Meats grilled on skewers over the dying embers of a fire are a symbol of Turkish cuisine. They are said to be a legacy of nomadic times, perfected in the conquering era of the Ottomans, when soldiers camping out in tents skewered their meats on swords and cooked them on the campfire. Years ago, I went on a tour of kebab houses in Istanbul. It was a grand eating marathon. At the fifth establishment they opened the refrigeration room and showed me all the prize cuts, which were later presented to me straight from the fire on a huge platter. As well as lamb kebabs and ground meat kebabs on skewers, there were small lamb chops, kidneys, slices of calf ’s liver, beef steaks, sucuk (spicy beef sausages), and pieces of chicken. It was a gourmand’s dream, but for me at the time, afraid to give offence by not eating everything, it was a nightmare. Serve the kebabs with pita bread or with other bread from a Middle Eastern store, such as Turkish flat bread like an Italian focaccia or a sesame bread, and with one or more of the garnishes below.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　2 pounds boned leg of lamb

　　2 large onions, quartered

　　6 tablespoons mild extra virgin olive oil

　　Salt and black pepper

　　

Step 1

Cut the meat into 1- to 1 1/4-inch cubes. Liquefy the onions in the food processor and prepare a marinade by mixing the onion juice with the oil, salt, and pepper. Leave the meat in this for 1 hour in the refrigerator, keeping it covered with plastic wrap, and turning the pieces over at least once.

　　

Step 2

Thread the pieces of meat onto 6 skewers. These need to be the type with a flat, wide blade so that the meat does not slide. Grill them over charcoal or wood embers, on a well-oiled grill. Or cook them under a preheated gas or electric broiler. Cook them for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning them over once, until the meat is well browned on the outside but still pink and juicy inside.

　　

Step 3

For an alternative marinade: Blend 1 onion to a purée, then add 1 1/4 cups yogurt, salt, and pepper.

　　

Garnishments and Accompaniments

Step 4

Thread 1 piece of onion, 1 piece of tomato, and 1 piece of sweet pepper—cut to the same size as the meat—between each piece of meat. Alternatively, put quartered onions and peppers and small whole tomatoes separately onto the grill to be served at the same time.

　　

Step 5

Serve with an onion relish made by slicing 4 medium onions as thinly as possible using a food processor. Sprinkle the slices generously with salt, and leave them in a bowl for at least an hour. Rinse and drain them and mix with 4 tablespoons chopped parsley and, if you like, 1 tablespoon of the sharp, red spice called sumac (see page 7).

　　

Step 6

Serve with a salad of diced tomato, cucumber, and red onion with chopped mint and parsley, dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

　　

Step 7

Serve the kebabs with a yogurt sauce made by beating 2 cups yogurt with 1 or 2 crushed garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon dried crushed mint.

　　

Step 8

Grill whole, small eggplants at the same time as the kebabs, turning them until they are soft inside, and serve them cut open with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

　　Arabesque