Adana Kebab

I am always happiest when a recipe feels generous and approachable, which is exactly what draws me to Adana Kebab. I would set this in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves. Give it the time it needs, then enjoy the pleasure of sharing it with someone you love.

Ingredients

• 2 lb. Ground beef 80/20
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 hot pepper
• 1 small onion
• 6-8 cloves garlic
• 1 heaping tbs. Red pepper paste
• 1 tbs. Beef tallow or butter
• 1 tsp. Salt1/2 tsp. Black pepper

Yogurt sauce /taratoor

• 3 heaping tbs. Yogurt
• 1 tbs. Tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 tbs. Fresh lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• Parsley, chopped

Red pepper sauce

• 4 tbs. Salted butter
• 2 tbs. Red pepper paste
• 1-2 tsp. Aleppo pepper
• 2 small eggplant, 2 Anaheim peppers
• Thin pita bread or lavash

Instructions

1. In a food processor add red pepper, jalapeño, garlic, onion and process until fine. Strain completely from any liquid by pressing with a spatula. Add the mixture to the ground beef along with 2 tablespoons of red pepper paste, salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of beef tallow or butter. Mix well by hand for three minutes.
2. Spread the kebab mixture on a parchment lined tray (I used the oven tray) make sure it’s even thickness! Using a dough cutter or a knife score the meat into kebab length wise and then across to resemble kebab on a skewer. On the other half of the tray add the vegetables you intend to roast I used 2 small eggplants and Anaheim peppers you can also roast tomatoes and onions. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Preheat oven to 425 F. Place the tray in the oven and bake on the second shelf from bottom for 20-23 minutes.
4. In the meantime make the yogurt/ taratoor sauce. Make the red pepper basting sauce by cooking the ingredients until the butter is melted while whisking on low for 3 minutes.
5. Once the meat is cooked baste with the pepper sauce then cut along the scores, make a wrap by brushing the pita with the red sauce add the kebab, roasted vegetables, onion sumac salad, the white sauce and enjoy. You can also serve the kebab next to rice.

Notes

• I added tallow because my meat was not fatty enough, you can skip that step if you have fatty meat.