Potatoes with Yogurt and Poached Eggs

(Borana - Antalya)

2 medium size yellow potatoes, peeled, diced
Sunflower oil
Salt
Pepper

Garlic-Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup plain Turkish yogurt, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

Poached Eggs:
2 eggs
2 cups water
1 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp butter
Red pepper flakes
Salt

Fry the potatoes in sunflower oil. Afterwards, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.

In the meantime, boil the water with salt and vinegar in a medium 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 potatoes on a serving platter, season with salt and pepper. 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. Pour over the eggs when it starts bubbling. Season with salt and pepper flakes.

Serve this dish while still hot with the freshly baked Turkish bread. It is great to have as breakfast or as light lunch:)

Yogurt Dip with Artichokes

(Enginar Cacık - Istanbul)

Bottom of Artichokes, grated
Fresh mint leaves, cut in julienne
Extra virgin olive oil

Garlic Yogurt:
1/2 cup yogurt, plain
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

Prepare the garlic yogurt. Add the grated artichokes and fresh mint, mix.

Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top. Serve with the toasted pide slices.

Lamb-Spinach in Yogurt

(Etli Ispanak Borani - Antakya)

500 g fresh baby spinach, washed, drained
150 g lamb, cut in cubes
1 + 1/4 cup warm water
1 medium-size onion, chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
Salt
Pepper

1/2 cup creamy yogurt
Mint, dry

Cook the lamb cubes with their own juice. Then add 1 cup of hot water and cook at low heat until the lamb pieces are tender.

Meanwhile, saute the onion with butter and olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the smell of garlic comes out. Then, add the cooked lamb, chickpeas, spinach, 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes at medium heat.

Place the creamy yogurt in a bowl. Take 2-3 tablespoon of juice of the dish and pour into the bowl. Whisk them well. Slowly pour this mixture over the spinach, stir. Simmer for about 5 minutes without the lid. Season with mint and serve.

2 servings.

Long Beans Salad with Roasted Red Peppers

(Antalya Usulü Taze Börülce Salatası - Mediterranean Region)

250 g long beans or Chinese beans - wash and trim both ends
1 Bell red pepper, roasted, peeled, cut in long strips
1/4 cup white onions, sliced, rubbed with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sumac
1 tomato, peeled, diced
2 green onions, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp parsley, chopped
Salt

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
Salt
Pepper

Bring the water to boil. Add the beans and cook for about 15 minutes, drain. Season with salt. Toss them with roasted red peppers. Sprinkle onions and tomatoes over the top. Whisk all the dressing ingredients. Pour all over them and serve.

Artichokes with Vegetables in Olive Oil

(Zeytinyağlı Enginar Türlüsü - Aegean Region)

4-5 medium-size artichokes, cleaned; cut in medium size - both hearth and bottom
3/4 cup water + half of lemon juice

1 small carrot, peeled, sliced
7-8 pearl onions, peeled
1 medium-size zucchini, peeled, cut in bite medium-size
Juice of 1 tangerine or half of orange
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Garnish:
Dill or parsley, chopped
Extra virgin olive

Leave the cleaned artichokes in the water & lemon juice mixture to prevent discoloration.

In a medium-size pot, saute the onions and carrots with olive oil for a few minutes. Add the artichoke, zucchini, juice of tangerine, the water with lemon juice and salt. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender at medium-low heat.

Let it cool down in the pot. Then, place on a serving dish. Pour a little bit more olive oil, sprinkle some chopped dill or parsley. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Flat Beans Tava

(Fasulye Tava - Adana)

4 pieces chicken thighs
500 g flat beans, wash, trim both ends, then cut in bite sizes
2 large tomatoes, peeled, sliced
7-8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cubanelle pepper, sliced
1 tbsp full red pepper paste, mixed with 1/4 cup water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper

Pour the olive oil in a medium size pot. Place the chicken thighs in it. Place the flat beans over the chicken. Arrange the tomato slices over the top side by side, don't leave any empty spaces. Sprinkle the garlic cloves on top. Place the cubanelle peppers over them like wind rose. Season with salt and pepper and pour red pepper paste all over it.

First, turn the heat to high to heat up the pot for about a minute or so. Then turn the heat down to low and cook for 1 hr and 30 minutes. Serve it with Turkish Pilav or Turkish bread on the side.

2 servings.

Chopped Eggplant Shake

(Patlıcan Silkme - Urfa - South East Anatolia Region)

1 medium size eggplant, peel the skin in strips lengthwise, cut into bite size, soaked in 2 cups of water with salt for about 20 minutes
1 small onion, sliced
3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cubanalle pepper, cut in bite size
1 large tomato, peeled, diced
4 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes + 1/3 water (mix them together)
5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (half for cooking, half for after cooking)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt

Garnish:
Parsley, chopped

In a shallow pot, place the onion, garlic, pepper, eggplant, tomato, crushed tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Close and turn the heat to high first. When the dish starts to boil, turn the heat down to medium-low. Do not stir the dish, just hold both sides of the pot and shake it a few times!

Let it cool down in the pot. Then, place on a serving platter. Pour the rest of the olive oil. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

*Chopped Eggplant Shake becomes more tasty the following day:)

Bulgur Pilaf with Beetroot

(Pancar Aşı)

Pilaf ingredients:
1/2 cup bulgur, large grain, washed and drained (I always use Turkish Bulgur which tastes better:)
1 cup hot water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste, medium
Salt
Pepper
2 small size beetroot, boiled, peeled, cut in bite size

1 tbsp butter
1 medium size onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped

Garnish:
1 tsp dill, chopped

Place all the pilaf ingredients except beetroot in a medium size cooking pot. Cover and cook until all the water evaporates at low heat. Add the beetroot, stir, turn the heat off.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan. Saute the onion and garlic at medium heat. Stir in the cooked Bulgur Pilaf. Let the Bulgur Pilaf with Beetroot stand for about 5 minutes. Garnish with dill, then serve with Ayran on the side.

2 servings.

Grilled Peppers with Feta Cheese

(Şile Paprike - Thrace Region)

Cubanelle peppers (or sweet twister peppers)
Salt
Pepper
Feta cheese, crumbled
Extra virgin olive oil

Roast the peppers and peel off the skin. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a skillet and sprinkle some feta cheese and drizzle the olive oil all over the top. Cover and heat at low fire until the cheese is melted. If you like sprinkle some red pepper flakes over the top.

Serve immediately as breakfast or hot appetizer.

Roasted Pepper and Black Olive-Feta Cheese

(Közlenmiş Biber ve Zeytin-Peynir)

Bell peppers (red or green or yellow or orange)
1-2 garlic cloves*, mashed with salt
Lemon juice or vinegar
Feta cheese, cut in cubes
Turkish black olives
Oregano
Parsley, chopped
Plenty of extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Arrange all the ingredients on a serving platter as seen in the picture. Season the roasted peppers with salt. Serve as breakfast or appetizer.

*If you serve it as a breakfast, you can skip the garlic:)