In the week before Shrove Tuesday, in a little town called Bazas, southeast of Bordeaux, you might stumble across a rather bizarre bovine occasion, when cows bearing flowers and ribbons on their heads are paraded down the main street. But these aren’t just any old cows; they are the prized cult local breed Bazadais, known for the rich marbled fat running through the meat. The beef parade, which has been celebrated annually since 1283, culminates in a brilliant banquet with the Bazadais beef as the centerpiece. Inspired by this shared feast, my dish is a help-yourself affair; perfect for a get-together with friends.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Flatbread Dough
For the Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup (250 g) plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of sugar
For the Koftas
- 10½ oz(300 g) lean beef, minced
- 2½ oz (75 g) veal liver, finely minced or chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
- Small handful of finely chopped flat‑leaf parsley
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Espelette pepper or mild chile flakes
- 1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
- Generous pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
- 1 head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and finely chopped, for serving
How to Make It
- Dust a work surface with a little flour. Divide the flatbread dough into eight pieces and roll out each one into a round about ¼ inch thick.
- Place a nonstick frying pan over very high heat. Cook the flatbreads one at a time (unless you can comfortably fit two in your pan). Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until bubbles appear and the dough starts to color, then flip over and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. Keep the flatbreads warm in a tea towel while you cook the others. To make the Yogurt Sauce
- Mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and sugar. Set aside until needed. To make the Koftas
- In a large bowl, mix the beef, liver, breadcrumbs, parsley, shallot, garlic, Espelette pepper, lemon zest, and salt. Divide into eight pieces and squeeze onto the skewers. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the skewers for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally until evenly cooked though.
- To serve, cut open a flatbread, fill with a kofta and some crunchy lettuce, and drizzle with the yogurt sauce.