Kokoretsi (Κοκορέτσι)

Another usual suspect that's present at the Greek Easter table is Kokoretsi. It's a rotisserie dish made up of the organ meat from the lamb and bound by the intestines and on occasion, caul fat.

One of the reasons why I love Greek Easter is that our cuisine shines it all it's food dynamism. Greek Easter is a full-day affair...the lamb on the spit takes all day and as we all wait for it to be enjoyed, we nibble on an array of dips, dance on the fuel of Ouzo, wine and Greek spirit and sample the grilled array of meats throughout the day.

One such meat is Kokoretsi. For those that read my blog often, you'll recall that liver and I don't groove that well. As recently as a month ago, I once again tempted the memory of my taste buds with a taste of lover & onions...BLECH! But, "why does Peter like Kokoretsi" when it's full of organ meat?

For those that, like me...don't do liver or organ meat...I have a tough sales pitch but you have to believe me on this, call it the X-Factor - Kokoretsi tastes great!

Kokoretsi

2 lamb's hearts
2 lamb's spleens
1 lamb lung
intestines of 2 lambs
lamb's testicles (optional)
1 lb. of sweet breads
caul fat (optional)

Marinade
1 small Onion, grated
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 Bay leaves or 1 Tbsp. of ground bay
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

1. It's important to wash, rinse and clean the intestines as soon as possible after purchasing. Invert the intestines and soak in a bowl with water and lemon juice for a couple of hours. Repeat 2-3 times more.
   
2. Rinse sweetbreads, place in a pan and cover with water. Add juice of 1/2 lemon. Bring to the boil, then drain.
   
3. Rinse the remaining organ meat and cut all the pieces into equal-sized pieces. Reserve.
4. In a large bowl, add the marinade ingredients and taste-test and recify seasoning.
   
5. Add the prepared meats to the marinade and mix to incorporate. Cover and leave in refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours. Put the intestines and caul fat in cold water and leave to soak during this time.
   
6. Drain the marinade and pat dry your meats. Season with salt and pepper and thread meats alternately on your spit/skewer.
   
7. Drain the intestines and wind them up and down and around your skewered meats and then wrap the caul fat to cover the entirety of the Kokoretsi.
8. Secure the Kokoretsi by wrapping butcher's twine around the skewered meats. Give a final touch of salt and pepper and prepare your rotisserie or BBQ pit.
9. Grill slowly over medium-hot coals and, if using a rotisserie with a BBQ, place a pan with water to prevent burning or fat flare-ups. Slow roast on your rotisserie for approx. 2 hours or until the outside is crisp and brown and firm to the touch.
10. Carefully slide the meat off the rotisserie and slice into 1 inch pieces. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice, sprinkle some dried oregano and serve as an appetizer/meze.
    

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