Kokoretsi

Kokoreç or Kokoretsi is a dish of the Balkans, Greece, Azerbaijan, Iranian Azerbaijan and Turkey consisting of lamb or goat intestines wrapped around seasoned offal, including sweetbreads, hearts, lungs, or kidneys, and typically grilled; a variant consists of chopped innards cooked on a griddle. The intestines of suckling lambs are preferred.

Etymology

The Greek name 'kokoretsi' (κοκορέτσι), the Aromanian name 'kukuretšu' and the Turkish name 'kokoreç' ultimately come from the Albanian kukurec. It also known as Jaghoor Baghoor in Persian and Cizi Bizi in Azerbaijani.

Preparation

The offal, along with some fat, is washed and cut into 1/2" to 3/4" thick pieces, and lightly seasoned with lemon, olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, and sometimes garlic. The intestine are turned inside out and carefully washed, then rubbed with salt and often soaked in vinegar or lemon juice and water.

The filling meats are threaded onto a long skewer and wrapped with the intestine to hold them together, forming a compact roll usually about 16"-24" long by 1 1/2" to 3" in diameter.