Fish Iskender Kebap

(Balık Iskender - Istanbul)

~500 g Sea Bass Fillet or any kind of white meat fish you like
2 tbsp olive oil2 Tandoori Bread or Naan Bread, lightly toasted in the oven, cut in bite size

Tomato Sauce:
1/3 cup canned crushed tomatoes

Yogurt Sauce:
1/3 yogurt, plain, at room temperature

Butter Sauce:
2 tbsp butter

Fry the fish in olive oil. Cut in medium size and season with red pepper and salt. Meanwhile, heat up the crushed tomatoes and cook for about 4-5 minutes at medium-low heat. Place the lightly toasted tandoori bread on a serving platter. Arrange the fish pieces over the bread bites. Pour the tomato sauce all over. Place some Yogurt Sauce in the corner of the plate.

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. As soon as it starts bubbling, pour all over it. Serve immediately.

2 servings.

Ricotta Cheese Wraps

(Sıkma - Adana)

Lavash Bread or Original Tortillas, small size

Filling:
Ricotta cheese
White onion, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Paprika or Cayenne or red pepper flakes

To prepare the filling; caramelized the onion with salt and olive oil. Mix with ricotta cheese and paprika. Place the filling on the flat bread (picture). Close the ends and wrap it up. Brush olive oil on and slightly fry each side in a pan. It is more delicious when crispy:)

Bulgur Pilaf with Carrots

(Gizer Pilavı)

3/4 cup Turkish bulgur, large grain, washed and drained
1 medium size onion, sliced
1 medium size carrot, peeled, grated
4-5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 cup warm water
Salt
Pepper

Saute the onion and carrot with olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, stir. Close and cook until all the water evaporates at low heat. Let the Pilaf stand for about 5 minutes.

You can serve it with Spinach Salad & Yogurt Sauce or Ayran on the side.

2 servings.

Lamb with Eggplant and Chickpeas

(Doğrama - Gaziantep)

250 g lamb, cut in cubes
1 small onion, finely chopped
5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
1 medium size tomato, peeled, diced
1 cubanelle pepper, chopped
1 small size eggplant, peel the skin in strips lengthwise, cut in bite size, soak in water with salt for about 20 minutes, then squeeze
1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt

Sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp dry mint

Saute the lamb cubes with olive oil until the color turns to light brown. Add the remaining ingredients into the pot except lemon juice and garlic. Cover and cook until all the vegetables are tender at low heat. Add the lemon juice and garlic. Then turn the heat off after 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan. When it begins spitting, stir in the mint and pour all over the dish. Serve the Lamb with Eggplant and Chickpeas with Bulgur Pilaf.

2 servings.

No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes

(Pişirmeden Labneli Pasta)

250 g Labne cheese*
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipped cream

Base:
12 tbsp graham cracker crumbs or 6 round-shape wholewheat or oatmeal or ginger or almond cookies...

6 paper muffin cups

Beat Labne cheese and sugar until well mixed. Gently stir in whipped cream.

Place the cookies on the bottom of 6 paper-lined muffin cups. Spoon labne cheese mixture into the muffin cups. Cover and refrigerate. It is essential to chill overnight.

You can serve it with Red Plum Sauce or Strawberry Topping, garnished with ground pistachio and almond slices.

6 Mini Cheesecakes.

*Labne cheese: a soft, cream cheese made from strained yogurt. Labne is easy to make and low in calories, making it the perfect alternative to traditional cream cheese. Labne can be used just as you would normally use cream cheese, as a spread on bagels or a dip for your favorite fruit and vegetables.

Red Plum Topping

(Kırmızı Erik Sosu)

500 g red plum, washed, peeled, cut in medium size
~1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Place the plums in a pot and sprinkle the sugar and place the cinnamon stick on top. Heat it up for a minute, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook until the plums are softened. Let it cool down a little bit. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Pour into a jar with the lid and keep it in the fridge.

You can have it as a topping for the strained yogurt or ice cream. It is also a great sauce for cakes.

Meatball-Rice Soup

(Pirinçli Domates Dolması - Aegean Region)

2 large tomatoes, grated
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup rice, rinsed
2 1/4 cups warm chicken broth or water
Salt
Pepper

Meatball Ingredients:
100 g ground beef, lean
1 tsp onion, grated
Salt
Pepper
~
2-3 tbsp flour, for meatballs

Knead all the meatball ingredients (Ground beef, onion, salt and pepper). Make hazelnut-size meatballs, floured and put aside.

Saute the tomatoes with olive oil for a few minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients, stir. After 3-4 minutes, add the meatballs, gently stir. Cover and cook until the rice is done at medium-low heat. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, serve.

2 servings.

Marmaris Pilaf

(Marmaris Pilavı - Muğla - Aegean Region)

3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 tbsp butter
1 cup chicken broth, warm
1 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper

Tomato Sauce:
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, peeled, grated
1/4 cup celery stick, chopped
3-4 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup chicken broth
Pepper

Melt the butter in a cooking pot. Saute the rice with butter for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Pour 1 cup of warm chicken broth in it. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, 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 cover. Let the Pilaf stand for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, to prepare the sauce; saute the onion with olive oil until it is softened. Then add the remaining sauce ingredients. Cover and cook until the vegetables are softened. If the sauce thickens, add a little bit more chicken broth.

 Serve the pilaf with the tomato sauce.

2 servings.

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

(Tarçınlı Şekerli Kurabiye)

3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup flour, all purpose
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Topping:
1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven 375 F (190 C).

Cream the butter, sunflower oil, egg, sugar and vanilla using a mixer. Add the milk, flour, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. Continue to mix for a few minutes. Pour evenly into greased large muffin-pan cups.

Bake on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes or until firm. Spread the butter on the tops while they are still warm and sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon.

8 Cinnamon Sugar Cookies.

Roasted Asparagus

(Fırında Kuşkonmaz)

Asparagus, break off the hard ends and discard
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Creamy Yogurt
Sumac
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Green onion, finely chopped
Walnuts, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).

Arrange the asparagus on an oven tray in a single layer. Season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the oven in a middle rack. Cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Serve it with the creamy yogurt mixed with minced green onions, sumac, chopped walnuts and extra virgin olive oil.

Borani

(Borani - Gaziantep)

~150 g ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup black-eyed peas
2-3 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes
1 or 1 1/2 cups warm water
2 small size beetroot, boiled, peeled, cut in bite size

Boil the black-eyed peas in 2 cups of water until softened (for about 20 minutes), drain and rinse.

Saute the ground beef with onion and butter. When the colour of ground beef turns to light brown, add the black-eyed peas, crushed tomatoes, water, salt and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes.

Add the beetroot, cook for 2-3 more minutes, turn the heat off. Serve the Borani while still warm.

Kemalpasha Dessert

(Kemalpaşa Tatlısı - Bursa)

Dough ingredients:
250 g ricotta cheese, unsalted
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp semolina (I used Turkish semolina)
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp flour, all purpose
1 tsp baking powder

Sherbet:
1 1/2 cups sugar, granulated
3 cups water
1 tbsp lemon juice

Garnish:
Kaymak
Pistachio, ground
Sweetened flaked coconut
Ice cream

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).

Combine all the dough ingredients in a large bowl, knead lightly. The dough should be soft and a little bit sticky. Break small pieces from the dough. They should be rolled out smoothly without giving pressure. If you like, lightly grease one palm while rolling them out. Line them on an oven tray with the parchment paper (picture). Then bake until golden colour at the middle rack of the oven. Let them cool first. If there are some little cracks on the surface of the cookies; don't worry, most of them will disappear when soaking in the sherbet.

Meanwhile, to prepare the syrup, bring the water and sugar to boil at medium heat. Add the lemon juice along with the cookies. Boil them for about 15 minutes at low-medium heat so that the syrup will be absorbed. Turn the heat off. Let them cool in the pot.

The taste will be better the following day. Then place them in a serving platter with the remaining syrup. Serve the Kemalpasha Dessert with Kaymak or ice cream, garnish with pistachio or coconut flakes.

Makes 15 pieces of Kemalpasha Dessert.

Beetroot Salad with Ricotta Cheese

(Peynirli Pancar Salatası)

4-5 small size beetroots, cooked, peeled (or canned beetroot)
Ricotta cheese, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper

Dressing:
3-4 tbsp pomegranate paste
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp dill, chopped

Cut the beetroots in bite size. Season with pomegranate paste, olive oil and salt. Arrange the cheese over the top. Sprinkle the lemon zest and dill, serve.

Bozbash

(Bozbaş - Kars - Ardahan - Iğdır - Azerbaijan)

~ 400 g lamb, bone-in
1 cup canned chickpeas, pealed, rinsed
Water
Beef broth
1 medium size onion, peeled, sliced
2 medium size yellow potatoes, peeled, cut in medium size
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt

Turkish thin bread (yufka ekmek/ lavash)
Onion

Cover the meat and chickpeas with water in a medium size pot. Cook for about 1 hour at low-medium heat. When the water decreases, add some beef broth. Then add the potato, onion, turmeric and salt. Continue to cook for 2 more hours. Add more beef broth as needed.

First, break the bread into bite size and place in the deep plate. Pour the juice of the dish over them. Let soak up for the bread, then have it fit with a fork. Mash the vegetables and meat with the back of the fork. Place a piece of thin bread, wrap and bite. The dish should be served with onion and ayran on the side:)

2 servings.

*Bozbaş is a national dish of Azerbaijan. Traditionally it is cooked in an enamel cup (it is a little bit larger than the mug). It is also served in this cup along with an empty deep plate, masher and fork.