Quote from: Axe on April 10, 2011, 05:22 PM
Incidentally Phil, are you able to share what you were taught by the Greek Chef?

I wish I could, Malc : if I had had the confidence to do so, I would already have done so.  Unfortunately it was a very long time ago, and I remember only the basics :stabbing the leg to insert the garlic, then rubbing with olive oil, dredging with oregano, then (for modern methods) wrapping in either baking paper or baking foil, putting in the oven at the lowest possible setting at which the lamb will cook, and then leaving for several hours to cook through.  The skill was in getting the temperature/time right; all the rest was pretty plain sailing ...

** Phil.

Quote from: Axe on April 10, 2011, 08:26 PM
No problem Phil, what you describe is almost the basic recipe I feel. Do you remember if lemon was involved in anyway?

I'm afraid I do not remember lemon being involved at all, but that may just be the effect of a 48-year time gap !  But I do have very good friends in Athens, and I think they may be able to help : I will ask.

** Phil.

Quote from: JerryM on April 09, 2011, 09:09 AM
worth a punt - is there anyone with pukka recipes for Kleftico or Afelia.

these along with souvlaki and moussaka are what i feel to be the best of greek dishes. i'm sorted on the other two but have never managed to get any legit recipe for the Kleftico or Afelia.

needs to be a 10/10 recipe something as good for example as 976bar's piri piri.

Hi Jerry, Haven't been on here for a while, but I also love Kleftico and having grown up with a greek lad who was my best friend for years, his dad owned the Appolonia greek restaurant in Hayes, where I worked as a wine waiter for 2 years when I was about 19.

This was their recipe for Kleftico, which was always mouth watering, succulent and the lamb just fell off the bone... see what you think

Kleftiko
Greek Lamb Shanks or Leg

Ingredients
4 lamb shanks
2 onions ? sliced
4 cloves of garlic ? crushed
4 tsp oregano, (1 for each shank)
Olive oil
1 lemon
Kitchen Foil

Method
Get 2 sheets of foil per shank, put half a sliced onion in the foil.

Rub the lamb shank with a crushed clove of garlic and smother a little olive oil all over with your hands.

Place the shank on top of the onions and sprinkle 1 tsp oregano over the top or just rub 1tsp of oregano all over the shank.

Squeeze a little lemon juice on top, and then season with salt and pepper.

Wrap the shank well in the foil so no moisture escapes and bake in the oven at 150 deg C for 4 hours.

Once cooked, remove the shank from the foil, and pour the juices and onion into a pan and pour half a bottle of red wine into the pan. Simmer and reduce the liquid until you have a nice jus to pour over the meat.

Traditional Kleftico should NOT have feta cheese in it!!!!

I love feta cheese and greek salads but not with lamb.....

I made two holes and stuffed both with Feta and Garlic. I have to say that I am not sure what the feta brought to this particular version of the dish. There certainly wasn't enough to really notice it. Either way, it was very nice.

I love lamb and one shank was perfect, though it is alot of meat. There is no way 4 shanks would serve 12 people though. The wife didn't manage to eat a whole shank and shared some with my eldest daughter, who seems to be at the teenage bottomless pit stage!

Thanks for posting the recipe 976bar, it sounds very rustic indeed. I'm sure Jerry will be pleased, I will certainly try it out next time round.