Stolen Meat - Kleftiko Lamb

Legend has it that Klephtico (or Kleftiko) slow cooked lamb (or other meat) can be translated as 'stolen meat'. The Klephts, not having flocks of their own, would steal lambs or goats and cook the meat in a sealed pit to avoid the smoke being seen.
That's how those ovens look like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S52diCg-Y10

Greek cuisine (Greek: Ελληνική Κουζίνα) is Greece's traditional cuisine. It is a typical Mediterranean cuisine sharing similar characteristics with the cuisines of Southern France, Italy, the Balkans, Anatolia, and the Middle East.

The most characteristic and ancient element of Greek food is olive oil, which is present in almost every dish. It is produced from the trees prominent throughout the region, and adds to the distinctive taste of Greek food. The basic grain in Greece is wheat, though barley is also grown. Important vegetables include tomato, aubergine, potato, green beans, okra, green peppers, and onions. Honey in Greece is mainly flower-honey from the nectar of fruit and citrus trees (lemon, orange, bigarade trees), thyme honey, and pine honey from conifer trees. Mastic is grown on the Aegean island of Chios.
Greek cuisine uses some flavourings more often than other Mediterranean cuisines do: oregano rigani, mint dhiosmo, garlic, onion, dill, salt, and bay laurel leaves. Other common herbs and spices include basil, thyme and fennel seed. Many Greek recipes, especially in the northern parts of the country, use "sweet" spices in combination with meat, for example cinnamon and cloves in stews. Greek flavour is often characterised by the use of mint and nutmeg. Other typical ingredients are lamb, pork, kalamata olives, feta cheese, grape leaves, zucchini and yogurt. The desserts are dominated by nuts and honey.
The terrain has tended to favour the breeding of goats and sheep over cattle, and thus beef dishes are more rare. Fish dishes are also common, especially in coastal regions and on the islands. A great variety of cheese types are used in Greek cuisine, including Feta, Kasseri, Kefalotyri, Graviera, Anthotyros, Manouri, Metsovone and Mizithra. Some dishes use phyllo pastry.
Too much refinement is generally considered to be against the hearty spirit of the Greek cuisine, though recent trends among Greek culinary circles tend to favour a somewhat more refined approach. Typical Greek food is simple, colorful and packed with robust flavours. Many dishes show influences from the Greek past, having a distinctive style of their own which has not changed much over the years. Greek cuisine has a long tradition of fine cooking and the full range of Greek dishes usually remains undiscovered by the tourist.
(Wikipedia)

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• kleftiko
• Klephtico
• Ελληνική
• Κουζίνα
• cooking
• randomwritings
• LeSaMilano

[Bearod35]

Wow what a great looking dish.I would like to try this out.Is there like a specific wine that you need in order to make this?Thanks Max...

[MaxwellsDemon2000]

@Bearod35 Hi there, no I don't think so, I used a dry wine because I prefer dry wine.

[huhnibuhnii]

Frage mich die ganze Zeit wie viel Salat in der Tastatur gelandet ist.

Hat aber was. Danke für den Beitrag.

Habe Dir auf Deinem anderen Kanal geschrieben. Gruß Gunnar T.

[MaxwellsDemon2000]

Wo gehobelt wird... ;-)

[gjetodoraci]

looks good but are you sure that was not a albanian recept? malaka  malaka

[MaxwellsDemon2000]

It's spelled 'Malakka, Malakka!', but that's not nice and I would never use such words, peace! Max

[reefrunner9]

geut job bud, heh heh, it is 230 in the morning, just off work, house is quiet, no lamb to cook but will consider. It is, I must admit, barbecue season in Wisconsin, floods all around, eat barbecue, Corporate meltdown, enjoy pork ribs, Gruesome tests ahead, pickel some asparagus,,,and so on...off to the rainbucket and then to dreamland, nighty nite. ajf

[drschnaggels]

Ja hab ich, als nach 20 minuten unsere hochbezahlten Kicker aber anfingen ihre sms nebenbei zu tippen wäre ich aber fast eingeschlafen ;) Ich weis nit, immer nur 2. wird ganz schön frustrierend. Was fehlt uns denn nur für den letzten kleinen Ruck ?

[spicybilly]

get a better camera man m8

[JoHnNyDePp2137]

kleftiko doesn't mean "stolen meat" :P it means "in thief's way"

[tevalia]

I make my greek salad like that too! must have wine and it is great!

[tilerman]

Man that looks good! Love the prep too.