Lamb Head and Trotter Soup (Kelle Paça Çorbası)
Kelle paça çorbası Say it: kel-LEH pah-CHAH chor-bah-SUH
Kelle paça çorbası is a robust Turkish soup made by long-simmering lamb head and trotters until the broth turns rich and lightly gelatinous. It is a beloved winter warmer and breakfast/hangover food in Turkey, often served in busy soup shops. The meat is picked from the bones, returned to the strained broth, and the bowl is finished at the table with garlic vinegar, lemon, and a dusting of red pepper. It tastes deep, savory, and clean, with a silky body from the trotters.
Lamb Head and Trotter Soup (Kelle Paça Çorbası)
Kelle paça çorbası
Pronounced kel-LEH pah-CHAH chor-bah-SUH
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 3 hr 30 min
- Total
- 3 hr 55 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Main soup
Serving
Method
Rinse the lamb head and trotters very well under cold running water, scraping away any dark spots. Put them in a large pot, cover with cold water (about 3 quarts / 2.8 L), bring to a boil over high heat, and boil for 5 minutes; drain, then rinse the pot and the meat.
Return the head and trotters to the clean pot with 3 quarts (2.8 L) fresh cold water, the onion, carrot, bay leaf, black peppercorns, and 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim off the foam, then partly cover and simmer very gently for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the meat pulls easily from the bone and the trotters are soft and gelatinous; add hot water if the level drops below the ingredients.
Lift out the head and trotters and strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot; discard the onion, carrot, bay leaf, and peppercorns. When cool enough to handle, pick the meat and soft skin from the bones, cut them into bite-size pieces, and return them to the strained broth, discarding bones and hard cartilage.
Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer and taste, adding salt as needed; keep hot.
Mix the garlic, vinegar, and lemon juice in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes so the garlic mellows.
Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat, add the pul biber, and swirl for about 30 seconds, until fragrant and glossy; do not let it scorch.
Divide the meat and hot broth among bowls, spoon over garlic vinegar to taste, drizzle with the red pepper butter, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Regional variant: Terbiyeli kelle paça çorbası
For the egg-lemon version, whisk 1 egg yolk with 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp flour in a bowl. Temper it by slowly whisking in a ladle of hot broth, then stir the mixture back into the soup off the heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling. The broth becomes slightly thicker and tangier; adjust lemon and salt before serving.
Cook's notes
- Ask the butcher to split the head and trotters and to remove any hair; this is the most important preparation step and saves a lot of time.
- Keep the soup at a bare simmer rather than a hard boil, so the broth stays clearer and the meat becomes tender without falling apart.
- The cooled soup will set because of the trotters; reheat gently with a splash of water, stirring until fluid again.
Serve with
Crusty bread or simit, lemon wedges, and a small bowl of extra garlic vinegar.
Make ahead and storage
Cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days; the broth will set. Reheat gently with a splash of water, or freeze for up to 2 months.
