A few weeks ago, we were asked by Tara Mataraza Desmond and Joy Manning to participate in a virtual potluck in celebration of their recent cookbook, Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet. I like the book’s concept — use less meat in recipes and replace it with novel ingredients to make them healthier without having to completely eliminate meat altogether. We had previously made and enjoyed the Albondigas, so this time we decided to tackle a recipe we’d never made at home before: Gyros!  Rather than solely containing lamb shaved off a vertical broiler, this version uses a few slices of grilled leg of lamb steak, filled out with ful mudammas, a garlicky, zesty Middle-Eastern bean-spread. It’s then topped with cool tzatziki and tomatoes for a great combination of texture and flavor.
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Chris says:

Hooray for gyros! I’m glad we finally made these at home, I love them.

Lisa says:

…and there’s ful in it? I’ve only ever had the stew-version, this should be interesting — it’s the same ingredients?

Chris says:

Yep, basically the same thing, but no broth, and the beans are mashed. How is it?

Lisa says:

Wow, it’s awesome. The flavors are exactly right.

Chris says:

Sweet — it’s really nice in there with the lamb. I like the combination.

Lisa says:

Yum, me too. These are great. The tzatziki rules.

Chris says:

Well I made it with Fage, your favorite.

Lisa says:

No wonder!

Chris says:

So — overall… great success?

Lisa says:

Great success!

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Ful Mudammas Gyros
(Reprinted with permission from Ten Speed Press and the authors)
Tzatziki:
1/2 cucumber, cut into 1/4″ dice (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
Salt

Lamb:
1 12-oz leg of lamb steak
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Ful Mudammas:
1 15-oz can fava beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon (2 tbsp)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 pitas or flatbreads
Tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)

Make the tzatziki: Combine the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, and mint in a small bowl and stir until combined. Taste, adding salt if needed. Cover and refrigerate.
Marinate the lamb: Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, garlic, and pepper in a large glass bowl. Add the lamb and flip the meat several times to coat in the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Make the ful mudammas: While the lamb marinates, combine the beans, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Smash the beans with a pestle to form a textured paste. Season with more salt if desired.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the lamb on the hot grill and discard the remaining marinade. Grill for about 4 minutes per side, until the meat reaches medium-rare (about 130F). Take the lamb off the grill and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing very thinly across the grain.
To assemble, spread about 1/4 cup of the fava bean mixture on each pita or flatbread. Add 3 or 4 slices of lamb, a dollop of tzatziki, and some of the chopped tomato to each. Wrap the pita around the filling, serve, and enjoy.

4 Gyros

Thanks again to Tara and Joy for asking us to participate in the virtual pot luck!