Kokoretsi
Encyclopedia
Kokoretsi or kokoreç is a dish of the Balkans
and Anatolia
consisting mainly of lamb
or goat
intestines, often wrapping seasoned offal
, including sweetbreads, heart
s, lungs and/or kidneys. The intestines of suckling lambs are preferred.
kukurec, whence also Aromanian
kukuretšu and Turkish kokoreç.
, olive oil
, oregano
, salt
, and pepper
. The intestine is cleaned especially thoroughly. The filling meats are threaded onto a long skewer
and wrapped with the intestine to hold them together.
over a charcoal, gas, or electrical burner.
A quite different preparation mixes the chopped innards with chopped tomatoes and green peppers, and then cooks them on a large griddle
with hot red pepper and oregano added. The cook constantly mixes and chops the mixture using two spatula
s. When done, the dish is kept warm aside on the griddle until someone orders a serving.
, and served on a plate.
Sometimes it is served on a piece of flatbread
. Some add tomato
es or spices in it.
It may also (especially in Turkey) be served in a flat-bread
or baguette sandwich, plain or garnished.
In Turkey, common side dishes are pickled peppers or cucumbers.
, though it is available year-round.
Many Greek taverna
s serve kokoretsi. Due to the mad cow disease outbreak in the late 90's, banning the consumption of the animals' offal was considered. However, the idea was abandoned.
Gardouba (γαρδούμπα) or gardoubakia (γαρδουμπάκια) is a variant of kokoretsi, but roasted in a pan in an oven, instead of over an open fire.
Kokorec was made by nomadic Turks (Yörüks) from Central Asia to Anatolia.
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
consisting mainly of lamb
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
or goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
intestines, often wrapping seasoned offal
Offal
Offal , also called, especially in the United States, variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most internal organs other than...
, including sweetbreads, heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
s, lungs and/or kidneys. The intestines of suckling lambs are preferred.
Etymology
The word 'kokoretsi' (κοκορέτσι) comes from the AlbanianAlbanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
kukurec, whence also Aromanian
Aromanian language
Aromanian , also known as Macedo-Romanian, Arumanian or Vlach is an Eastern Romance language spoken in Southeastern Europe...
kukuretšu and Turkish kokoreç.
Preparation
The ingredients are sliced and seasoned with lemonLemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
, olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, oregano
Oregano
Oregano – scientifically named Origanum vulgare by Carolus Linnaeus – is a common species of Origanum, a genus of the mint family . It is native to warm-temperate western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region.Oregano is a perennial herb, growing from 20–80 cm tall,...
, salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
, and pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
. The intestine is cleaned especially thoroughly. The filling meats are threaded onto a long skewer
Skewer
A skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold pieces of food together. They are used while grilling or roasting meats, and in other culinary applications....
and wrapped with the intestine to hold them together.
Cooking
Kokoretsi is usually roasted on a horizontal skewerRotisserie
Rotisserie is a style of roasting where meat is skewered on a spit - a long solid rod used to hold food while it is being cooked over a fire in a fireplace or over a campfire, or roasted in an oven. This method is generally used for cooking large joints of meat or entire animals, such as pigs,...
over a charcoal, gas, or electrical burner.
A quite different preparation mixes the chopped innards with chopped tomatoes and green peppers, and then cooks them on a large griddle
Griddle
A griddle is a cooking device consisting of a broad flat surface that can be heated using a variety of means, and is used in both residential and commercial applications for a variety of cooking operations. Most commonly, the griddle consists of a flat metal plate, but in the non-industrialized...
with hot red pepper and oregano added. The cook constantly mixes and chops the mixture using two spatula
Spatula
The term spatula is used to refer to various small implements with a broad, flat, flexible blade used to mix, spread and lift materials including foods, drugs, plaster and paints...
s. When done, the dish is kept warm aside on the griddle until someone orders a serving.
Serving
The cooked kokoretsi is chopped, sprinked with oreganoOregano
Oregano – scientifically named Origanum vulgare by Carolus Linnaeus – is a common species of Origanum, a genus of the mint family . It is native to warm-temperate western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region.Oregano is a perennial herb, growing from 20–80 cm tall,...
, and served on a plate.
Sometimes it is served on a piece of flatbread
Pita
Pita or pitta is a round pocket bread widely consumed in many Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Balkan cuisines. It is prevalent in Greece, the Balkans the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula and Turkey. The "pocket" in pita bread is created by steam, which puffs up the dough...
. Some add tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
es or spices in it.
It may also (especially in Turkey) be served in a flat-bread
Pita
Pita or pitta is a round pocket bread widely consumed in many Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Balkan cuisines. It is prevalent in Greece, the Balkans the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula and Turkey. The "pocket" in pita bread is created by steam, which puffs up the dough...
or baguette sandwich, plain or garnished.
In Turkey, common side dishes are pickled peppers or cucumbers.
Greece
Among Greeks, it is traditionally consumed at EasterEaster
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
, though it is available year-round.
Many Greek taverna
Taverna
Taverna refers to a small restaurant serving Greek cuisine, not to be confused with "tavern". The Greek word is ταβέρνα and is originally derived from the Latin word taberna...
s serve kokoretsi. Due to the mad cow disease outbreak in the late 90's, banning the consumption of the animals' offal was considered. However, the idea was abandoned.
Gardouba (γαρδούμπα) or gardoubakia (γαρδουμπάκια) is a variant of kokoretsi, but roasted in a pan in an oven, instead of over an open fire.
Turkey
Kokorec in Turkey is widely appreciated.Kokorec was made by nomadic Turks (Yörüks) from Central Asia to Anatolia.