By I listed 3 new properties this week — each one a different story, a different kitchen, a different family waiting to happen. The spring market is alive with the particular energy of people who have decided this is the year they change their address and their life.
Alexander called from USF this week. He is busy and building a life with the quiet competence of a young man who watched his mother rebuild from nothing and decided that building is what Papadopouloses do. He still does not call Yia-yia enough. He never will.
The bakery smelled like honey this morning when I stopped by. That smell — warm honey and butter and the faint yeast of dough rising — is the smell of my childhood and my mother and my father and every Sunday morning of my life. Some smells are time machines. The bakery is mine.
I made gigantes plaki — giant beans baked in tomato sauce until creamy and collapsing. Peasant food elevated to poetry by olive oil and time. I served it with bread and olive oil — always too much olive oil, because in this family there is no such thing as too much. We ate and the conversation was easy and the evening was warm.
Sophia told me this week that she is proud of me. I was not expecting it. We were in the car, driving to Tarpon Springs for Sunday dinner, and she said Mom, I am proud of you. I said for what. She said for everything. For the bakery. For the houses. For making dinner every night even when you are tired. I gripped the steering wheel and blinked and said thank you, koritsi mou. She said do not cry. I did not cry. Much.
The gigantes plaki fed us well that evening, but it got me thinking about all the ways Greek food holds people together — the slow cooking, the generous olive oil, the table that never quite empties. When I want that same warmth in a form that comes together a little faster on a weeknight, I turn to this gyro soup: all the flavors I grew up with, the lamb and the lemon and the cool swirl of tzatziki on top, in a bowl deep enough to mean it. Sophia said she was proud of me. The least I can do is keep cooking like I mean it too.
Gyro Soup
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lamb (or ground beef)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup tzatziki sauce, for serving
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, for serving
- Sliced cucumber and fresh dill, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the meat. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Saute the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Build the broth. Pour in the broth and diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook the orzo. Add the orzo and stir well. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes or until the orzo is tender.
- Finish with lemon. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a generous spoonful of tzatziki, a sprinkle of crumbled feta, sliced cucumber, and fresh dill. Serve immediately with warm pita or crusty bread and good olive oil alongside.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 34g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 620mg