As much as I love eating meat, until the COVID era, I rarely cooked meat at home. When I did, it was usually the kind that sits in the slow cooker or pressure cooker–the dump-and-press-a-button method. Occasionally, I would be inspired to make oven cooked meatballs. And, in case you were wondering, no grilled meat because we actually don’t own a grill. The 5×8 back patio right next to the kitchen through a sliding door was probably designed for the favorite American way to cook food but somehow, I was never inspired to add that to my repertoire. Since we hardly ever have guests at home for dinner, there never was an occasion to roast a big hunk of meat in the oven.
That all changed with a shoulder of lamb shawarma.
One lazy afternoon, I was flipping through the local food news and read that Kanella Grill had a $100 lamb shoulder special, a take-home-and-cook deal, that sounded pretty amazing. On one of my runs, I stopped by the restaurant to check out what that entailed. I was reading the details fairly closely when a man walked out of the door with a cigarette in hand. Even behind the mask, it was unmistakable that it was Chef Konstantinos Pitsillides byt the piercing blue eyes made famous by Giles Coren’s “Million Dollar Review”. We exchanged brief greetings and he said to call at least 24 hours in advance because the spices needed to be marinated for at least that long. I took note and found a day in the next week to call in the order. I received a simple text to pick up the lamb the next day in the early afternoon.
Chef Pitsillides opened the door and motioned me to come in. He gave me a quick tour of the kitchen, empty of people but spic and span and readied for the evening take out business. I must confess, it was a fangirl moment for me. The Chef probably does not remember, but when my in laws were visiting one time, we went to his larger (now closed) restaurant for an amazingly memorable dinner. After the Dude’s family left Lebanon, they finally settled in the Greek side of Cyprus and that is where he grew up until coming the the United States for university. Having spent his youth and most summers beaching and hanging out with friends, he considers Cyprus his hometown in many ways. The food that was served were reminders of his childhood and, for his parents, nostalgia for a place where they lived for over twenty years. When the Chef came by to check on us, there was much chatter about places and experiences, none of which I knew about but could relate to since it is the same warmth that glows every time I talk about Ghana with people from a similar time. With the dessert, he brought out his private stash of Lebanese arak to share. My in laws still talk about that dinner.
The Chef emerged from the basement with a large plastic bin wrapped in plastic in his arms. It was the ENTIRE shoulder of lamb pierced with two deadly looking skewers. I could smell the spices and marinade through my double mask. He pointed to a handwritten note taped to the top with the list of ingredients and brief instructions. He asked how how my oven temperature went up to and said 375F was probably the right temperature. He reminded me to make sure to rest the shoulder for a good 2 hours before slicing into it. But, he said, I could trim the edges while I waited to make sandwiches, which is what he does. He also handed me a small container of house blended ras el hanout and a tub of labne as an accompaniment. I promised to return the two skewers and the plastic container and walked home with an 8lb lamb shoulder in my arms.
Once at home, I preheated the oven to 375F as instructed. I surmised that the drippings would be too good to waste so I cut up some potatoes and spread it evenly at the base of the pan. I let the oven run empty for about half and hour after reaching the desired temperature then slid in the baking pan.
I won’t lie: waiting was torture. The entire house was filled with the savory aroma of cuminy spices intermingled with the fresh game of lamb. I could almost hear the gentle sizzle of the potatoes browning in the lamb fat. I wondered if it would be wise to open the windows in January and how far the scent will travel and what the chances are of having unexpected dinner guests who ended up at my doorstep by following their noses. The windows remained closed.
I resisted the temptation to snip off bits on the ends while the lamb shoulder rested, even if it was a chef-approve pro tip. It was dangerous territory that could end up being a pound of meat being tasted before dinner. Accompanied by a quick saute of greens (red cabbage, white cabbage, arugula), pan roasted potatoes, labne, and a decanted bottle of xinomavro, the lamb shone. We may have skipped dessert for the sake of decency. We had lamb for three more dinners (It freezes well. Defrost in the refrigerator and pan sear in high heat for 30 seconds each side.).
Recently, I passed by Kanella Grill and the deal was no longer posted on the window. As the weather breaks, restaurant workers and guests get vaccinated, and indoor dining becomes safer, I hope that the boards on the windows are discarded and the blue and white decorated gem of a restaurant returns to the hustle and bustle and sizzle of 2019.
I don’t know if Chef Pitsillides will ever bring back the cook-at-home lamb shawarma special. Meal kits as a concept was an unexpectedly bright spot in the take out dining scene during the pandemic. A part of me wishes that it will remain an option even when restaurants return to traditional operations. I know I will definitely be in line to score another shoulder of lamb.
What will Dr. Gwak say? 