Jodie’s Jamaican-spiced Turkish Mixed Grill
This dish was born from my love of Turkish mangal-style mixed grills but with a fusion of my Jamaican heritage coming through in the individual flavours of each meat element. The mixed grill sharing platter features jerk chicken shish kebab, lamb adana with green seasoning, lemon pepper chicken wings and honey jerk lamb cutlets, alongside grilled Turkish peppers, Caribbean-style buttery and flaky roti flatbread, a traditional side of Caribbean-seasoned coleslaw and a zingy Turkish pickled red cabbage.
Ingredients
250g lamb mince
6 French-trimmed lamb cutlets
500g boneless and skinless, chicken thigh fillets
10 chicken wing flats
2-3 sivri biber, Turkish hot green peppers
2-3 kapya biber, Turkish paprika peppers or sweet romano peppers as a substitute
4 tbsp jerk marinade (homemade or can be bought)
4 tbsp green seasoning (homemade or can be bought)
2 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning (homemade or can be bought)
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lime
juice of ½ an orange
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (additional for garnish)
1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste or tomato paste
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp dried mint
1 tsp olive oil
Method
1. First, marinate the different meats for the mixed grill:
a. For the honey jerk lamb cutlets, place the lamb cutlets in a large bowl or container with the honey, dried mint, 2 tablespoons of jerk marinade and 1 tablespoon of the green seasoning. Mix well to coat, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
b. For the jerk chicken shish kebabs, place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or container with 1 tablespoon of the green seasoning and 2 tablespoons of the jerk seasoning. Mix well to coat, then, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
c. For the lemon pepper chicken wings, place the chicken wings in a bowl or container and cover with the lemon, lime and orange juices (make sure the wings are completely covered). Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
d. For the lamb adana, place the lamb mince, flat-leaf parsley and Turkish red pepper paste in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the green seasoning. Mix well until the mince starts to become tacky and sticky. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Drain three quarters of the fruit juices from the chicken wings, then add 2 tablespoons of the lemon pepper seasoning and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Mix well to coat, then place back intothe fridge until needed.
3. Once the meat has marinated, prepare the skewers for grilling. Shape the marinated lamb mince onto a flat skewer using one hand to hold the skewer and one wet hand to mold the meat to the skewer, ensuring the meat is evenly distributed to avoid it falling off the skewer.
4. Double skewer the marinated lamb cutlets onto thin metal or wooden skewers (soak them first if using wooden ones) and set aside.
5. Put the chicken thighs and wings onto two flat metal skewers and chill in the fridge until needed.
6. Set up a barbecue for direct grilling on one side and indirect grilling on the other – you want the heat to be around 280–300°C (or a moderately high flame). Bring all the elements out of the fridge ready for cooking and serving.
7. Place both of the chicken skewers onto the direct heat of the grill to seal the meat, turning every 1–2 minutes until you have achieved a good char.
8. Once they are a good colour, move the chicken over to the indirect heat to cook the chicken through.
9. Add all of the Turkish peppers to the indirect heat at this stage to begin roasting.
10. Next, add the lamb adana skewer to the direct side of the grill and cook until the meat has sealed, turning every 30 seconds to prevent it sticking.
11. Once it has sealed, turn it every 1–2 minutes until you’ve achieved a good colour and set aside on the indirect heat with the chicken.
12. Lastly, add the lamb cutlets to the direct heat, cook for 3–4 minutes each side, or until the visible lamb fat is cooked to your preference.
13. Ensure all the meat is fully cooked – you can check this by using a thermometer probe. The chicken should read at 75°C internal temperature, lamb mince should reach 74°C and lamb cutlets 56°C for medium rare, 60°C for medium rare and 70°C for well done.
14. If the peppers are not roasted to your preference, move them onto direct heat for 1–2 minutes to finish before arranging on a large sharing platter along with all meats (skewers removed). Garnish with flat-leaf parsley and enjoy!
More Recipes Ideas
Method
1. First, marinate the different meats for the mixed grill:
a. For the honey jerk lamb cutlets, place the lamb cutlets in a large bowl or container with the honey, dried mint, 2 tablespoons of jerk marinade and 1 tablespoon of the green seasoning. Mix well to coat, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
b. For the jerk chicken shish kebabs, place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or container with 1 tablespoon of the green seasoning and 2 tablespoons of the jerk seasoning. Mix well to coat, then, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
c. For the lemon pepper chicken wings, place the chicken wings in a bowl or container and cover with the lemon, lime and orange juices (make sure the wings are completely covered). Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
d. For the lamb adana, place the lamb mince, flat-leaf parsley and Turkish red pepper paste in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the green seasoning. Mix well until the mince starts to become tacky and sticky. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Drain three quarters of the fruit juices from the chicken wings, then add 2 tablespoons of the lemon pepper seasoning and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Mix well to coat, then place back intothe fridge until needed.
3. Once the meat has marinated, prepare the skewers for grilling. Shape the marinated lamb mince onto a flat skewer using one hand to hold the skewer and one wet hand to mold the meat to the skewer, ensuring the meat is evenly distributed to avoid it falling off the skewer.
4. Double skewer the marinated lamb cutlets onto thin metal or wooden skewers (soak them first if using wooden ones) and set aside.
5. Put the chicken thighs and wings onto two flat metal skewers and chill in the fridge until needed.
6. Set up a barbecue for direct grilling on one side and indirect grilling on the other – you want the heat to be around 280–300°C (or a moderately high flame). Bring all the elements out of the fridge ready for cooking and serving.
7. Place both of the chicken skewers onto the direct heat of the grill to seal the meat, turning every 1–2 minutes until you have achieved a good char.
8. Once they are a good colour, move the chicken over to the indirect heat to cook the chicken through.
9. Add all of the Turkish peppers to the indirect heat at this stage to begin roasting.
10. Next, add the lamb adana skewer to the direct side of the grill and cook until the meat has sealed, turning every 30 seconds to prevent it sticking.
11. Once it has sealed, turn it every 1–2 minutes until you’ve achieved a good colour and set aside on the indirect heat with the chicken.
12. Lastly, add the lamb cutlets to the direct heat, cook for 3–4 minutes each side, or until the visible lamb fat is cooked to your preference.
13. Ensure all the meat is fully cooked – you can check this by using a thermometer probe. The chicken should read at 75°C internal temperature, lamb mince should reach 74°C and lamb cutlets 56°C for medium rare, 60°C for medium rare and 70°C for well done.
14. If the peppers are not roasted to your preference, move them onto direct heat for 1–2 minutes to finish before arranging on a large sharing platter along with all meats (skewers removed). Garnish with flat-leaf parsley and enjoy!
