Turkish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Kelle Söğüş

Izmir specialty of tender boiled lamb, thinly sliced with tomato, onion, cumin and lemon.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 800 g lamb shoulder (bone-in)
• 1 onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Rinse the lamb shoulder in cold water, cover generously with water, bring to a boil once, and carefully skim off the grey foam until the broth stays clear.
2. Add the halved onion, bay leaves and peppercorns and cook the meat at a bare simmer for 2 hrs. until it falls off the bone with a fork.
3. Let the meat cool to lukewarm in the broth, then remove it from the bone, trim off any sinew and slice as thinly and widely as possible with a sharp knife.
4. Thinly slice the tomatoes, cut the red onion into fine half-rings and knead briefly with the salt until softened.
5. Fan the meat out on a flat platter and scatter the tomato, onion and roughly chopped parsley over it.
6. Dust generously with cumin, drizzle with olive oil and the juice of the lemon, and serve lukewarm with flatbread.