 4 hours.
Add the eggplant to the other marinade and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
For the zesty yogurt sauce: Add all ingredients in a blender and pulse until you get a creamy consistency. Set aside 1 cup in a small bowl for potato chip dip (recipe follows). Refrigerate until ready to use.
When ready to grill, heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat. Right before grilling freeze steak for about 10-15 minutes to make slicing in strips easier. Spray eggplants with olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt. Grill eggplant for about 3-4 minutes, turning the slices over, close the lid, if using a gas grill and cook until grill marks appear on both sides and the eggplant is very tender. Take steaks out the marinade and slice in ½-inch lengthwise strips against the grain. Spray steaks with olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt on both sides. Grill steak for 5 minutes per side depending on the thickness or until your desired doneness. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the steak strips in half to stuff the pitas.
Grill the pitas until heated, about 30 seconds per side. Cut pitas in half and fill the pitas with the steak, eggplant, tomato and onions. Drizzle with the Zesty Yogurt Sauce.
Serves eight to 10
Denise Allen, Hanover Park