Two entrees were on the menu for our Middle Eastern cookout, one chicken and the other lamb. Both dishes were types of shish (skewered) kebab (cubes of grilled meat).
Our Turkish chicken recipe came from Saveur’s June/July issue featuring barbecue from around the world. In Turkey the masters of the kebab are called ustas. Ustas, who are always men, begin their apprenticeship from youth, learning butchery, mastering techniques of the grill and eventually taking over their own business. But it is more than just a business, ustas are the pride of their city, local heroes, revered for carrying on the culinary traditions of the kebab. Tavuk Kebabi is a recipe that translates “chicken cubes of grilled meat”. In this recipe, boneless chicken thighs are marinated in a flavorful blend of mint, thyme, Aleppo pepper and sweet red pepper paste. Time restraints prohibited me from ordering the Turkish sweet pepper paste called for in the recipe. I substituted the more available harissa, a spicy pepper condiment and cut back on the additional hot pepper in the recipe. Aleppo pepper is a worthy addition to your pantry. It is native to the northern Syrian town of Aleppo and also is grown in Turkey. The peppers are sun dried, seeded and crushed into flakes. Aleppo peppers are dark red in color with a high oil content. Their flavor is mildly spicy and fruity with cumin-like undertones.
The lamb kebabs were courtesy of a recipe in Cooks Illustrated. Not truly kebabs these were kofte, long cylinders of spiced ground lamb. Popular thorough out the Middle East and southeast Asia, kofte (plural kofta) comes from the Persian word “to grind”. Kofta usually feature some type of ground meat but there are also vegetarian versions based on beans, spinach or grains. As with any meatball they can be sautéed in gravy but these were grilled over a charcoal fire.
This version of kofte uses a Turkish blend of spices called baharat. Baharat translates to “spice” in Arabic and the combination of spices in baharat will vary with the region. It will usually include black pepper, cumin, cinnamon and coriander. Shaping the ground lamb, onion and pine nuts into a cigar shape makes them easier to maneuver over a grill. Wrap the grilled kofta in a flatbread and serve with a yogurt-garlic sauce accented with a little sesame paste.
Tavuk Kebabi slightly adapted from Saveur Magazine June/July 2013
Mint and Aleppo Pepper Marinated Chicken Kebabs
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 1 c olive oil
- 1 T chopped fresh mint
- ¼ t crushed red chile flakes
- 1 T dried thyme
- 1 T Aleppo pepper
- 1 T tomato paste
- 1 T harissa
- 1 t freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 6 12″ metal skewers
Directions
- Mix oil, mint, chile flakes, thyme, Aleppo pepper, tomato paste, red pepper paste, black pepper and salt in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to two hours.
- Heat a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side. Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto skewers. Grill on hottest part of grill, turning as needed, until the chicken is slightly charred and cooked through, 12-15 minutes. If the outside starts to burn before the chicken is fully cooked, move to the cooler side of the grill until done.
Grilled Lamb Kofte
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients for the Yogurt-Garlic Sauce
- 1 T plain Greek yogurt
- 2 T fresh lemon juice
- 2 T tahini
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ t salt
Directions for the Yogurt-Garlic Sauce
- Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Set aside.
Ingredients for Kofte
- ½ c pine nuts
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 ½ t smoked paprika
- 1 t salt
- ½ t pepper
- 1 t whole cumin
- ½ t whole coriander
- ¼t ground cloves
- 1/8 t ground nutmeg (ground from whole if possible)
- 1/8 t ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ lbs ground lamb
- ½ c grated onion, drained
- 1/3 c minced flat-leaved parsley
- ¼c minced fresh mint
- 1 ½ t unflavored gelatin
Directions for the Kofte
- Process pine nuts, garlic, paprika, salt, cumin, pepper, coriander, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon in food processor until a smooth paste forms, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add lamb, onion, parsley, mint and gelatin; knead with your hands until thoroughly combined and the mixture feels slightly sticky, about 2 minutes. cylinder about 1 inch in diameter. Using 8 (12 inch) metal skewers, thread 1 cylinder onto each skewer, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer skewers to lightly greased baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- Remove kebabs from refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling. Prepare a grill for medium high heat. Grill kebabs directly over heat, turning to brown on all sides, until cooked through, about 8 minutes.
