Tomato Soup with Orzo

(Domatesli Arpa Sehriye Corbasi)

2 large tomatoes, grated (cut a piece of skin at the bottom of the tomato and start to grate from there)
3 tbsp crushed tomatoes, canned
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup orzo
2 cups chicken broth
Salt
Pepper
~
2 tbsp heavy cream

Garnish:
Parsley, chopped
Mozzarella cheese, grated

Saute the grated tomato, crushed tomatoes with butter at low-medium heat for about 4-5 minutes in a medium sized pot. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook until the orzo in tender at medium-low heat. If necessary, add a little more chicken broth. Add the cream,stir. Simmer for one more minute, turn the heat off.

Immediately pour into individual bowls. Garnish with parsley and Mozzarella cheese and serve.

*Before serve always check the taste, soup may need salt and pepper:)

2 servings.

Grilled Meatball with Fried Eggs

(Yumurtali Izgara Kofte)

Meatball (kofte) ingredients:
500 g ground beef, regular
1 large slice of Turkish bread without the crust (1 cm thick), soak the bread into milk, then squeeze the milk out
1 tbsp bread crumbs
1 small onion, grated
1 egg
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp red pepper, powdered
1 tsp salt
Pepper

For each kofte, one or two slices of Turkish pastrami (pastirma), lightly fry both sides in the pan with a little bit butter
For each kofte, three or four rings of white onion, floured, fried in a little bit olive oil
For each kofte, 1 egg, fried in butter, seasoned with salt and pepper

Knead all the kofte ingredients for about 5 minutes. Give them a large cylinder shape. Press them on the top with your fingers.

Set the oven to grill. Arrange the meatballs on a wire. When the one side is cooked, flip and cook the other side of the meatballs.

Cut the corner of Turkish bread in half. Place the grilled kofte on it. Place the fried egg on kofte. Arrange the pastirma and fried onions over the top. Cover them with the other half of bread, squeeze to pop the egg and bite. Afiyet olsun!

Okra in Olive Oil

(Zeytinyagli Bamya)

375 g small size okra, frozen or in a jar, gently rinsed and drained
50 ml extra virgin olive oil (half for cooking, half for after cooking)
1 or 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup diced tomato, canned or 1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup hot water
Salt

Place all the ingredients except 25 ml olive oil in a medium pot. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes at medium-low heat. Pour the rest of the olive oil all over it.

After the "Okra in Olive Oil" cool down, place them on a serving dish. Keep it in the refrigerator. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

2 servings.

*You can use fresh or frozen okra to cook any okra dishes. Just cooking time takes a little bit longer, like 5 more minutes. You should choose the small ones to cook any okra dishes:)

Spinach with Yogurt and Poached Eggs

(Yumurtali Yogurtlu Ispanak)

1 pkg frozen spinach (300 gr), chopped or fresh baby spinach, chopped
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1-2 garlic cloves, sliced
4 tbsp yogurt, room temperature
Salt
Pepper

2 cups water
2 eggs
1 tbsp vinegar
Salt

Red Pepper Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Saute the onion with olive oil for 4-5 minute at medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic, saute until the smell comes out. Then add the spinach, salt and pepper cook for about another 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, boil the water with salt and vinegar in large size pot. After bubbling, turn down the heat to medium-low. Crack the eggs into the water side by side. Cover and let the eggs cook for 3 minutes.

Place the cooked spinach on a serving dish, arrange yogurt on top of it. Take the eggs out of water with a perforated spoon, place them over yogurt.

Melt the butter in a small skillet and add the red peppers. Pour over the eggs when you see it starts bubbling.

Serve this dish while still hot with bread on the side. It is great to have as a light lunch:)

2 servings.

Chicken-Walnuts on Pastry

(Islama - Tarihi Kastamonu Bandurması - Ottoman Kitchen)

Yufka (Turkish phillo pastry) or thinnest lavash bread (Tortilla), cut in 10 cm long and in 2 cm width
Cooked chicken, skinless, boneless, pulled apart

Chicken broth or stock
Walnuts, ground

Red Pepper Sauce:
1 tsp butter
1/2 tsp red pepper

Soak the yufka or lavash bread strips into the chicken broth. Roll them up and place the pastry close enough to each other so that they don't unroll in a shallow pot.

If you use lavash bread and are not able to roll them up, cut them in medium size squares and place one on the top of the other in a shallow pot. If it is difficult to soak them into the chicken broth, pour it all over them.

Meanwhile, boil the walnuts with some chicken broth for about 2-3 minutes. Spoon out the walnuts-chicken broth mixture all over the pastry. Arrange the chicken pieces over the pastry. Place the shallow pot on stove and cook over low heat until the bottom of the pastry turns to light golden.

Melt the butter in a small pan and add in the peppers. When it starts bubbling, pour over the dish. Serve immediately with Ayran.

Ground Beef on Turkish Bread

(Kiymali Ekmek)

Half of day-old Turkish bread (French, Artisan or Italian bread)

Filling:
~200 gr lean ground beef or lamb
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1-2 garlic clove, sliced
3-5 tbsp crushed tomato, canned
1 tsp red pepper paste
Crushed (flakes) pepper
Salt
Pepper

Saute the onion with olive oil for about 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic, when the smell of garlic comes out add the ground beef, crushed tomato, red pepper paste, crushed pepper, salt and pepper. Cook until all the water evaporates of the ground beef. Occasionally stir and break the ground beef. Split in half the bread. Spread the filling all over the cut side. Arrange the lemon slices on top. Put the breads on the oven tray.

Preheat the oven to 450 F (230 C). Place the tray middle rack. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the edges of bread golden. Squeeze the lemon juice or sprinkle some sumac all over it. Serve while still warm with Ayran and Parsley Salad. If you like slice them up and serve as a finger food at your party:)

2 servings.

Parsley Salad

(Maydanoz Salatasi)

1 bunch parsley, washed, drained, chopped
Red onion, chopped

Dressing:
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
1-2 tbsp pomegranate paste or Grenadine syrup
Crushed (flakes)red pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
Salt
Pepper

Place parsley and red onion in a salad bowl. Whisk all the dressing ingredients. Toss it with the parsley and red onion.

Serve with any kind of kebab or barbecued meat or pide.

Bulgur Pilaf with Turkish Pastrami

(Pastirmali Bulgur Pilavi)

Pilaf Ingredients:
1/2 cup bulgur, large grain, washed and drained -I always use Turkish
Bulgur which taste is better:)
1 cup hot water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil +1 tbsp butter
1 medium size onion, cut in small size
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste
Salt
Pepper

1/4 cup vermicelli noodles
1 tbsp butter
6 slice of Turkish Pastrami

Saute the onion with olive oil and butter until it is softened over medium heat. Add all the pilaf ingredients, stir. Cover and start to cook pilaf over very low heat.

Meanwhile, place vermicelli noodles in a small pan. Saute until the colour of vermicelli noodles turns to light brown over under medium heat. Do not burn them! Put it aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan. Place the Turkish Pastrami in it, cook both sides.

Check the Bulgur Pilaf, when you start seeing holes towards the end add lightly browned vermicelli noodles and Turkish Pastrami in it and stir. Cover and continue cooking until the bulgur is done, ie. when all the liquid has evaporated. Let the Bulgur Pilaf stand for about 4-5 minutes.

Serve the Bulgur Pilaf with Turkish Pastrami with Ayran and Tomato Salad.

Rice Pudding with Dried Figs

(Incirli Sutlac)

Rice Pudding Ingredients:
1/3 cup short grain rice, washed and drained
1 1/2 cup water
3 cups whole milk
1 cup half&half cream (35% whipping cream)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp corn starch, melted in 4 tbsp milk (use from 3 cups milk above)
Pinch of salt

Dried Fig Sauce:
12 Turkish dried figs
12 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp mastic, roll glass on the mastic to make it powdery (or use mortar)
2/3 cup water

Garnish:
Fresh walnuts, coarsely chopped

To cook Rice Pudding; Bring 1 1/2 cup of water to a boil, then add the rice and lower the heat. Simmer for about 25 minutes (until a little bit of water is left) with the lid covered in a medium size pot. Add the cream, milk, vanilla extract, sugar and salt. Heat it up first. Then slowly add the dissolved corn starch. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook at medium heat until you see bubbles on the surface. Turn the heat off after one minute. Immediately pour into individual bowls.

Meanwhile, place the figs in a pot and cover them with water. Boil for about 20 minutes until they are softened at medium heat.

Drain and cut off the stalks. Cut into bite size. Place them in a pot and place the sugar on top. Add the water and mustic, cook for about 25 minutes on low heat. If necessary add a little bit more water. Leave some juice in it at about the same height as the top of the figs.

Place the fig sauce equally over the Rice Puddings. Let it cool down and sprinkle some fresh walnuts over the tops. Keep it in the fridge before serving.

6 servings Dried Fig Rice Pudding.

Kale Soup

(Karalahana Corbasi - Black Sea Region)

1 bunch of kale / collard greens, cut off the stems and discard, then rub the leaves with salt so that they will not be bitter, rinse and drain
washed, cut in julienne
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup kidney beans or Romano beans, canned, rinsed
1/3 cup crushed tomato, in can
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 tsp lemon juice
4 cup hot water
Salt
Pepper
4 tbsp yellow corn meal

Red Pepper Sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp crushed (flakes) pepper

Saute the onion with olive oil until they are softened. Add all the ingredients except yellow corn meal into the pot. Cook until the kale is softened at low-medium heat. Then slowly add the corn meal, stir. Cover and cook 5-6 more minutes until the soup thickened.

Melt the butter in a small pan and add in the paprika and mint. When it starts bubbling, pour over the soup. Serve while still hot with the fresh Turkish bread.

4 servings.

Collard Greens Dible with Fried Eggs

(Karalahana Diblesi - Black Sea Region)

1/2 bunch of collard greens / kale, cut off the stems and discard,
washed, cut in julienne
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup rice, rinsed, drained
1/3 cup warm water
Salt
Pepper

Egg
Butter
Salt
Red pepper, powdered

Place the kale into a large bowl. Sprinkle 3-4 tbsp salt all over and squeeze them with your hand. This way the kale will soften and won't be bitter. Rinse and drain.

Saute the onion with olive oil until they are softened. Place the half of kale to the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle the rice all over it. Cover with the rest of the kale. Add the water. Season with salt and pepper. First bring to boil. Then turn the heat to the low. Cook until the rice is softened over low-medium heat.

Fry the egg with butter in a pan. Place on the Collard Greens Dible. Season with red pepper and salt, have it as a light lunch:)

Fish with Chickpeas

(Balikli Nohut)

~200 gr haddock fillet, cut in medium size
2-3 tbsp flour
1 cup chickpeas, canned, drained, rinsed
2 tomato, peeled, diced
1 tsp red pepper paste
1 medium sized onion, sliced
2-3 tbsp + 2-3 tbsp + 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 tsp cumin
1 Bay leaf
3-4 peppercorns
Salt

First dip the fish pieces in flour. Fry in 2-3 tbsp olive oil, put them aside.

Meanwhile saute the onion with 2-3 tbsp live oil until the colour turns to light brown. Place the fish in an oven proof dish. Then mix the rest of the ingredients and pour all over fish.

Preheat the oven to 400F (200 C) and bake for about 40 minutes. Discard the Bay leaf. Serve the dish while it is still hot or at room temperature.

2 servings.

Pogaca Filled with Eggplant

(Patlıcanlı Poğaça)

Dough Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 tsp wine vinegar
~1 1/2 cup flour, all purpose
1 pinch salt

Filling:
1 large eggplant, roasted, peeled, chopped
2 dried tomato, in oil, chopped
1/4 cup Turkish Kashar or Asiago cheese, grated
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 egg yolk
1 pinch red pepper
Salt
Pepper

Glaze:
1 egg yolk

Place all the main ingredients in a deep plastic bowl. Mix well using your hand. Cover and leave in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Meanwhile prepare the filling. Mix them all. Take a small piece of dough (about the size of a plum), make a little hole in it and then put 1 tbsp of the filling inside. Close it up, giving it a half-moon shape.

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Place the pieces on a baking tray. Then brush each pogaca with egg yolk for glazing. Bake for about 40 minutes.

You can have the Pogaca Filled with Eggplant with Turkish Tea in the morning or afternoon:)

10 Pogaca Filled with Eggplant.

Red Cabbage Salad with Yogurt Sauce

(Yogurtlu Mor Lahana Salatasi)

1/2 head of red cabbage
1 tbsp salt
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1-2 clove garlic mashed with 1/2 tsp salt

Red Pepper Sauce:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Paprika
Cayenne pepper

Remove and throw away the white center of the cabbage. Cut it in thin slices (julienne cut) on a wooden board. Place into a large bowl. Sprinkle 1 tbsp salt all over and squeeze the cabbage pieces with your hand. Put aside for at least half an hour. This way the cabbage will soften and won't be bitter. Rinse and drain.

Saute the red cabbage with olive oil in a large pan for about 3-4 minutes at low-medium heat. Do not over cook! Let it cool down. Then, place in a service plate. Prepare the Garlic Yogurt Sauce, pour all over the cabbage. Heat up olive oil in a small pan and add in the peppers, stir. Don't burn the peppers! Pour over the yogurt sauce.