Me'orav Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Mixed Grill)
Jerusalem's market mixed grill: chicken hearts, livers, spleen and lamb chunks hit hot on a flat-top with onion, baharat and turmeric. Stuffed into pita.
Overview
A mix of chicken livers, hearts, spleen (if you can get it) and small chunks of lamb shoulder, all hit hot on a flat griddle with sliced onion that cooks down sweet. Spice blend: baharat, turmeric, paprika, cumin, black pepper. Olive oil generously. Cooked fast in batches so nothing steams. Stuffed into pita with hummus, pickles, tahina and amba.
Ingredients
- 400 g chicken livers (cleaned, trimmed of sinews)
- 200 g chicken hearts (halved, fat trimmed)
- 200 g lamb shoulder (cut into 2 cm chunks)
- 200 g chicken thigh (cut into 2 cm chunks)
- 2 onions (large, sliced thin)
- 6 tablespoons olive oil (split)
- 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 2 tablespoons Baharat
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
To serve
- 4 pita breads (large, warmed)
- Hummus
- Tahina sauce
- Sliced pickles
- Amba (mango pickle)
- Salata (chopped salad)
Method
Stage 1 - Prep
- Pat all the proteins very dry. The drier they are, the better the sear.
Stage 2 - Onions
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-high.
- Add the sliced onion; cook 12 minutes until deep gold.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt; push to one side.
Stage 3 - First batch (lamb + chicken thigh)
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to the cleared half of the pan.
- Add the lamb and chicken thigh chunks; sear hard 4 minutes, turning, until well-browned.
- Mix into the onion side; sprinkle in half the spices; cook 1 minute.
Stage 4 - Second batch (offal)
- Push everything to the side. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
- Add hearts; sear 3 minutes (they stay slightly pink inside).
- Add livers; sear 2 minutes (still slightly pink at the centre - they go grainy if overcooked).
- Add garlic and remaining spices; toss everything together.
Stage 5 - Finish
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper; scatter parsley.
- Off heat.
Stage 6 - Serve
- Stuff into pita with hummus, pickles, tahina, amba, salata.
- Or plate over rice.
Notes
- Livers slightly pink: Overcooked liver turns chalky-grainy. Sear hard outside, just-pink inside.
- Offal sourcing: Chicken livers and hearts are at any butcher. Spleen is harder; skip if unavailable.
- Stand back when frying offal: It spits. A spatter screen helps.
Storage
- Eat fresh. Refrigerate 2 days; reheat in a hot pan.
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