Cretan grill plate with souvlaki, octopus souvlaki, bifteki and tzatziki

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 1 m.-sized octopus, fresh or frozen
• 2 stalk(s) Celery
• 1 lemon(s)
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 black peppercorns
• Salt
• 800 g pork steak(s), from the back or pork neck
• 3 shallots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 7 sprig(s) Thyme
• 50 ml white wine vinegar
• 50 ml olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 200 g Greek sheep cheese, cut into cubes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 500 g minced lamb
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 egg(s)
• salt and pepper
• 500 g Greek yogurt
• 1 snake cucumber(s)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 1 tsp dill, dried
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 day 1 hour 30 minutes

For the souvlaki, rinse the pork loin steaks under running water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Then, using a knife, cut them into 2-3 centimeter pieces. Peel the shallots and slice them into thin rings. Peel the garlic and finely chop them. Pluck the rosemary needles and thyme leaves from the stems against the direction of growth. Place the meat, shallots, garlic, and herbs in a large bowl, along with 50 ml olive oil and 50 ml white wine vinegar. Finally, season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything well and, covered with cling film, marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. On barbecue day, thread the meat evenly onto the skewers, wiping off some of the marinade. Wash the octopus under running water, thoroughly cleaning all suction cups. Turn the curved part of the octopus’s head (mantle) inside out. Wash the inside thoroughly. You can either prepare fresh octopus or use frozen octopus. In this case, the octopus must be slowly thawed in the refrigerator. Place the octopus in a large pot. Remove the green leaves from the celery, chop the rest into large pieces, and add to the octopus. Halve the lemon and place both halves in the pot. Add the bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns. Fill the pot with plenty of water. The octopus should just be completely covered. Add a little salt. Bring everything to a boil. Once the water boils, reduce the heat slightly and let the octopus simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand for about 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully insert a knife into the thick part of one of the tentacles to check if the meat is tender and soft. Remove the octopus from the pot and place it on a cutting board. In the center of the octopus, you will now see a bulge that resembles an eye. Remove this hard part. Then separate the tentacles from the body. Remove the skin from the tentacles and the mantle, leaving only the meat. Now cut everything into small pieces and season with herbs, pepper and salt as desired, and put on skewers. For the bifteki, mix the minced lamb, tomato paste, Greek yogurt, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper together well and divide into 16 portions. Fill each portion with a cube of feta, shape into a ball and place on a plate. For the tzatziki, grate the cucumber into strips and place on a kitchen towel. Squeeze the cucumber well over the sink and place in a bowl. Add the remaining tzatziki ingredients and mix everything well. Finally, cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight, to let it sit. On barbecue day, sear the souvlaki, bifteki, and octopus skewers on a well-heated grill (gas works best) for 2 minutes on all sides, then set aside and let them cook over moderate heat. The bifteki may need a little longer depending on their thickness and taste. Serve with tzatziki.