The story on this dish is that "Kleftiko" means 'stolen meat' and originates from the 1800s when Greek rebels called Klefts, hiding in the mountains from Ottoman Turkish rule, would steal lambs from the Turks and cook them in sealed pits so that the smell couldn't escape and give away their position.
This recipe won't require that you do any of the above!
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbls good olive oil
2 lbs. boneless leg of lamb cut into 6 chunks
2 onions cut into chunks
12 oz. baby portobellos, stemmed and halved
3 tomatoes, quartered, or more if you like
3 lemons, preferably Meyers, quartered plus 1 to squeeze
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, preferably Greek, and keep extra in reserve
2 Tbls fresh dill, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin or more to taste
1/2 tsp dried oregano or more to taste
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
FOR THE MARINADE
Olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, slivered
Fresh rosemary & oregano sprigs if available, dried if not
1/4 cup white wine
Salt & pepper
MARINADE
The lamb to be marinated 3-4 hours
Put the olive oil in a bowl and press each side of the lamb into it to coat evenly.
On a plate, cut slits in the lamb and insert the slivers of garlic, and put the lamb in a ziplock bag.
Add the white wine, rosemary, oregano, S & P.
If refrigerating, remove ziplock an hour before cooking.
PROCEDURE
1. Pre-heat oven to 300 F.
2. Line a baking pan with foil and lightly oil it.
3. In a bowl, mix at least a cup and a half of the yogurt with the cumin, oregano and thyme.
4. Remove the lamb from the marinade and pour whatever marinade is left into the baking tray.
Dip the lamb chunks into the yogurt mix and coat thoroughly. Put the lamb in the baking tray with spaces between chunks.
5. Distribute the chunks of onion, tomatoes, and mushrooms in the empty spaces and spread the wedges of lemon around.
Note if you like gravy as I do, spread the rest of the yogurt mix over the lamb.
Spread the chopped dill evenly and squeeze the lemon over everything.
6. Seal the baking pan tightly with foil and put it in the oven.
Note that medium rare for lamb is 145 F, and what I think is the correct doneness for this dish.
Depending on your oven, this dish should take approx an hour & 15 minutes to an hour and a half to cook.
If you have a meat or instant read thermometer, insert it in the lamb and monitor until the temp is reached, otherwise test it after an hour and decide how much more it needs to cook.
When done to your liking, remove from oven and keep covered for 15 minutes before serving.