Greek restaurants often mistranslate this on their menus as "steak", and indeed, "bifteki" sounds close enough to "beefsteak" to warrant the misunderstanding. But while it is made of beef, it is more of a burger than a steak. "Yemistó" is Greek for "filled" or "stuffed". Leave away the feta cheese, and you have plain bifteki. It's the perfect meal for the last few warm summer evenings. Serves 2.
- 350g minced beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 thin slices feta cheese
- 2 thin slices from a fresh tomato (optional)
- 1 teaspoon origano
- ⅓ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- lemon juice
In a bowl, mix the minced beef with the onions, origano, cumin, pepper and salt, then divide into 4 equal parts.
Using the four parts, form 4 burgers, which should be be slightly larger and thinner than your average burger. On two of these, place one slice feta cheese and (optional) one tomato slice. Then use the remaining two burgers as "lids", applying some pressure to make sure they stay on, and close the resulting two burgers on the sides to make sure the feta doesn't fall out.
Ideally, this should be grilled on a charcoal barbecue. Alternatively, pour some olive oil into a frying pan and fry over moderate heat for several minutes on both sides. While on the barbecue/in the pan, repeatedly sprinkle some of the lemon juice over it. Be careful when turning the bifteki over, as it has a tendency to fall apart.
Serve with French fries, roast potatoes or rice.
