Carrot Cake

(Havuclu Kek)

3 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups carrot, bring them to fine pieces by using food processor
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup walnuts, crumbled
2/3 cup Sultana or Golden raisins

You can use any kind of Cake mold (I used one with a hole in the center).

Preheat the oven to 375 F (180 C).

Beat the eggs with sugar until creamy using a mixer for 3-4 minutes. Add the carrot, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves, continue to mix. Toss the flour and baking powder in another bowl and add into the mixture. Mix until the batter is creamy. Slowly add walnuts and raisins, stir using a spoon.

Oil the mold first, then sprinkle 1 tbsp flour in it. Pour the batter into the mold equally using a tablespoon.

Place the mold on the middle rack. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Wait for 15 minutes, then place the cake on the wire rack to cool it down.

Morello Cherry Bread Dessert

(Visneli Ekmek Tatlisi)

2 thick slice of day-old Turkish Bread
1 tbsp butter, unsalted, at room temperature

Syrup:
Use red sour pitted cherries in light syrup:
1 1/3 cup cherry juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cherries
1 tsp lemon juice

Garnish:
Thick Turkish Cream
Blanched, sliced almonds

To prepare the syrup; place the cherry juice and sugar in a medium-size pot. First bring to boil and after 7-8 minutes, add the cherries and lemon juice. Cook for one more minute and turn the heat off.

Cut the bread slices in two to make 4 pieces. Spread the butter all over them. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Toast the pieces of bread until light golden colour. Do not burn them!

Place them on a serving platter and slowly pour the hot syrup and cherries over them. Put aside and let them cool down. Serve with a dollop of thick Turkish Cream and sliced almonds.

4 servings.

Bairam Menu:
-Pistachio Soup, Fried Eggplant&Potato in Sauce, Mixed Green Salad with Yogurt Dressing, Saffron Pilaf and Lamb Saute with Pepper.

Lamb Saute with Pepper

(Biberli Kuzu Kavurma)

150 g lamb, cut in cubes
1 cup hot water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
1/4 cup hot water
1 large tomato, diced
1 tbsp crushed tomato, canned
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in medium size
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in medium size
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 pepper corn
Salt

Cook the the lamb cubes with their own juice. Then add 1 cup hot water and cook on low-heat until the lamb pieces are tender. Add the onion, olive oil and butter, saute for about 2-3 minutes.Then add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are softened on medium heat.

You can serve this dish with Saffron Pilaf.

2 servings.

Saffron Pilaf

(Safranli Pilav)

3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 pinch saffron, soaked in 3 tbsp warm water
1 cup hot chicken stock
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper

Wash the rice several times with warm water and drain. Then cover the rice with hot water and leave out for 15 minutes, drain. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a cooking pot. Saute the onion for about 3-4 minutes. Then add rice and saute for about for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Pour 1 cup of hot chicken stock and soaked saffron with water in it. Season it with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook until the rice absorbs all the water.

Take the cooking pot away from the heat. Remove the lid, place a clean kitchen towel on the rim of the pot covering the top and put the lid back on. Let the Saffron Pilaf stand for about 5 minutes (we call this the brewing time) before serving. Sprinkle some chopped fresh (spring) onion all over it. Serve Saffron Pilaf as a side dish with any kind of chicken or beef.

Makes 2 servings.

Fried Eggplant&Potato in Sauce

(Soslu Patlican Patates Kizartmasi)

1 large eggplant
2 medium size potato, peeled and slice

2 cup water + 1 tbsp salt
1/2 sun flower oil

Tomato Sauce:
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup tomato, diced, canned
2 heaping tbsp of crushed tomato, canned
Salt

Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup yogurt
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt

Peel the eggplant in lengthwise strips. Cut into large chunks. Soak in 2 cups of water with salt for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all the tomato sauce ingredients in a small pot. Cook at medium heat for about 10 minutes. Make sure it doesn't dry out.

Place the sunflower oil in a medium sized skillet. When the oil heats up, fry the potatoes on both sides until golden brown. Place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil. Squeeze the eggplants with your hand and dry them with paper towel. Fry the eggplants on both sides until golden brown. Afterwards, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.

Place the potatoes on a serving dish. Pour half of the tomato sauce over it. Arrange fried eggplants on the. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce. Place the Yogurt Sauce at middle of the plate. Serve the dish at room temperature or chilled as an appetizer.

Pistachio Soup

(Kremali Fistik Corbasi)

3 tbsp butter
4 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup 3.25% milk, warm
2 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup Turkish Antep pistachios, unsalted, ground
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
4 tbsp cream, %35
1/4 cup Antep pistachio (Turkish), unsalted, sliced
1/4 cup almond, blanched, sliced, lightly toasted

Cook the flour with butter for a few minutes in a medium sized pot. Slowly add the warm milk in it, stir constantly. Add the chicken broth, ground pistachio and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to stir until it is consistent, turn the heat off.

Immediately pour into individual bowls. Put 1 tablespoon of cream on top of each bowl. Sprinkle some pistachios and almonds on top.

4 servings.

Meatballs-Vegetables in Tomato Sauce

(Sebzeli Sulu Kofte)

Kofte ingredients:
400 g regular ground beef
1/4 cup short grain rice, washed, drained
1 egg
Salt
Pepper

1/2 cup flour

1 onion, grated
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
4-5 tbsp crushed tomatoes, canned
2 cups water
1 small carrot, peeled, cut in small pieces
1/4 cup sweet pea, frozen
1/2 cup Cauliflower, florets separated
1/2 cup okra, in jar, drained
Salt
Pepper

Place the flour on a large plate. Knead all the kofte ingredients in a bowl. Break off small pieces and give a small ball shape with your palms. Place them in the flour.

Meanwhile, saute the onion with olive oil and butter for about 2 minutes in a medium-size pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, carrot, sweet pea, cauliflower, salt and pepper. Then bring to boil on medium heat. Flour all the little Koftes, gently drop into the pot and move the pot slightly back and forth. Cook for about 20 minutes at a little bit under medium heat. Add the okra 2 minutes before turn the heat off. Serve this dish with a spoon and Turkish Bread on the side:)

4 servings.

Meal Ideas:
-Spinach Soup with Cream , Eggplant with Veggie Filling, Amulet Borek and Revani .

Mushrooms on Clay Tile

(Kiremitte Mantar)

1 cup petite mushrooms
1/2 cubanelle pepper, discard the seed, cut in bite size
1 green onion, cut in small size
1 small tomato, discard the seed, peel and cut in small pieces
Crushed red pepper
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 handful Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Place the mushrooms in an earthenware plate. Arrange the cubanelle peppers, green onions and tomatoes on the mushrooms. Season with crushed pepper, salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil all over them. Sprinkle the shredded cheese all over the tops.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and bake until the colour of the cheese turns golden.

This is a great entree dish for dinner parties:)