Arad Nir is best known for his role as the foreign news editor at Channel 12. But, outside of work, Nir has a deep passion for food, particularly Turkish cuisine. In his book “The Greatest Restaurant in the World,” he shares his experiences of Istanbul, weaving together the city’s stories, culture, and vibrant flavors.
He shares: “In the restaurants on both sides of the Bosphorus, I was swept into a new, exciting, and surprising world, yet it felt fundamentally familiar. This connection stemmed largely from my Romanian-Haifa roots, which held kebabs (mititei), fried fish, ikra, roasted eggplant with plenty of oil and pieces of onion, eggplant slices fried in tomato paste rich with garlic, among other dishes, in high regard. At one event I attended as part of my journalistic work in central Turkey, a simple yet delicious lamb dish was served that reminded me of [what] my Romanian grandmother [called] braten. Our braten was a roast beef dish, cooked slowly with salt, pepper, and heaps of onion.”
“As children, we didn’t particularly like the braten in Haifa. But that Turkish dish, ‘wedding kebab,’ which I later found in one of the Turkish cookbooks I collected, became a cherished staple in our family. It has remained beloved by both the children of that time, now grown and parents themselves, and by today’s children and grandparents alike.”
The dish is known as “wedding kebab,” because it’s easy to prepare for large events, Nir explains, and while kebabs are often thought of as something on a skewer, in Turkish, kebap is a much broader term. This recipe is traditionally served with rice. He prepared it for the “House Pot,” a lunch series at Cafe Asif.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
⅓ cup clarified butter
1 kg (2.2 lbs) boneless lamb shoulder, cut into medium cubes
Bones from the shoulder (ask your butcher for these)
5 large onions, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1½ cups water
To serve:
½ bunch parsley, chopped
Steamed white rice
Preparation
- t the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the bones on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and roast until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Heat the olive oil and clarified butter in a frying or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the meat and sear on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the meat and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to mix and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the meat, roasted bones, and water, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the meat is tender, 2-3 hours.
- Serve in deep plates with steamed white rice and a sprinkle of chopped parsley on top.
