Gerdan-ı Sultan (Roasted Lamb Neck)

How is Gerdan-ı Sultan described on the menu?

Gerdan-ı Sultan is a lamb dish in the Main Courses (Ana Yemekler) section of the Cratus Premium Restaurant menu. The menu describes it as: oven-roasted lamb neck; with çimuçiri sauce (red onion, isot pepper, lemon zest); orzo risotto (arpa şehriye); with salt, black pepper, butter, Parmesan, kaşar cheese and parsley.

There are three main elements on the plate: oven-roasted lamb neck, çimuçiri sauce and orzo risotto. The menu does not state a cooking time, a portion weight or a heat level; this page only covers what the menu says and explains what the terms mean.

What is gerdan?

Gerdan is meat from the neck of beef or lamb. According to the Yemek.com dictionary it is a bony and fairly fibrous cut; lamb gerdan is fattier and more tender than beef gerdan.

The same dictionary says gerdan is used in dishes such as tas kebab and in boiled preparations. On the Cratus menu, the gerdan in this dish is listed as “fırınlanmış”, oven-roasted. Source: Yemek.com Sözlük, entry “Gerdan” (yemek.com/sozluk/gerdan).

What is çimuçiri sauce?

The sauce written “çimuçiri” on the menu is the Turkish spelling of chimichurri, which comes from Argentina; Turkish sources also write it “çimi çuri”. Chimichurri is an uncooked herb sauce and comes in two kinds, green and red.

According to Wikipedia, the classic recipe contains finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, chili peppers and red wine vinegar or lemon juice; salt, black pepper and onion may be added. It is mostly served alongside grilled meat. The Cratus menu lists only three ingredients for this sauce: red onion, isot pepper and lemon zest.

Sources: Wikipedia, “Chimichurri”; Lezzet.com.tr, “Chimichurri nedir?”; Yasemin.com, “Chimichurri (Çimi çuri) sos nedir ve nasıl yapılır?”.

What is orzo (arpa şehriye) risotto?

Risotto is an Italian rice dish from northern regions such as Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto. According to Wikipedia, in the classic method rice is first cooked in onion and butter, hot broth is added gradually while stirring, and off the heat butter and grated Parmesan are beaten in to make the texture creamy.

Arpa şehriye is a small oval, flat pasta shaped like a grain of barley; in English it is called “orzo” or “risoni” (Gıda Terimleri Sözlüğü). According to Wikipedia’s Orzo entry, orzo can be boiled and lightly fried to make a dish similar to risotto.

The menu says “arpa şehriye risotto”; as the name indicates, a risotto-style side made with orzo. The menu also lists butter, Parmesan and kaşar cheese; it gives no further information on how the kitchen prepares it. Sources: Wikipedia, “Risotto” and “Orzo”; Ahmet Çadırcı Gıda Terimleri Sözlüğü, “Arpa şehriye”.

Ingredients on the plate and allergen information

The list below follows the menu description. The menu gives no allergen information for this dish. The allergen group that follows directly from the ingredients is milk products: butter, Parmesan and kaşar cheese.

Arpa şehriye is a flour-based pasta, so it can be expected to contain wheat or gluten, but the menu does not state this and we cannot confirm it. If you have a food allergy or intolerance, please tell our team before ordering.

At Cratus Premium Restaurant

Gerdan-ı Sultan is on the menu of Cratus Premium Restaurant, on the top floor of Cratus Stone Palace in Göreme. Address: Avcılar Mahallesi Belediye Arkası No:11, Göreme / Nevşehir, Türkiye. To book a table, use the “Book a table” button on this page, Google Reserve or our WhatsApp line.

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