Kafkas Soup

(Kafkas Corbasi)

1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp pearl barley
1 small beetroot, peeled, cut in matchsticks
2 cups beef broth
1/4 celery root (small size), peeled, cut in matchsticks, soak into water with lemon juice
4-5 baby carrots, cut in matchsticks
2-3 cabbage leaves, julienne cut
1 cup milk, warm
Salt
Pepper

2 hard boiled eggs, cut in small pieces

Saute the onion with salt in a medium sized pot. Add the barley, beetroot and beef broth. After it starts to boil, cook for about 15 more minutes at medium-low heat with the lid closed. The barley and beetroot should start to soften. Add the celery, carrots, cabbage, and cook for another 15 minutes until the barley is done on low heat. Add the warm milk, salt and pepper. Heat the soup up while stirring.

Pour into bowls and spoon the egg pieces into the soup.

2-3 servings.

Meal Ideas:
- Lamb with Garlic in the Oven, Turkish Rice Pilaf, Rose Sherbet, Turkish Ramadan Pide, Hummus and Turkish Baklava.

Happy Ramadan!

Peach Jam

(Seftali Receli)

750 g hard peaches, peeled, seeds discarded, cut in medium sized chunks
750 g (3 1/3 cup) sugar
2 cups water
1/2 lemon rind
Juice of one lemon

Place the peaches, sugar and water in a large cooking pot. Cover the lid and leave overnight. The following morning cook until the sugar dissolves at medium heat. Take the peaches out with a perforated spoon and place on a plate. Lower the heat to under medium heat and cook for about 25-30 minutes until the syrup becomes heavy. Add the peaches, lemon rind and lemon juice, stir. Cook for about 7-8 more minutes.

Take the pot from the heat, remove the lemon rind and discard. Pour Peach Jam into a clean, dry and warm jar while still hot, then close the lid. Store in a dark and cool place.

Fruit Juice with Yogurt

(Yogurtlu Meyve Suyu)

2 peaches, peeled, pitted, cut in chunks
2 black plums, peeled, pitted, cut in chunks
10 cherries, pitted
1/2 or 1 small banana, peeled, sliced
4 tbsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Turkish plain yogurt – (you can use your favorite flavored yogurt)
1 cup milk

Puree all the fruit with honey and lemon juice in the food processor. Add yogurt and milk and turn on the processor for 40-45 seconds. Pour it into the glass with ice cubes and serve. It is very refreshing and a great way to start the day..

2-3 servings.

Turkish Purslane Dish

(Semizotu Yemegi)

250 g Purslane, washed and drained or 100 gr rosettes
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 handful rice, washed, drained
1 large tomato, peeled, cut in small pieces
1-2 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp crushed tomatoes, canned
Salt
Pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice - if you cook rosettes you should add it!

Cover and cook the olive oil, green onion, rice, tomato, crushed tomato, salt and pepper in a medium sized pot until the rice is almost done at medium heat. Add the purslane, cover and cook for 5 more minutes over medium heat. Turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Place the dish on a serving dish, put one dollop of plain Turkish Yogurt on top and serve.

2 servings.

* Purslane is one of my favorite vegetables and not well known in Canada. The plant has thick, small, round shaped moist leaves. The stems are especially juicy and delicious. It grows like a weed everywhere. I used to have them in my backyard, but they were smaller than they should be. Unfortunately I moved to a condo a couple years ago so I am not able to pick them up from my backyard anymore:( Recently my friend told me that she found something that looks like Purslane at a Loblaws in Toronto. It was very easy to find it on the shelf with the name of Rosettes:) They smell like roses when you chew it:D

I used Rosettes instead of Purslane to cook this dish and make salads with it. Rosettes doesn't have a sour taste like Purslane does. That's why I added 1 tbsp lemon juice while I cook Purslane Dish to give the right taste.

Eggs with Feta Cheese

(Beyaz Peynirli Yumurta)

1 egg
1 tsp butter
1/2 cup feta cheese* (white cheese), crumbled
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Garnish:
1 pinch oregano
1 pinch crushed pepper
Salt
Pepper

Melt the butter in a small skillet. Place the feta cheese and parsley mixture in it. Make a hole at the center and break the egg in it. Cook on medium-low heat with the lid. Check the egg often, don't overcook the yolk.

Sprinkle oregano, crushed pepper, salt and pepper over it. Serve for breakfast with fresh Turkish bread. If you like, you can also have it as a light lunch; serve with Mixed Green Salad with Yogurt Dressing on the side.

* Always keep Feta Cheese in a container with spring water to absorb the salt.

Mixed Green Salad with Yogurt Dressing

(Yogurtlu Karisik Yesil Salata)

Half a head of romaine, washed, drained, cut in bite sizes
1 small bunch arugula, washed, drained, chopped
1 small cucumber, washed, discard the seeds, grated
2-3 basil leaves, chopped
2-3 fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup walnut halves, lightly toasted
Salt
Pepper

Yogurt dressing:
1/2 cup plain Turkish yogurt
1-2 garlic cloves, smashed with salt
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt
Pepper

Place all the salad ingredients in a salad bowl. Whisk all the dressing ingredients in a separate small bowl. Taste and if necessary add more salt or pepper. Just before serving the salad, spread yogurt dressing all over the greens. Sprinkle some crushed red pepper on top. This is a great Turkish salad for hot Summer days:)

2 servings.

Meal Ideas:
- Tomatoes-Feta Cheese Casserole, Chicken Shish Kebab and Saffron Pudding.