Biftekia is basically the Greek word for burger. After I graduated high school in 1999 my parents took myself and my sisters to Greece and I ate this several times, usually made with ground lamb, these were often served on skewers and served with different condiments. I decided to try my hand at my own version of these, which are similar to meatballs or meatloaf, I used American ground lamb and combined it with a few other seasonings. For my sauce I used another flavor packed pantry item….ANCHOVIES! Packed in olive oil and salt these lil’ babies can add umami flavor and depth to many dishes. Anchovies are not just for pizza, they are a great way to add the salt element to a dish, and I used mint, lemon, capers and sundried tomatoes to round out the flavors and served with the lamb biftekia it balanced out perfectly. Similar to the use of the condiment Nuoc Cham in Vietnamese cooking, this condiment can be used with a variety of roasted meat, veggies, or even as a topping for pasta. —Alexandra V. Jones
WHO: Alexandra V. Jones is a kitchen ninja living in Portland.
WHAT: A cross between a burger and a kebab, with some addictive stuff to dip it in.
HOW: Mix ground lamb with alliums and spices; shape onto skewers; grill. Mix together an herb-y, anchovy-y sauce. Dip and devour.
WHY WE LOVE IT: In the summer, it's easy to get into a grilling rut -- to make steaks and burgers and vegetables and forget about all the other good stuff that you can throw on there. These skewers are a great way to switch up your grilling game -- lamb! spices! skewers! -- and we'd eat that sauce on pretty much anything. —The Editors
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