Legendary Bursa İskender Kebab with Sizzling Browned Butter & Garlic Yogurt
The pride of Bursa and the crown jewel of Turkish cuisine: tender, thinly shaved seasoned lamb and beef layered over warm toasted pide bread cubes, drenched in a rich spiced tomato sauce, blanketed with foaming sizzled browned sheep's butter, and served with thick garlic yogurt and charred peppers.
Ingredients
Shaved Marinated Kebab Meat
- 500g (1.1 lbs) thinly shaved tender lamb leg or ribeye beef (or frozen spiced doner log sliced paper-thin)
- 1 small onion, grated (juice only)
- 2 tbsp plain yogurt (for tenderizing meat marinade)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp Aleppo pepper, 1 tsp salt and black pepper
Pide Bread Base & Spiced Tomato Sauce
- 2 large Turkish pide flatbreads or thick pita, cut into 1-inch bite-sized toasted cubes
- 2 tbsp butter (for toasting bread cubes)
- 3 tbsp Turkish tomato paste and 1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, grated
- 1.5 cups rich beef broth or water
- 1 tbsp butter and 1/2 tsp sugar, salt and pepper
Foaming Brown Butter & Accompaniments
- 4 tbsp high-quality grass-fed butter (sizzled until fragrant and foaming right at table side)
- 1.5 cups thick Turkish strained yogurt (Süzme yoğurt) mixed with 1 grated garlic clove and pinch of salt
- 4 charred whole Turkish green peppers and grilled tomato halves
- Fresh chopped parsley and sumac for garnish
Instructions
Marinate and Sear the Thin Shaved Meat
Marinate thinly shaved lamb or beef with onion juice, yogurt, olive oil, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper for at least 30 minutes. Heat a large heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear the shaved meat in quick batches for 2 to 3 minutes until deeply caramelized and tender.
Toast the Pide Bread Cubes
Toss the cubed pide bread with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Toast in a 400°F (200°C) oven or in a skillet for 5 minutes until crispy and golden on the outside while soft inside. Arrange evenly on a large warmed serving platter.
Simmer the Velvet Tomato Sauce
In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add tomato paste, pepper paste, grated tomatoes, sugar, salt, and beef broth. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until thick, glossy, and deeply aromatic.
Layer the Kebab Platter
Ladle half of the hot spiced tomato sauce over the toasted bread cubes. Layer the sizzling seared meat generously over the bread. Pour the remaining hot tomato sauce over the meat.
Pour Sizzling Brown Butter & Serve
Place a generous mound of thick garlic yogurt on the side of the platter along with charred green peppers and roasted tomatoes. In a small copper pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat until foaming, bubbling, and slightly browned. Pour the sizzling butter tableside directly over the meat and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
* Based on a 2,000 calorie diet.