Kat's Fresh Steak Pitas

This was a new recipe for me, it was emailed to me by one of the many cooking sites I follow. As is usual, I've tweaked it a bit and made it mine :)


Your shopping list for today is:

1 small container of plain yogurt (you'll need at least 4oz.)
Fresh Dill (4-5 tsps. chopped)
Salt and Pepper
3 garlic cloves (I usually buy the small jar of pre-minced garlic, it saves time)
Mrs. Dash, Original Blend
Lemon or orange juice (you'll need 1/2 cup)
1 1lb. flank steak, trimmed or as lean as you can find
Cooking spray
1 pkg of pre-cut, 6-inch pitas (you can choose wheat or white)
1 small container of feta (you'll need at least 1 cup)
Alfalfa sprouts
Iceberg lettuce


This recipe calls for a grill or a broiler pan. If you don't have either, you can lay wire racks across a backing dish and improvise. Turn the oven to the broiler setting and turn the temperature setting all the way up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray broiler pan, or wire racks, or grill liberally with cooking spray.
In a gallon size, zip-top plastic bag, add the juice (either of them will work just fine), 2 cloves of minced garlic (or about 2 tsps if using pre-minced garlic), 2-3 shakes of Mrs. Dash, 1 tsp black pepper (or 3/4 turns of a pepper grinder). Add the steak to this mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes, turning once. After the steak has marinated, remove and place on the grill/broiler pan and discard the marinade. Cook for 6-10 minutes on each side, depending on your desired degree of doneness.
While the steak is cooking, in a small mixing bowl, add the yogurt, chopped dill, 1 clove of garlic, minced (or about 1 tsp, if using pre-minced), Mrs. Dash, salt and pepper to taste. I hate using the phrase "to taste" but as this is a sauce, the amount of seasoning is really dependant on how strong of a flavor you're looking for. Whisk all of these ingredients together and let stand.

Remove the steak when it's done and set it aside to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

It is really important that you let meat rest before you cut it. If you start slicing too soon, the meat will lose all of it's juices and dry out. Since the juices also hold a lot of flavor, you'll wind up chewing on a piece of tasteless leather instead of a nice steak. While the meat is resting, warm the pitas briefly (about 30 seconds) in the microwave, wrapped in a paper towel or napkin. When the steak has rested, slice diagonally, across the grain into thin slices.
Line each pita half with a spoonful of the dill sauce, some lettuce and sprouts, a few slices of the steak, and as much or as little feta as desired.

I would suggest serving these with some kind of salad or an equally light side. I thought the pitas were good, a very summery type of meal. Absolutely perfect for an early summer BBQ or get together.