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A Meal in a Pocket

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SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Here’s an easy dinner solution: Take the Middle Eastern technique of garnishing meat with yogurt, combine it with the ineffably Southern propensity for adding sour cream and dill to every dish possible, and you have a tangy sirloin salad that fits nicely into a pita pocket.

The same Middle-East-meets-South trick works in the salad course, too. The traditional Greek tzatziki is made of cucumbers, yogurt and garlic, but this version is dressed up Southern-style with sour cream, dill and lemon juice. To round out the meal, try steaming a basket of fresh green beans.

Menu

Sirloin Salad in Pitas

Greco-Southern Tzatziki

Steamed Green Beans

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GAME PLAN

2 hours before: Cook meat for Sirloin Salad and place in refrigerator to chill.

1 1/2 hours before: Make tzatziki.

30 minutes before: Steam green beans. Assemble pita sandwiches.

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STAPLES

Oil

Garlic

Worcestershire sauce

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Green onions

Lemon

Mayonnaise

Yogurt

Sour cream

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SHOPPING LIST

2 pounds sirloin steak

1 bunch fresh dill or 3 tablespoons dried dill

4 leaves green leaf lettuce

4 whole pitas, sliced in half

3 large cucumbers

1 pound green beans

SIRLOIN SALAD IN PITAS

2 pounds sirloin steak

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch fresh dill or 3 tablespoons dried dill

1 bunch (5 to 6 stalks) green onions

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup yogurt

1/4 cup sour cream

4 leaves green leaf lettuce

4 whole pitas, sliced in half

Trim fat from steak. Heat oil in skillet and cook steak with garlic, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper to taste just until slightly pink in middle, or to desired doneness. Taste beef and adjust seasonings if necessary.

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Drain beef and set out 10 to 15 minutes to let juices set. Place meat in covered container and place in refrigerator to chill.

While beef chills, chop dill and green onions. When sirloin is cold, slice in thin strips and combine with dill, green onions, lemon peel, mayonnaise, yogurt and sour cream. Salad can chill again while Tzatziki is being made. Place lettuce in pita and spoon sirloin salad into place to serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

550 calories; 835 mg sodium; 116 mg cholesterol; 25 grams fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 44 grams protein; 0.17 gram fiber.

GRECO-SOUTHERN TZATZIKI

3 large cucumbers

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup plain yogurt, not skim

1/4 cup sour cream

Peel cucumbers and cut lengthwise into fat matchsticks. Add salt and lemon juice. Toss with yogurt and sour cream. Chill until ready to serve. Toss again before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

74 calories; 173 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.36 grams fiber.

STEAMED GREEN BEANS

1 pound green beans

Salt

Chop ends from green beans and cut in halves or thirds. Steam over few inches boiling water, or boil in 1/2 inch of salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, season to taste with salt and serve.

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Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

30 calories; 80 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.08 grams fiber.

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