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Boulfaf
Boulfaf: first-day-of-Eid lamb's liver skewers wrapped in caul fat and grilled over coals
On the first day of Eid al-Adha, while the rest of the sheep hangs to rest, Moroccan families light the brazier on the roof or in the courtyard and make boulfaf from the fresh liver. The liver is seared whole, cut into cubes, rolled in cumin, paprika and salt, wrapped in lacy caul fat and grilled until the fat crisps and melts into it. Each bite is rich, smoky and soft, and the skewers go round with mint tea. Liver from your butcher works just as well on any day, and caul fat can be ordered. Chef's tip: wrap each cube snugly, not in a loose sheet; tight wrapping melts into a thin crisp shell instead of flaring up.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Light a charcoal grill and wait until the coals are glowing and covered in white ash, or heat a griddle pan over a high heat.
15 minStep 2: Grill 1 ⅓ lb lamb's liver whole for 2 minutes a side, until firm outside; this firms it so it cuts neatly into cubes.
4 minStep 3: Cut the liver into 2.5 cm cubes. Toss with 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp sweet paprika, ¼ tsp hot paprika and 1 tsp salt.
Step 4: Drain 9 oz lamb caul fat, spread it on a board and cut into 10 cm squares. Wrap each cube in a square of fat and thread 5 or 6 onto each skewer.
Step 5: Grill for 8–10 minutes, turning often, until the fat has melted to a crisp brown lace and the liver is cooked through with no pink in the centre (160°F). The common mistake is serving liver underdone: cut one open to check.
10 minStep 6: Serve hot with extra cumin and salt to dip.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does boulfaf take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground cumin?
- Cumin seeds, toasted and ground.
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
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