Asparagus with Eggs

(Kuskonmaz Kavurmasi)

Half bunch of asparagus, clean (break and discard bottom stems), cut in 3-4 pieces
1 small onion, finely diced
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
2 tbsp Asiago Cheese (old Turkish kashar), grated
Paprika

Saute the onion with olive oil for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat in small skillet. Add the asparagus, salt and pepper, cook at medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes.

Don't make the hole for the eggs between the asparagus. Break the eggs over the asparagus. Cover and turn the heat to low. Cook until the white part of the eggs are done. Don't overcook the eggs!

Sprinkle the cheese, season with paprika and salt, then serve with freshly baked Turkish bread:)

Zucchini-Walnuts Dip

(Cevizli Kabak - Aegean Region)

2 medium size zucchinis, washed, grated
5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp flour
4 walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup creamy yogurt
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Dill, chopped

Saute the zucchinis with olive oil in a pan for about 5 minutes at medium heat. Add the flour and continue to saute 2-3 more minutes, stir occasionally. Turn the heat off. Let it cool down.

Add the creamy yogurt, garlic, walnuts, salt and pepper, mix. Place on a serving platter. Drizzle some olive oil and garnish with red pepper flakes and dill. Serve with toasted bread slices or crackers.

Purslane with Ground Beef

(Kiymali Semizotu)

250 gr Purslane, washed and drained or 100 gr rosettes
2 tbsp lean ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp rice, washed, drained
1 large tomato, peeled, cut in small pieces
2 tbsp crushed tomatoes, canned
Salt
Pepper
~1 tbsp lemon juice - if you cook rosettes you should add it!

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

Saute the onion with butter for 2-3 minutes over medium heat in medium size pot. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper, cook on medium-low heat until all the water evaporates while stirring.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook until the rice is done at low-medium heat. Turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Place the dish on a serving dish, put a couple of spoons of Garlic Yogurt Sauce over the top.

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 in here. Recently my friend told me that she found something that looks like purslane at a Loblaws or Longos 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.

Shrimp Salad with Roasted Red Pepper

(Kozlenmis Biberli Karides Salatasi)

1 red Bell pepper*
~20 medium sized shrimp, frozen, peeled and de-veined, thawed

Dressing:
1 1/2 tbsp vine vinegar with raspberry
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Cut the roasted red peppers in small squares and place in a service plate. Cut the shrimps in a small size then arrange them on the peppers. Mix and pour all the dressing ingredients all over them. Cover it with plastic wrap, leave in the fridge for about 2-3 hours. Sprinkle some chopped parsley all over the top and serve.

*Roasted Red Pepper:
Cut the pepper in half. Discard the seeds. Set the oven to broil (grill), and heat it up. Place the red pepper halves on an oven tray (inside facing down) and place in the oven. Roast them for about 15 minutes. Leave them in a paper or plastic bag for about 10 minutes to peel off the skin easily. Alternatively, you can barbecue it until softened. Just place the red peppers out side facing down on the barbecue.

Carrot in Olive Oil

(Zeytinyagli Havuc / Havuc Pilaki)

3 medium size carrots, peeled, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1-2 garlic cloves, sliced
50 ml extra virgin olive oil (half for cooking, half for after cooking)
2-3 tbsp rice, rinsed
1 tsp lemon juice
Juice from half an orange
3/4 cup water
Salt
Pepper

Saute the onion with olive oil in a medium size pot. Add the garlic. When smell of garlic comes out, add the carrot, salt and pepper. Saute for about 1-2 more minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients into the pot. Cover and cook until the rice is tehnder at low-medium heat.

First let the dish cool down. Then, place the Carrot in Olive Oil on a serving dish. Pour the remaining half of the olive oil over and sprinkle some chopped parsley all over the top. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Lamb Pilaf with Chickpeas-Raisin and Almonds

(Divriği Pilavi - Sivas)

~250 g lamb, cut in cubes
1 cup hot water (for lamb)
1 small onion, chopped

3/4 cup long-grain rice, rinsed
1 1/2 cup hot water or chicken stock (for pilaf)
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup chickpeas, canned, rinsed
1/4 cup Sultana or Golden raisins, stems cut off
1/4 cup almonds, blanched, slivered
1/2 tsp all spice
1 tsp salt
Pepper

Cook the lamb cubes with their own juice. Then add 1 cup hot water and onion. Cook at medium-low heat until the lamb pieces are tender and all the water evaporates. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and turn the heat to low and cook until the rice absorbs all the water.

Take the cooking pot away from the heat. Open the lid, place a clean kitchen towel across the top of the pot on the rim and put the lid on back. Let the Pilaf stand for about 5-6 minutes. We call this brewing time.

Serve the Divrigi Pilavi with Ayran by the side:)

Eggs on Tandoori Bread

(Yumurta Borani)

Tandoori Bread
Yogurt, plain on with garlic, at room temperature
Egg, boiled
Paprika
Salt
Pepper

Cut the Tandoori Bread in a bite size. Pour the plain yogurt over the top. Place the sliced ​​eggs. Season with red pepper, salt and pepper and serve.

Tandoori Bread

(Tandir Ekmegi)

7 gr instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 + 1/2 cup warm water
~2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp yogurt, plain

In a small bowl, mix the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. Stir well so the yeast dissolves. Let it rest 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, sift flour and salt. Add the bubbly yeast mixture, 1/2 cup warm water, olive oil and yogurt. Mix and put the dough on the lightly floured counter and knead well for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth (no more crumbles). Then spread some olive oil inside a clean bowl. Place the dough in it and spread another tsp of olive oil with your hands all over the dough. Then cover it with a clean, damp towel. Put aside for about 1 hour at room temperature until the dough rises to double its size.

Place the dough on the lightly floured counter. Press all over it with your hands to get rid of air bubbles. Cut the dough in small orange sized pieces with a knife. Knead and give a ball shape to each, cover with a damp towel and put aside for about 10 minutes. Then use your palm or rolling pin to flatten each ball into a flatter rounded shape.

Bring the medium size Teflon pan to medium heat. Cook one side of it until there are some brown spots on it. Then turn it over and brush this side with butter
(picture). Place the Tandoori Bread on the clean towel to cool it down a bit. Serve while still warm.

Baba Ganoush

(Baba Ganuş)

1 large eggplant
2-3 garlic cloves, do not peel!
4 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 tbsp yogurt, plain
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt

Red Pepper Sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Set the oven to broil (grill) and heat it up or use the barbecue. Make holes in the eggplant with a fork so that it will roast better. Place the eggplants and garlic on an oven tray and place in the oven. Roast the eggplant for about 20 minutes. Turn them over occasionally during roasting. Take the garlic out of oven when it is softened.

Peel off the skin from the eggplant (discard hard seeds if there is) and garlic. Cut in small pieces on the wooden board. Mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

Place in a service plate. Lastly, heat up the oil in a small pan and add the peppers. Then, pour all over the Baba Ganush.

Beef Saute

(Et Sote)

400 gr, beef, cut in cubes
~1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, cut in medium size
1 cubanalle pepper, cut in medium size
2 tsp crushed tomato, canned
2 medium tomato, peeled, diced
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
1 tsp butter
Parsley, chopped

Heat the oil up in a medium pot. Add the beef, start to fry. One minutes later add the onions. Then, continue to cook on high heat until all the water evaporates while stirring. Add the crushed tomato and cubanalle pepper, stir. Place the diced tomato into the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cover on and cook at medium-low heat until the tomato are softened. Then place the one teaspoon butter over the dish, stir.

Sprinkle some parsley over the top. Serve the Beef Saute with pilaf by the side.

2 servings.