Pork Gyros

Dr. Jenny's Note:

I found this recipe, entitled "Pork Gyros with Yogurt-Tomato Sauce, Red Onion, and Arugula" on another recipe site some time back. It appeared in the June 2006 issue of Bon Appetit. Ice Cool Kitty posted the recipe for the sauce portion of these gyros, Yogurt Tomato Sauce for Gyros 386313. Please see her recipe for making the Yogurt-Tomato sauce portion. I am posting the gyros portion so that other chefs will know what the recipe had looked like in its entirety. DH and I made these for dinner two nights ago and thought they were very tasty. Prep time does not include overnight marinating of the pork tenderloin, nor the time it takes to make the yogurt-tomato sauce as Ice Cool Kitty gave an estimate for that in her recipe posting. While the original recipe says it makes 12 pitas, and that is how I am posting it, DH and I found it to make about 5 large pitas.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 pitas

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup dry red wine
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 small bay leaf , crumbled
• ½ tablespoon packed fresh oregano leaves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (1 lb) pork tenderloins
• 6 pita breads , 7 inches in diameter
• 1 red onion , halved, thinly sliced
• 24 large arugula leaves

Directions:

1. Combine the first seven ingredients in large resealable plastic bag; shake to blend. Add pork to marinade; seal bag. Chill overnight, turning bag occasionally.
2. Make tomato-yogurt sauce per Ice Cool Kitty's directions in Yogurt Tomato Sauce for Gyros 368313.
3. Prepare BBQ (medium heat). Remove pork from bag. Grill until thermometer inserted into center of each tenderloin registers 145 degrees F, about 18 minutes. Transfer to work surface; let stand 10 minutes (temperature will rise five to ten degrees). Thinly slice into rounds.
4. Grill pitas until warmed through and softened, about 2 minutes per side. Cut pitas in half. Fill pita halves with pork, drizzle with yogurt sauce, then tuck in onion and arugula. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.