Facebook Fan Page

We now have a fan page on Facebook! Check it out here and please make sure to 'like' it :)

Soon we'll be adding 'like' buttons on individual recipe posts too.

Happy New Year!

Dried Fruit Dessert

(Kuru Meyve Tatlısı)

10 prunes, pitted
10 apricots
10 dates, pitted
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup water
Zest< of 1/2 lemonbr />
Garnish:
2 tbsp walnuts halves, lightly toasted

Put all the ingredients in a small pot. Cook until a little bit juice left at medium heat.

Pour the dessert into two individual bowls. Serve Dried Fruit Dessert while still hot with a big dollop of ice cream and garnish with roasted walnuts.

2 servings.

New Year Eve's Menu:
-Tomato Chicken Soup with Vermicelli, Grand Vizier Chicken, Turkish Salad Recipes and Appetizers.

Grand Vizier Chicken

(Sadrazam Tavuğu)

2 pieces chicken breasts + 1 leg, skinless, boneless, cut in cubes
2 tbsp butter
1 small onion, sliced
1 small carrot, peeled, cut in cubes
1 medium size potato, peeled, cut in cubes
1/2 cup sweet pea, frozen
1/2 cup walnuts, crumbled
Salt
Pepper

White Sauce:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
1 cup Turkish Kashar cheese or Asiago or Mozzarella, shredded

Saute the onion with butter for about a minute. Add the chicken pieces, salt and pepper, saute until the colour of chickens turn to white. Add the carrot, saute for about 2-3 minutes. After adding the potato saute for about 2-3 more minutes. Add the sweet peas, pour the hot water at the same level with the vegetables. Cover and cook almost all the water evaporates. Turn the heat off.

Meanwhile, in a small pot, saute the flour with olive oil on medium-low heat for a few minutes. Slowly pour the warm milk in it while stirring constantly. You can use an egg beater. Turn the heat off, then add the egg, lemon juice, salt and pepper, stir.

Mix the chicken-vegetable mixture with the white sauce and arrange them in the medium sized oven proof dish. Sprinkle the walnuts all over them and shredded cheese on top.

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

Makes 4 servings.

Tomato Chicken Soup with Vermicelli

(Domatesli Tel Şehriye Çorbası)

1 tbsp butter
2 medium sized tomatoes, grated
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cups cooked chicken pieces*
1/4 cup vermicelli
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Cook the grated tomato with butter for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, chicken pieces, vermicelli, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-high. When it starts boiling, turn the heat down to low. Cook until the vermicelli is tender. Sprinkle the parsley all over the soup. Serve with lemon wedges while still hot.

2 servings.

*You can use the left over chicken to make the soup.

Mushroom Salad with Onion

(Soganli Mantar Salatasi)

Button mushrooms, brushed
Lemon juice for water
Red or white onion, thinly sliced

Dressing:
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Allspice
Salt
Pepper

Boil the mushrooms in the water with lemon juice for about 5-6 minutes, drain. Slice them up. Place in a service plate, sprinkle onions to top. Whisk all the dressing ingredients and pour all over it. Keep in the refrigerator for half an hour, then serve.

It is very easy to make, simple and delicious:)

Feta Cheese Spread

(Beyaz Peynir Ezmesi)

200g feta cheese
1/4 cup walnuts, crumbled
2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
2 tsp Turkish red pepper paste, mild
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp mint

1 Bay leaf

Put all the ingredients except Bay leaf in a flat plate, mash and mix with the back side of fork. Add the Bay leaf inside of spread. Cover the plate with plastic wrap. Keep it in the fridge over a night. Discard the Bay leaf.

Spread on toasted baton bread or on cracker, serve as an appetizer or breakfast.

Bulgur Salad with Beetroot

(Pancarli Bulgur Salatasi)

1/2 cup Turkish bulgur, large grain
50 ml olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin

First put the bulgur in a large bowl and pour two cups of hot water on it (it should stay like this for 5 minutes). Meanwhile place the onion and olive oil in a medium sized pot. Cook until the onions turn light brown. Add the salt, tomato paste, lemon juice and cumin.

Then wash and drain the bulgur, and mix it into the pot with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 10 minutes at medium-low heat. Afterwards, cover and set aside for it to cool down.

When it's cool down, add in the following:

1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup dill, chopped
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
3-4 green onion, sliced
8-9 pickled whole baby beets, sliced, or by the fresh ones, boil until soft, drain, peel and slice

Toss and Serve the dish at room temperature or chilled as an appetizer.

Fish Kofte

(Balik Koftesi)

Kofte Ingredients:
200 gr sole or any kind of white meat fish you like
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, grated
3 tbsp bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 lemon's zest
2 tbsp currants, (soak into the hot water for 10 minutes)
2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly roasted
1 egg
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt
Pepper

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup sunflower oil

Place the fish, onion and carrot in a sauce pan. Cover with the water and cook for about 10 minutes, drain well. Mix all the Kofte ingredients in a bowl with the spoon that makes 7-8 koftes. Leave it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. First soak into the beaten egg, then roll them with the bread crumbs.

Heat the oil in a pan at medium heat. Place all the patties in it. Fry both sides until golden colour. Place on a plate with a paper towel to soak up extra oil. Arrange them on a service plate with the lemon edges. Serve while still warm as a hot appetizer.

7-8 Fish Patties.

Avocado Dip

(Avokado Ezmesi)

1 ripe avocado, mashed
3 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp small pickled cucumbers (cornichons), cut in small cubes
1 pinch crushed pepper (optional)
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
1 tbsp red onion, chopped

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with a spoon. Place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle the red onion all over the top. Serve with toasted Pide or Turkish bread slices or crackers.

Avocado Production in Turkey (from EKOLOJİK YAŞAM PORTALI -Avokado Yetiştirmek)

Avocado in our country to promote commercial farming, in the early 1970s the FAO , through California 'Fuerte', 'Hass', 'Bacon' and 'Zutano' are brought in 4 major commercial varieties. These varieties of Antalya, Dalaman-Mugla, Alata-Mersin, Adana and Iskenderun-Hatay ecological conditions have been trying.

Conditions of Antalya and Alanya, 'Fuerte', 'Hass', 'Bacon' and 'Zutano' cultivars and varieties to adapt to the region-specific characters were shown. These varieties for commercial cultivation in some areas of Turkey's Mediterranean coastal zone, and then found a suitable began to spread. Avocado production in our country has increased rapidly since the mid-1980s.

Avocado production in 2005 of Turkey's total production of 400 tons and has a total area of 100 hectares. About 60% of the total avocado production in the country-65 is produced in the province of Antalya. About 60% of this production is obtained from 70 districts of Alanya and Gazipasa. Also, in Antalya province, the average yield per tree, avocado production is about 40 kg. Avocado production in Mersin, Antalya and then produced a significant amount of avocado. Avocado production in 2005 156 tons of Mersin.

Avocado marketing, selection and production of varieties which have commercial value. Variety selection, adaptation capabilities of the varieties of ecological conditions, efficiency and productivity, sustainability is emerging as the most important elements.