Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Sujuk

(Sucuklu Menemen)

7-8 slices of sujuk with the skin removed
2 eggs
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in bite size
1 medium sized tomato, diced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt
Pepper

Fry the sujuk slices in the pan at low heat - don't dry them! Then turn each slice over quickly with a fork. Remove and place them in a plate.

Saute the cubanelle peppers with olive oil at medium-high heat in the same pan. Then add the tomatoes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for another 7-8 minutes stirring occasionally at medium heat.

Beat the eggs in a bowl, and pour into the pan. Then add the fried sujuks. Keep stirring periodically until the eggs are done. Make sure you don't overcook, otherwise it will be dry. Serve with bread as breakfast or lunch.

2 servings.

Brussels Sprout in Olive Oil

(Zeytinyagli Bruksel Lahanası)

300 g Brussels sprout, stem side cut off, remove few outer leaves
~1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (half for cooking, half for after cooking)
7-8 pearl onion, cut in half
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp crushed tomato, canned
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in bite size
1 tomato, peeled, diced
10 small-size mushrooms, cut in half
1/3 cup water
1 tsp basil
1 pinch sugar
Salt
Pepper

Bring the water with salt to boil in a medium-size cooking pot at medium heat. Then add in the Brussels sprout, stir. Boil for about 2 minutes, drain.

Saute the onion with 2 tbsp olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic. When the smell of garlic comes out, add the rest of the ingredients and Brussels sprout, stir. Cook for 15-20 minutes at medium heat. If it necessary you can add a little bit more hot water.

Let it cool down in the pot. Then, place on a serving dish. Pour the rest of the olive oil. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Hoshmerim

(Hoşmerim/Peynir Helvası - Ottoman Kitchen - Balıkesir)

500 gr ricotta cheese
2 egg yolk
1 tbsp flour, all purpose
2 tbsp semolina - I used Turkish semolina
2/3 cup sugar - first add 1/2 cup sugar, if you want more you can go up to a total of 2/3 cup of sugar
1 tbsp Thick Turkish Cream or English Devon Cream or very thick cream or %40 Double Cream-(President's Choice-Loblaws in Toronto)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the egg yolks with ricotta cheese and place the mixture in a large pan. Cook at low heat until its juice is evaporated for about an hour. Stir occasionally.

Add the flour, semolina, sugar, vanilla extract, cream into the cheese. Cook until the sugar dissolves while stirring occasionally with low-medium heat. Turn the heat off. Cover it with the lid. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. Then, place in separate small bowls. Serve Hoşmerim while still warm.

4 servings.

Stuffed Zucchini with Bulgur

(Bulgurlu Kabak Dolmasi)

5 small-sized zucchini, washed
150 ml hot water
1 tbsp crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tomato slices

Filling:
150g medium ground beef
2 tbsp Turkish bulgur, large grain,washed and drained
2 green onions, chopped
50 ml water
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Pepper

Sauce:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
1 tsp mint
1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Wash the zucchini and cut off a thin slice of the bottom of each one, so that they can stand up straight. Cut off the tops (as in the picture) and carve out the insides.

Mix all the filling ingredients with a teaspoon and stuff the zucchini. Leave some room at the top. While filling the zucchini, don't push the filling in, instead tap the zucchini vertically on the counter. Then cover the zucchinis with the tomato slices. Place them in a small cooking pot.

Mix the hot water, crushed tomato and olive oil and pour into the pot from the side. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes at medium heat.

To prepare the sauce; heat up the olive oil in a small pan. Add the garlic, mint and lemon juice, stir. Slowly pour the sauce all over the Stuffed Zucchinis. Close and turn the heat off in 2 minutes.

Place the cooked zucchini on a serving dish. Pour some of the sauce from the pot on top of them. Serve it with lemon wedges.

Don't throw away the zucchini tops and insides. Grate or cut them into small pieces and make Zucchini Pate :)

Ricotta Cheese with Green Peppers

(Biberli Lor)

1 sweet or hot long green pepper or Cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup salted Ricotta Cheese (made from Yogurt)

Soften the peppers with olive oil for 2-3 minutes, do not overcook! Turn the heat off, stir in the ricotta cheese.

Serve Peppered Ricotta Cheese as a breakfast with freshly baked Turkish bread, Turkish black olives and tomato slices.

Shakshuka

(Saksuka)

1 medium-sized eggplant, peeled, diced
1 large potato, peeled, diced
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in bite size
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1 + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves , mashed with salt
3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, diced

Garnish:
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Soak the eggplants in a salty water for 20 minutes. Squeeze and dry with the paper towel. Pour 1/2 cup of sunflower oil into the pan, fry potato, green pepper and eggplants. Put them on a paper towel to soak extra oil.

Meantime, suttee the mashed garlic with 1 tbsp olive oil at medium heat until the smell of garlic comes out. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes at medium heat. Add the fried vegetables, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Place Shakshuka on a serving platter. Drizzle the remaining olive oil (2 tbsp) and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

*You may also serve this dish with Garlic Togurt Sauce by the side.

Iskender Kebab with Meatballs

(Kofteli Iskender Kebap / Pideli Kofte - Bursa)

Inegol Kofte made from 500 gr medium ground veal

4 pieces of Asian Nan Pita bread or plain pide
or:
6 slice of Turkish or French bread, cut in bite size cubes

Garnish:
1 cup tomato paste, heated up with a few tbs of water
(or use canned crushed tomatoes)
2 tbsp butter
Turkish yogurt, plain, room temperature

First, fry the meatballs in a Teflon pan without oil. Then, place them over the pita or bread bread pieces. Pour the tomato sauce on top and place a few spoons of yogurt on the side. Lastly, melt the butter in a small pan. When it starts bubbling, pour over the tomato sauce.

Serve Iskender Kebab while still hot with roasted and peeled Cubanelle peppers on the side.

4 servings.