Turkish Delight Part II: Adana Kebab

Adana Kebab

As you now already know, in addition to the mucver I made the other night for our “Turkish Shabbat Dinner,” I also made Adana Kebab, lamb brochettes that are usually served long and thin on skewers. While I had no skewers handy and didn’t feel like making a last minute trip to Fairway to get them, I thought that as long as I kept a faithful flavor profile, I could go ahead and still use the name.

Adana Kebob is a great alternative to hamburgers. Ground lamb is seasoned with ever-fabulous onion and garlic, then combined with more traditional Middle Eastern spices, such as cinnamon, allspice, and even pinenuts if you have some on hand. If you don’t observe kashrut, you can also add some Turkish or feta cheese, though I omitted it this time around. They take almost no time to combine and grill, and I promise they are well worth it! You can serve them with mucver, as I did, or with couscous, roasted vegetables, or roll them up in pitas for an easy sandwich. Smearing them with cacik or tzatziki is always a plus. The sweet and spicy aroma emanating from the Adana kebab on the grilling pan was irresistible, once you try it, I promise it will become one of your new favorite dishes!

Smelled AMAZING, but set off the smoke detectors!

Adana Kebob (3-4 servings)

1 1/4 pound of ground lamb

3 shallots (or one small yellow onion) finely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried

1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8-1/4 teaspoon allspice (depends on your taste, try a little first, then add more next time)

1-2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon or so of pepper

Instructions

1. Heat grill pan on high

2. Combine lamb with all of the other ingredients

3. Form into eight small rectangular patties, though if you want, you can form them into small hamburger shapes resembling sliders

4. When the grill pan is hot, grill the kebabs 3 to 3 1/2 minutes on each side for medium rare

5. Take the meat off the grill and let rest for 10 minutes to seal in the juices

6. Serve with any variety of sides, the more colorful the better!

Enjoy!

Just off the Grill

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