serves 4 as a main course
Kontosouvli—short skewers—are a specialty of the rolling hills and expansive plains of mainland Greece, perfect grazing ground, where meat is a staple. If anything differentiates this simple skewered barbecued lamb dish from all others in the Greek repertoire, it is probably that it is one of the few that is usually preferred without lemon squeezed over it once the meat is grilled. Note that the meat mixture needs to be refrigerated overnight before being grilled, so plan ahead.
2 large red onions
1½ pounds (680 g) boneless pork, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dried Greek oregano
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Grate the onions on the large holes of a box grater or using a food processor fitted with the grating disc. Do not discard the onions’ juices.
Combine the meat, grated onions and their juices, olive oil, garlic, and oregano, in a bowl, season with salt and white pepper, and knead so that all the flavors meld. Cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before grilling.
When ready to cook the skewers, heat a grill to high.
Thread the meat onto four 10- or 12-inch-long (25 to 30 cm) metal skewers. Grill over direct heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.