Adapted from Musa Dağdeviren, as presented at the 2008 World of Flavors Conference.

Serves 6 to 8

For the liver:

    • 1 lamb's liver, whole
    • 1 ounce beef tallow
    • 3 ounces lamb fat (from the tail)
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Maras chile pepper
    • 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 ½ teaspoon dried mint
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • salt to taste
    • skewers as needed

For the Onion Salad (Sogan piyazi):

    • 1 bunch parsley
    • 7 scallions
    • 1 red Anaheim pepper
    • salt to taste
    • 3 teaspoons sumac
    • lavash, or pita bread, for serving
    • cumin, for sprinkling

Clean the liver. Remove the membrane. Cut the meat, tallow, and lamb fat into quarter-inch cubes.

Skewer two pieces of liver followed by one piece of fat on metal or bamboo skewers—soaked in water, if you use bamboo—making longer or shorter kebabs, as you like them.

Mix the Maras chile pepper, cumin, dried mint, and black pepper.

Heat a charcoal or gas grill to maximum heat.

Place the liver kebabs on the grill and while grilling, sprinkle often with the spice mixture, turning often. Be careful not to overcook.

To make the onion salad, finely chop the parsley, scallions, and red pepper. Mix with the salt and sumac. Refrigerate for one to two hours.

To serve, un-skewer the pieces of liver on warm lavash or pita bread and sprinkle with cumin. Add the sogan piyazi, and roll the bread around the liver and salad.

To read Aglaia's article about the Turkish chef Musa Dağdeviren, click here.