Tailgating Time: WesBurger Shawarma Tots

Lamb Tots
Wes Rowe•

Chef Wes Rowe is the acclaimed burger cowboy behind the popular San Francisco Wes Burger pop-up and a master of fries, rings and especially tots. Gearing up for a tailgate? These shawarma-topped tater tots should do the trick. 

I'm definitely a tot guy. I like them better than fries because they're delicious and more versatile to cook with — there is no reason to mess with the original store-bought version. They're near perfect and so easy to work with. Also tots don't get soggy as fast as fries so I can have a lot of fun with the toppings. I love the ratio of crunchy exterior to soft interior. At WesBurger I like to play with tots as a vehicle for an array of inventive toppings. I think it really takes the idea of a poutine or "totchos" to the next level. This dish combines my love of shawarma and my love of tots — making this recipe is the best of both worlds.

The key to this dish, outside of the tots, is the shawarma. Start by making your shawarma spice rub. Keep some of this on hand and use it to spice up any protein you're cooking with in a pinch.

Tailgating Time: WesBurger Shawarma Tots
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Prep Time
40
minutes
Cook Time
2.5
hours
Servings
1
Lamb Tots
Total time: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Ingredients
  • 4 pounds boneless leg of lamb
  • 1 1/4 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 1/4 tablespoons coriander
  • 1 1/4 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 3/4 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • salt
  • 1 chopped cucumber
  • 1 chopped tomato
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup coriander
  • 1 cup roughly chopped parsley
  • 3 roughly chopped de-seeded jalapeños
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 crushed garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • feta
  • tahini
  • parsley
Directions
  1. :::lamb:::
  2. Combine spices.
  3. Butterfly the leg of lamb and generously coat with spice rub. Grill over mesquite charcoal, turning frequently, till thickest part reads 140 degrees. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving into thin slices.
  4. :::cucumber tomato salad:::
  5. Combine ingredients.
  6. :::zhoug:::
  7. Combine ingredients.
  8. :::tots:::
  9. Now that all the toppings are ready, you can either fry or bake your tater tots — I prefer to fry, but to each their own. Once your tots are done, pile them high and top them with the lamb, salad and zhoug you've prepared. For the finishing touches, add feta, tahini and parsley.
 
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