Author Notes
In 1970 I spent Thanksgiving in Beirut, Lebanon. At that time it was called the "Paris of the Middle-East" and that was a reasonable assertion. There were shops, movie houses, theaters, and even pool halls. The people were cheerful, optimistic, cosmopolitan, and friendly. I was a college student at the time visiting with fellow students and we wandered the streets having a marvelous time and stopping, every now and then, to purchase a schawarma from a street vendor. These marvelously savory lamb sandwiches were absolutely addictive and we must have consumed five or six of these apiece in the four days we were there. —Kevin
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Ingredients
- Sandwich
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1 cup
plain whole-milk yogurt
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4 tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
-
4 tablespoons
olive oil - divided
-
2
cloves garlic - minced
-
2 teaspoons
ground sumac
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1 teaspoon
salt
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1/2 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
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1/2 teaspoon
ground nutmeg
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1/2 teaspoon
ground black pepper
-
2 - 3
lamb leg steaks - 1 - 1.5 pounds
-
4
rounds flat bread
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thinly-sliced tomato
-
lettuce
- Sauce
-
1 cup
plain whole-milk yogurt
-
2 tablespoons
tahini
-
1
clove crushed garlic
-
1 tablespoon
fresh lemon juice
-
1/2 teaspoon
ground sumac
-
1/2 teaspoon
salt
-
1/2 teaspoon
ground black pepper
Directions
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In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup yogurt, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons sumac, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper.
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Pour yogurt marinade into a gallon zippered bag, add lamb steaks, and refrigerate for 8 - 24 hours.
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Heat oven to 225 degrees.
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Remove steaks from bag, discarding marinade, and wipe dry (more or less) with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, lidded sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brown steaks on both sides in pan (about 3 minutes per side).
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Pour off excess oil, cover sauté pan, and cook in the oven for 1 hour. In the meantime, combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
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Remove steaks from pan and slice thinly across the grain. Spoon sauce down the center of a loaf of flat bread or pita. Add tomato and a leaf or two of lettuce. Add lamb, roll up, and enjoy.
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And save those juices in the sauté pan and sop bread in them for an amazing treat.
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