Home made lamb shawarma

Some things that really shouldn't stress me out, inevitably do. Going to a farmers' market for most people is an enjoyable thing. For me, it's stressful because I'm worried about several things. Will I make it in time to get the heirloom tomatoes? Will I miss anything? What if I spend too much money? Will I use all that I have bought? It's ridiculous really. Deciding what to cook for a night spent leisurely at a cabin is another worry. There's nothing wrong with a good burger, most would say. Keep it simple, cook something you know and enjoy your vacation. Good advice. Why do I never take it? I always think in terms of wasted culinary opportunities. It's not often I get to cook on a barbecue, so I'm usually determined to try something new, which can be a good thing, but usually leaves me frustrated and disappointed.

Racking my brains trying to think of yet another new recipe led me to this. Inspired by the late night kebabs of the UK, I decided to try and recreate a shawarma of sorts. Not content to just cook one piece of lamb, I had to try two different cuts, one marinated and one not. I thought it would be a simple way to eat, stuff all the mahogany, caramelized meat into a pitta, top with some saffron and mint flecked sour cream and a handful of salad. Add a few drops of hot sauce and you have a nice portable dinner. Simple enough. But, as always, I went completely overboard.

I decided it might be a good time to also try some Korean ribs, lathered in sesame and chili sauce and eaten with some young radish organic kimchee. Why stop there? How about some chorizo sausage, a few peppers maybe and finish with some halloumi cheese? 

But at the end of the day, given the surroundings and the beautiful weather, combined with the deserted campsite providing our own private beach, it didn't really matter how much I tried to achieve. It was an adventure rather than a stressful chore and in the end, it was only the faulty pitta breads refusing to be split open that caused any frustration. 

The secret to a good shawarma is the combination of textures. The lamb, meaty, toothsome but still tender must have charred, caramelized, crispy edges. The salad or slaw must have a little bite as well as some soft, juicy elements such as tomato and a little crunch, like cucumber. The sauce should be creamy, sweet and herbal and a few dashes of hot sauce adds spice and fiery heat. All this enveloped in a soft, chewy pita bread is heaven and obviously so for many people given it's worldwide appeal.

The lamb was purchased butterflied and ready marinaded. Olive oil, thin slices of pungent garlic, thyme and rosemary. It smelled distinctly Mediterranean and became charred and dark brown over the coals. The other pieces were two small noisettes, bound up with string. They were subtly flavoured only with a few sprinkles of lemon pepper and salt, but retained a tender, juicy interior when cooked.

Recipe : Home made shawarma

1 piece of lamb, either a leg, butterflied or a few round noisettes.

Marinade

4 tbsp Olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and very finely sliced

4 large sprigs of rosemary

1/2 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

juice of one lemon

Mint and saffron sauce

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tbsp plain Greek style yogurt

3 tbsp mint sauce from a jar

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped finely

1/4 tsp salt

a few strands of saffron

freshly ground black pepper

juice of half a lemon

The rest

1/2 cup of coleslaw mix. (I used bought broccoslaw) or mixed salad leaves

2 bell peppers

1 onion, peeled and halved

2 or 4 pitta breads

2 pieces of halloumi cheese, simply grilled until brown and crispy outside and milky white and squeaky inside. (see image below)

Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour over the lamb, either in a ziploc bag or in a bowl. Let marinade for at least a few hours or even overnight.

When ready to cook, fire up your charcoal or propane grill or oven broiler and grill the lamb until mahogany brown on the outside and with a touch of pink inside. Let it rest wrapped in foil for at least 15 minutes. 

While the lamb is resting, pop the onion and peppers onto the barbecue and cook, turning frequently until the peppers are blackened and the onion is becoming golden and softening. Remove the peppers and place in a ziploc bag or wrap in cling wrap. Let the onions darken a little longer.

Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

After 10 minutes, peel the blackened skins from the peppers, remove the seeds and finely slice the flesh. Take the onions from the barbecue and remove the darkened outer layers. Finely slice the flesh.

Remove the foil from the lamb and cut into chunks or slice. 

Cut your pitta breads across the top to create a pocket and fill with some lamb. Top this with a little coleslaw or salad mix, a good dollop of creamy mint sauce and a few dashes of your favourite hot sauce. Finish with a few pieces of grilled pepper and onion and a few squeezes of lemon juice if you like. (The halloumi can be added to the shawarma or eaten as an appetizer).

Korean short ribs (Kalbi)

Marinade

3 tbsp gochujang, (Korean sesame and red chili paste)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 - 2 tsp raw sugar

a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes

a dash of sesame oil

2 scallions (spring onions), finely chopped

Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour over the ribs. Seal into a ziploc bag and squish together until well coated. Marinade overnight, if possible.

When ready to cook, rub some of the marinade off as it contains sugar and could burn. Grill the ribs on a barbecue or under a broiler until well browned and crispy outside. Serve with a little kimchee or some more of the gochujang sauce for dipping.