Meat and Potatoes - Greek Style Recipe

by Mary Cokenour

So there I was one day, staring at a London Broil and bag of potatoes, "Ho Hum" I thought, "I don't want to do this the same way again". I went on Facebook to waste some time when I saw a notification from My Big Fat Greek Restaurant, and I remembered their most delicious Gyros and Lemon Potatoes. Being about 2 and 1/2 hours away from home though, as much as I wanted a repeat of that meal, I didn't want to drive all that way and then back. Oh, but then the inspiration hit me; I might not be able to make Gyro meat, but I can make those potatoes! I opened up my Mediterranean cookbooks, and looked online, for any Greek inspired meat recipes.

Essentially I came up with a roasted London Broil to die for, a Greek style "salsa" as a side dish for the meat, and the lemon-parsley potatoes with a Parmesan cheese crust...yeah, it was all so good.

Greek Inspired London Broil

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp crushed dried basil, divided in half
• 1 tsp crushed dried oregano, divided in half
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 lb London broil, trimmed of fat
• 1 cup diced Roma tomatoes
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Preparation:
• In a small bowl, whisk together half each of basil and oregano; the garlic, olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Before placing the meat inside a resealable plastic bag, lightly score both sides with a sharp knife diagonally against the grain. This will allow the marinade to seep more easily into the meat, and can be used as a guide for slicing later on. Pour the marinade over the meat, massage it onto the meat, seal the bag and refrigerate for two hours; after one hour, turn bag over.
• Also after one hour, prepare the "salsa" by lightly combining the tomatoes, shallot, olives and remaining half teaspoon of the basil and oregano; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Add the feta cheese to the mixture just before serving with the meat and potatoes.
• The London Broil can be made three ways: under the broiler, in a roasting pan, or on the grill; the temperature should be 350F to 400F for the pan or grill methods; the broiler should be on high. While the broiler and grill will take 7 to 10 minutes on each side; the roasting pan will require 15 to 20 minutes per side. I chose the roasting pan method, and set my oven temperature at 375F, since the potatoes would be roasting along with the meat.
• Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil, spray the rack with nonstick spray and insert into the pan. Take the meat out of the bag (discard the bag and excess marinade), place on the rack and place the pan on the center rack inside the oven. After 20 minutes, turn the roast over; after 15 minutes the meat will be rare, 20 minutes for medium-rare. Remove to a cutting board and let it rest for 5-7 minutes to allow its juices to settle within itself before slicing; slice against the grain and thinly. Serve with the Greek "salsa".
• Makes 8 servings; or 6 generous servings.
• Lemon-Parsley Potatoes with Parmesan Crust
• Ingredients:
• 3 lbs russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 4 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Peel the potatoes, cut into 2 inch chunks and soak in cold water for 15 minutes; this will help remove excess starch and allow the potatoes to better absorb the cooking liquid.

Preheat oven to 375F; brush the inside of a 2 quart baking dish with one tablespoon of melted butter. Drain the potatoes and place inside the baking dish. In a small bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients except the Parmesan cheese. Pour over the potatoes, making sure to work the liquid between all the chunks. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove the foil; mix the potatoes around and spread the Parmesan cheese evenly over them. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes; until the potatoes are fork tender. Allow the potatoes to rest inside the baking dish for 10 minutes to let them absorb any remaining liquid.

Makes 6 servings.

There you have it, my Greek Inspired London Broil and Lemon-Parsley Potatoes with a Parmesan Cheese Crust. Believe me, the leftovers did not last very long. Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour