Roasted Red Peppers with Anchovies

(Ançüezli Közlenmiş Biber)

Red Bell peppers
Canned anchovies
Parsley, finely chopped

Dressing:
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice

Place the roasted peppers in a serving dish. Arrange the Anchovies on them. Garnish with chopped parsley, drizzle some olive oil and lemon juice, serve.

Roasted Red Pepper:
Cut off the tops of the red peppers. Discard the seeds. Cut each pepper in half. Set the oven to broil (grill), and heat it up. Place the red peppers 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.

Spinach Pasta with Walnuts

(Ispanaklı-Cevizli Makarna)

2 servings of fusilli
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp red pepper paste

Half pkg (150 g) frozen chopped spinach (squeeze it with your hands to get rid of excess water)
1 small-size onion, sliced
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper, powder
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
2-3 tbsp walnuts, crumbled
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Boil the pasta with salt water following the instructions on the package, drain. Toss the pasta with olive oil, yogurt, tomato and red pepper pastes.

Meanwhile, saute the onion with olive oil, salt and pepper for 3-4 minutes at medium heat in a large skillet. Stir the garlic until fragrant for about 30 seconds. Then, add the spinach and red pepper. Cook for 2-3 more minutes, turn the heat off.

Add the pasta and stir. Sprinkle some walnuts and feta cheese over the top. Serve immediately.

2 servings.

Bulgur Pilaf with Vermicelli and Eggs

(Yumurtalı Şehriyeli Bulgur Pilavı - Barak Türkmen - Nizip - Gaziantep)

3/4 cup bulgur, large grain, washed and drained -I always use Turkish Bulgur which taste is better:)
1 1/4 cup hot water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small-size onion, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste, medium
Salt
Pepper

1/4 cup vermicelli noodles

1 tbsp butter
2 eggs

Saute the vermicelli noodles in a small pan until their colour turns to beige at medium-low heat. Do not burn them!

Saute the onion with olive oil until it is softened at medium heat. Then, add the remaining ingredients, stir. Turn the heat down to low. Cover and start to cook at low heat.

Check the Bulgur Pilaf, when you start seeing holes towards the end, sprinkle the lightly browned vermicelli noodles all over it and stir. Close and finish to cook until all the water evaporates. Let the Pilaf stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan. Crack the eggs and stir frequently with a spatula, until they form curds. Toss the scrambled eggs with the Bulgur Pilav. Serve it with Ayran.

2 servings.

Tarhana Soup with Long Beans

(Taze Börülceli Tarhana Çorbası - Aegean Region)

2-3 tablespoonful tarhana dough (for 2 servings)
4-5 long beans (Chinese beans), trimmed, cut in bite size
1 medium-sized tomato, peeled, diced
1 clove of garlic, mashed with salt
1/2 tsp red pepper paste, hot
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Soak the 2 servings of tarhana in water. Boil the long beans but keep the boiling water.

Meanwhile, stir the olive oil with garlic until fragrant for about 30 seconds at medium heat. Then, add the tomato, red pepper paste and salt, stir. Cook until the tomato is softened. Add the diluted tarhana and the water of the reserved long beans, stir. Put the beans into the pot. Cook and stir constantly at medium-low heat. Adjust the consistency of the soup to your liking by adding more water. Taste for salt. Serve while still warm.

2 servings.

Pan Sauteed Chicken and Mushrooms

(Tavuklu Mengen Kavurmasi - Bolu - Black Sea Region)

2 chicken breasts (~300 g), skinless, boneless, cut in cubes
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup warm water
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut in medium size
1-2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red Bell pepper, cut in bite size
10-12 medium-size mushrooms, cleaned, cut in bite size
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Oregano
Red pepper flakes

Melt the butter in a medium size pan, add the chicken cubes and saute for about 2-3 minutes while stirring. Add 1/4 cup warm water and cook until all the water evaporates. Then add the onion and saute for about 2 minutes. Stir the garlic until fragrant for about 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients, cook until the vegetables are tender. Turn the heat off. Sprinkle some oregano and crushed red pepper all over.

Serve the Pan Sauteed Chicken and Mushrooms with French fries or mashed potatoes.

2 servings.

French Fries
4 medium size white potatoes, peeled, sliced (as you like)
Liquid oil

Fill medium-size plastic bowl halfway with water and add 1 tbsp salt. Soak the potato slices in it for about 20 minutes. Heat up the liquid oil in a frying pan. Drain the potatoes but don't rinse them. Dry with a paper towel. When the oil heats up, fry the potatoes until golden brown. Afterwards, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil. Serve while still warm.

Mashed Potatoes
2 medium sized yellow potatoes
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt (optional)
1-2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup milk
Salt
Pepper
1 tsp dill, chopped

Cover the potatoes with enough water to cook in a pot until they are softened. Drain, add the rest of the ingredients. Mash them all together. When it turns into a puree, serve while still warm.

2 servings.

Pear Marmalade

(Armut Marmeladı)

1250 g unripe pears, peeled, cores removed, grated
Rind of half lemon
One small piece of peeled ginger
800 g sugar
1 1/4 or 1 1/3 cups water
Juice of 1 1/2 lemon

Bring the water to boil, add sugar, the rind of lemon and ginger. Boil for about 10 minutes at medium heat. Add the grated pear. Cook for 25 minutes at medium-low heat. Add the lemon juice into the marmalade a few minutes before you turn off the heat and stir.

Wait until it cools down a little bit, then place it into a clean jar and close the lid tightly. Store in a dark and cool place.

Spread some goat cheese on a slice of freshly baked Turkish Bread. Then, place some Pear Marmalade and sprinkle a few sliced almonds over the top. The Pear Marmalade is delicious with creamy yogurt and with thin crackers as well. You can have it for breakfast or supper with Turkish Tea:)

*Test the jam by dabbing a little on one of the cold plate. Wait for a few seconds, then push the jam with your fingertip. If it wrinkles, it is done:) If not, cook for 2-3 more minutes.

Savory Dill and Nigella Cookies

(Dereotlu Tuzlu Kurabiye)

~190 g (125 ml + 62 ml = 12 tbsp = 3/4 cup) butter, unsalted, room temperature
1/4 cup liquid oil
5 tbsp sugar
1 egg white
2 cups flour, all purpose
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 or 3 tbsp Nigella seeds
1 handful dill, finely chopped

for glaze:
Egg yolk

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

Mix the butter, liquid oil, sugar and egg white in a large bowl with your hand.

In another small bowl mix the flour with salt, baking powder, Nigella seeds and dill. Then, gradually add in liquid mixture, mix with your hand. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for an hour. Break in medium-size pieces from the dough and shape in strips. Cut it diagonal. Repeat the same for the remaining dough.

Line them on an oven tray with parchment paper. Use a kitchen brush to coat them with egg yolk. Then bake for app 25-30 minutes or until the tops take a light pink colour.

Sweet Butternut Squash Dip

(Trakya Usulü Balkabağı Boranisi - Thrace Region)

~250 g butternut squash, peeled, cut in bite-size
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2-3 tbsp fresh walnuts, crumbled
4 tbsp creamy yogurt
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

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

Cook the squash, olive oil, salt and pepper until soft at low heat. Mash with a potato masher or fork. Add the crumbled walnuts, stir. Let it cool down.

Then, stir in creamy yogurt and mashed garlic. Place in a serving dish.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small pan, add the red pepper. Pour over the dish when it starts bubbling. You can serve it with the toasted French baton bread or toasted pide slices.

Rose Dessert

(Gül Tatlısı - Çanakkale - The Marmara Region)

1 egg
1/4 cup powder sugar
1/2 cup yogurt, plain
1/2 cup semolina
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp zest of lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
~ 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Syrup:
2 1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

Garnish;
Pistachios, ground
Kaymak

To prepare the syrup place the water and sugar in a medium sized pot. First bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Then simmer for 15 minutes and turn the heat off. Add lemon juice and place the syrup in another bowl so that it cools down quickly.

To make the dough; In a large bowl combine all the ingredients except baking powder and flour, mix. Then gradually add the flour and baking powder to the mixture and kneed with your hand. The dough should be soft but not sticky.

Make 3-4 mm thick dough with the roller. Cut the dough with 6 cm wide cookie cutter. Layer five circles in an overlapping pattern. Each one should be in the middle of another (picture). Roll from one end to make petals of the roses with your fingers (picture). Cut the roll in half with a knife to make 2 roses (picture). Continue to make roses until the dough is finished. Place the roses on an oven tray or casserole dish.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Place the tray on the middle rack. Bake for about 30 minutes or until light golden colour. With a tablespoon pour the lukewarm syrup evenly all over the pastries. Let it cool down first. Cover the dessert loosely with aluminum foil. The taste is better the next day.

Sprinkle some pistachio over the each pastry. Then, pour a little bit syrup, serve with Kaymak by the side.

18-20 Rose Dessert.

Bairam Menu:
- Hıdiv Soup, Shepherd's Braised Lamb Cubes, Countryside Salad, Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Vegetable in Olive Oil, Börek with Soda Water, Rose Dessert with Turkish Coffee or Turkish Tea on the side.

Countryside Salad

(Kır Salatası - Antakya - Mediterranean Region)

1 onion, sliced
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in julienne
1 large tomato, diced
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp mint
Salt
Pepper

Crush the onion with salt and mint. Add the rest of the salad ingredients, toss in a medium-size bowl. Place in a serving dish.

I find that Countryside Salad would be more delicious if you put it aside for about 30 minutes before you serve it:) The Countryside Salad goes well with breakfast, too.

Shepherd's Braised Lamb Cubes

(Çoban Kavurma)

500 g lamb, cut in cubes
2 tbsp butter
5 pearl onions, peeled
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, cut in bite size
1 large tomato, peeled, discard the seeds, diced
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt*
Salt
Pepper
Oregano

Saute the lamb cubes with butter until the color of the meat lightly turns. Add the onion and green pepper, saute for about 2-3 more minutes. Then, add the tomato, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for about 3-5 more minutes until the vegetables are softened. Turn the heat off, sprinkle some oregano, and serve it with any kind of Pilaf.

*If you can find green garlic, you can use it, too.

2 servings.

Börek with Soda Water

(Sodalı Börek)

Main Ingredients:
3 pieces of Turkish yufka (or 14-15 sheets of phyllo pastry)
3/4 cup Perrier or any sparkling (mineral) water
2 lt oven proof tray, oiled

Sauce:
1/2 cup milk or Ayran
5-6 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs, beaten

For this recipe, choose one of the following fillings:

Cheese Filling:
1 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
2-3 tbsp dill chopped
1 egg yolk

Beef Filling:
250 g lean ground beef
1/2 cup red onion, sliced
2 medium-size tomatoes, peeled, discard the seeds, diced
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, chopped
1 long green pepper, hot, discard the seeds, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Sesame seeds
Nigella seeds

For cheese filling: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

For Beef Filling: Place the salt, black pepper, ground beef and onion in a pan. Cook at medium heat until the beef is done. Add the tomatoes and pepper. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Put aside.

Now we can move onto the main ingredients. First prepare the sauce; In a bowl, mix the eggs, olive oil and milk with a whisk. This liquid mix will go between every layer of the pastry, and will complement your choice of filling. The cheese or beef filling will go in the middle only.

Place the first yufka at the bottom and over the sides of the oiled casserole dish. Spread a few tablespoons of the sauce on top. Cut the second yufka in half and lay down on it and spread some sauce all over it. Layer down the second half of second yufka. Then, spread all the main filling onto the stack. Cut the third yufka in half. Cover the filling with half of it. Spread some sauce. Layer down the last half of yufka on it and spoon out some sauce all over. Then, fold the sides of the bottom layer over. Make sure that you pour the remaining sauce. Now pour the bottle of Soda all over the Borek slowly. Cover the tray with a plastic wrap.

Keep the borek in the fridge for 7-8 hours. Take it out from the fridge and leave at room temperature for about half an hour. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and Nigella seeds all over.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Bake until golden brown.

This recipe goes well with Compote on the side or Ayran. You can have it as a main dish (4 servings) or with afternoon tea as a snack.

Hıdiv Soup

(Hıdiv Çorbası - Istanbul)

4-5 mushrooms, cleaned, sliced
3/4 cup zucchini, cut in small cubes
1/4 cup carrots, cut in small cubes
1/2 cup sweet peas, frozen
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp butter
2 tbsp flour
3/4 cup warm water
1 cup hot chicken broth
Salt
Pepper

Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 egg yolk

Saute the mushrooms and flour with olive oil and butter for about 3-4 minutes at medium-low heat in a medium-size pot. Add the 3/4 cup of warm water, stir. Then add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Leave the lid halfway open and continue to cook for about 8-10 more minutes.

Meanwhile in a bowl, mix yogurt and egg yolk. After the soup is cooked, take a ladle of liquid from the pot and mix with yogurt sauce. Then slowly pour the mixture into the pot while stirring very slowly. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes. Turn the heat off and serve.

2 servings.