A few weeks ago I had invited a couple of friends over for a nice weekend lunch.  My friends love it when I cook Greek so I decided to do a Greek inspired menu.  I had originally planned on a Swiss chard pie, Potato Wedges fried in Olive Oil, an Orange Walnut Cake with Honey Whipped Cream, but as the week progressed the weather got hotter and hotter and hotter and my poor little house is about 10 degrees even hotter than it is outside, so the whole menu changed.  I decided on a mostly uncooked meal.  I made Skordalia-the addictive garlic mashed potato dip that my family makes so well, of course Olives and Feta, Cucumbers with Tomatoes with Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar, warm Naan bread (I find it’s easier to find fresh Naan bread than it is pita bread, the pita bread in the stores I shop in is often very dry), Lamb Meat Ball Skewers, Marcona Almonds and Quicks-Spanish Cornuts (not Greek but delicious), and canned Gigantes, giant white beans.  For dessert I chose an Chocolate Avocado Mousse with Olive Oil and Sea Salt, very definitely NOT Greek, but involves no cooking, is ready in minutes and is delicious.

I love meals like this, just put everything on the table at once, provide an icy beverage-I did a cucumber mint iced tea, and sit down and enjoy your guests along with the food.  There was enough leftover for me to invite my nieces over to enjoy round two.

The recipe for the Chocolate Avocado Mousse is in my book coming out in October the Anti-Inflammatory Action Plan published by Callisto Media.  The Skordalia recipe will be in my book entitled Mom Was Right…Greek Recipes and Wisdom.

Lamb Meatball Skewers

Here’s the recipe for the Lamb Meat Ball Skewers

1 pound ground lamb

1 pound ground beef

1 egg

2 cloves garlic, mince

2 bu. green onion, sliced thin

1 T fresh oregano, chopped

2 t salt

1/2 t freshly ground pepper

12 skewers (shorter skewers that are flat work best for this recipe)

Olive oil for brushing the pan and the skewers1 lemon

Place all ingredients except the skewers in a medium bowl and mix to combine well.  Divide the mixture into 12 equal pieces and shape into a sausage-like shape.  Skewer each sausage with a skewer and place on an oiled baking sheet while your shaping the rest of the meatballs.  Once all the skewers have been made brush with olive oil, and heat a stove top (or outdoor) grill until the grill is hot.  Cook the skewers about three to four minutes a side, or until the meat is nice and brown.  Once all the skewers have been cooked squeeze lemon juice over them.  Let sit about 5 minutes before serving so the juices stay in the meat.

Makes 12 skewers.