Pan-fried gyros with tzatziki

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 850 g turkey breast
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp vinegar (balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
• 1 tsp black cumin, whole
• 1 tbsp mustard, medium hot
• 1 pinch(s) paprika powder, hot
• 1 pinch(s) basil, shredded
• 1 pinch(s) oregano, shredded
• 1 pinch(s) curry powder
• 3 dashes of soy sauce or Maggi, preferably a little of both
• salt and pepper
• 1 sprig(s) rosemary, alternatively thyme.
• 1 cucumber(s)
• 600 g yogurt (4 cups)
• 250 g quark (1 cup)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Total time approx. 1 day 20 minutes

There are many ways to marinate meat. The most important rule is: you can’t use too little of any marinating ingredient, but you can use too much of any of them. If you like your meat spicier, add another tablespoon of mustard. If you prefer it milder, replace the mustard with a few peeled apple pieces, which you can remove and discard later. With poultry, freshly grated ginger is also always good. If the pan-fried gyro is being used for a candlelit dinner, you can also experiment with liqueur or port wine. First, marinate the meat: Cut the turkey breast into not-too-thin strips. Peel and slice the onions. Peel the garlic cloves, crush them with a knife, and finely chop them. Place the meat, onions, garlic, and remaining ingredients in a freezer bag and mix gently by hand. Seal the freezer bag tightly. Let the whole thing sit in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days. Now it’s time for the tzatziki: Peel the cucumber very thinly and then grate it into fine strips. Wrap the cucumber strips in a piece of kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Peel the garlic cloves and chop them very finely. Put the yogurt, cucumber strips, quark, and garlic in a bowl with a little salt and cayenne pepper and mix well. Cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. The longer the tzatziki sits, the better it tastes. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The tzatziki can be used as a sauce for salad, vegetables, rice, potatoes, eggs, and meat. After marinating: Remove the rosemary sprig from the freezer bag and discard. Heat a pan on the stovetop. Remove as much meat from the freezer bag as you need and freeze the rest. Fry the meat strips over medium heat; they need no more than 10 minutes to cook.