Kofte Kabob (beef)

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Step 1

Put the beef, garlic, salt, cumin, black pepper, smoked paprika, mint, Aleppo pepper, and oregano in a large mixing bowl. Knead the mixture with your hands until the meat firms up and becomes sticky, about 1 minute. Do not overmix or the kofte will be chewy.

Step 2

(You can also use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle.)

Step 3

• Take 1-ounce portions of the meat and roll them into golf ball-size pieces, then slightly flatten to create thick little hamburger shapes. You should have about 32 meatball disks. Thread the meatballs onto skewers, four to eight per skewer depending on length, and push them close together.

Step 4

• To prepare a grill for kebabs, see page 302. To cook, set the kebabs over the coals, or on your grill grates, and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side.

Step 5

• Transfer the cooked kebabs to a work surface, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with flaky salt and Aleppo pepper, if you like it a little spicy.

Step 6

o Carefully slide the meat off the skewers using a fork, tongs, or the back of a chef's knife, then place on a serving platter. Add the grilled tomatoes (or ezme sauce), Sumac Onions, and pickled peppers. Serve with Toum and Harissa, if you like, along with pita bread, lavash, or lettuce leaves.

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 425°F. o Rub the carrot with ½ teaspoon of the oil, season with salt, and place in a roasting pan. Roast the carrot until completely soft and dark brown, almost black, about 30 minutes. After the carrot has cooked for 15 minutes, toss the peppers with the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt, then add the peppers to the roasting pan to cook for the remaining 15 minutes, or until the peppers are completely soft. o Meanwhile, warm a small frying pan over low heat. Add the cumin, coriander, and caraway and lightly toast the seeds, stirring occasionally, until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Step 8

Grind the seeds to a powder using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle,

Step 9

• Once cool enough to handle, chop the carrot and put it in a mixing bowl.

Step 10

Add the roasted bell peppers, Fresno chilis, lemon juice, and spice mixture, then pass through a food mill fitted with a medium (3mm) disk or a stand mixer fitted with the meat grinder attachment and the fine meat-grinding plate to make a thick, slightly saucy paste. (You can also pulse in a food processor: pulse the carrots until finely minced, then add the remaining ingredients and pulse to make a paste.) Stir to make sure the harissa is well mixed, then season to taste with salt.

Step 11

o Refrigerate in a tightly sealed glass jar for up to 2 weeks.

Step 12

Put the garlic into the bowl of a small (3- to 9-cup) food processor, then add the salt and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Pulse to mix. Then, with the motor running, slowly trickle in 1 cup of the oil. Be patient and take your time, or the sauce will not emulsify. A fluffy, light, white paste should start forming within 1 minute; keep slowly drizzling in the oil over the course of about 4 minutes.

Step 13

• Turn off the motor, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then turn the motor on again and drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, followed by the remaining 1 cup of oil. The whole process will take 7 to 8 minutes.

Step 14

• Scrape into a container and let sit uncovered at room temperature to cool. Keep the sauce refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a month.

Step 15

Put the onions in a mixing bowl, sprinkle with vinegar, sumac, allspice, and parsley and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss well and season with salt.

Step 16

• The onions can be kept covered and refrigerated for 1 week.