Harem Pilaf

(Harem Pilavı - Ottoman Kitchen)

1 chicken breast, ~150g -skinless, boneless, cut in cubes
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup hot chicken stock
6-7 mushrooms, cleaned, cut in medium size
1 tbsp grape molasses
~
1 tsp butter
4 dried apricots, sliced
4 prune, sliced
3 tbsp Sultana or Golden raisins
3 tbsp almonds, blanched, slivered
3 tbsp walnuts, cut in big pieces
~
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 cup hot chicken stock
2 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper

Melt 1 tsp of butter in a pot, add the chicken cubes and mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Then, add 1/4 cup chicken stock and cook until a little bit of water is left. Add the grape molasses, stir. Put it aside.

Saute the apricots, plums, raisins, almonds and walnuts in a separate pan for 2-3 minutes. Put it aside.

Wash the rice several times with warm water and drain. Then, cover the rice with hot water and leave out for 15 minutes, drain. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a cooking pot. Saute the rice for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Pour 1 cup of hot chicken stock in it. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to low and cover and start to cook. After 5 minutes, add the cooked chicken, dried fruits and nuts and gently stir with a fork. Cover and continue to cook until the rice absorbs all the water.

Remove the cooking pot away from the heat. Remove the lid, place a clean kitchen towel on the rim of the pot covering the top and put the lid back on. Let the Pilaf stand for about 5 minutes (we call this the brewing time) before serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Dough Bites with Feta Cheese

(Peynirli Hamur Lokması)

Bread dough
Sun flower oil

Cheese Filling:
~200 g feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 egg

Divide the dough into small pieces. Flat in your palm. Place one tablespoon of the filling inside. Roll into balls.

Heat up the oil in a medium size pan. Fry the doughs until light golden brown. Then, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.

Serve while they are still hot with tomatoes, cucumber, honey, Jam & Marmalade and Turkish Tea as breakfast or for brunch or dinner.

Swiss Chard Saute with Eggs

(Pazı Kavurması - Aydın - Aegean Region)

Bunch of red Swiss chard stems, washed and cut in 1 cm long
Bunch of red Swiss chard leaves, washed, chopped
1 small size onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp red pepper paste
~
Egg
Red pepper flakes

Saute the onion with olive oil until lightly caramelized. Add the stems, crushed tomatoes, red pepper paste, garlic and salt. Saute until the stems are tender at medium-low heat. Stir occasionally. Add the chard leaves and cook until the leaves are soft.

Then, make room and break the egg. When the egg whites are cooked, remove it from the heat. Do not overcook the egg yolk! Season with salt and red pepper flakes.

Serve with freshly baked Turkish bread as breakfast or brunch or lunch.

Bulgur Pilaf with Swiss Chard

(Pazılı Bulgur Pilavı)

3/4 cup Turkish Bulgur, large grain, rinsed
Bunch of Swiss chard stems, washed and cut in 1 cm long (use only the fresh ones)
3-4 small Swiss chard leaves, chopped
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small size onion, sliced
2 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp red pepper paste
1/2 tsp red pepper paste, hot
1 cup hot water
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
1 tbsp mint

Saute the onion and stems with olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and red pepper pastes, and saute for 1-2 more minutes. Then add the bulgur, water, chard leaves, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until all the water evaporates at low heat. Let the Pilaf stand for about 5 minutes.

Season with mint and serve it with yogurt by the side.

2 servings.

Summer Salad with Tuna

(Ton Balıklı Karışık Salata)

1 can (net 184 g) flaked white Tuna in water, drained
Mixed green salad
Tomato wedges
Cucumbers, sliced
Cubanelle pepper, sliced
Red Bell pepper, sliced
Few slices of white onion
Feta cheese, crumbled
Turkish black olive

Dressing made from pickled vegetables and pickle brine:
1/2 cup brine
1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp oregano
or
Dressing:
1/2 lemon juice
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, smashed with salt

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt
Pepper

Place and mix all the salad ingredients in a salad bowl. Arrange the tuna on them. Whisk the dressing ingredients and pour all over the salad. Serve immediately.

Fried Zucchini with Yogurt and Walnuts

(Cevizli Kabak Kizartması)

2 small size zucchinis, peeled and cut in round slices
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Garlic Yogurt:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
~
Fresh walnuts
Dill, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Toasted bread slices

Season the zucchinis with salt and pepper. Heat up the olive oil and lightly fry the zucchini slices until they turn into a light golden colour. Arrange on a serving platter with garlic yogurt sauce. Garnish with walnuts and dill.

Generously pour the extra virgin olive oil all over the toasted bread slices and season with the black pepper and serve.

Purslane Dish - Antep Style

(Pirpirim Aşı - Gaziantep)

1/4 cup green lentils
1/4 cup black-eyed peas
1/4 cup chickpeas, canned, rinsed
1 small onion, sliced
1/4 cup Turkish Bulgur, small or large grain, soaked into hot water for about 5 minutes, drained
1 large tomato, peeled, diced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small cubanelle pepper, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
2-3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 1/2 cups hot water
Salt
Pepper
~
250 g Purslane, washed and drained or 100 g Rosettes
2 tbsp pomegranate paste
1 tsp dry mint
1/2 tsp paprika
4-5 tbsp extra virgin

Boil the green lentils and black-eyed peas with 2 cups of water for about 10 minutes, then rinse and drain.

Meanwhile, saute the onion with olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes at medium-low heat. Add the purslane, cover and cook for 5-6 more minutes at medium heat. Add the pomegranate paste, dry mint, paprika and olive oil, stir. Turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 minutes, serve.

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. I used to have them in my backyard, but they were smaller than they should be. But, I moved to a condo a few years ago so I am not able to pick them up from my backyard anymore:( Recently a friend of mine told me that she found something that looks like Purslane at Loblaws and Longo’s in Toronto with the name of Rosettes:) They smell like roses when you chew it:D

Turkish Sauteed Vegetables with Eggs

(Menemen II)

1 cubanelle pepper, cut in bite size
2 medium-size tomatoes, diced
~1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 eggs
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Saute the cubanelle peppers in the pan with olive oil at medium to high heat. Then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for another 7-8 minutes stirring occasionally at medium heat. Make sure you don't overcook, otherwise it will be dry. Add the feta cheese, stir.

Then, make room and break the eggs. When the egg whites are cooked, remove it from the heat. Do not overcook the egg yolk!

Serve with freshly baked Turkish bread as breakfast or brunch or lunch.

Artichoke in Egg Sauce

(Terbiyeli Enginar - Aegean Region)

4-5 medium-size artichokes, cleaned; cut in medium size - both hearth and bottom
1 tbsp flour
1 cup water + half of lemon juice
5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt

1 or 2 egg yolks

Garnish:
Dill, chopped
Extra virgin olive

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

In a medium-size pot, place the artichokes, drizzle the olive oil, sprinkle the flour and pour the water with lemon juice. Cover and cook until the artichokes are tender at medium-low heat.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 2-3 tbsp juice of dish and blend well. Slowly pour this mixture into the pot while stirring. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Drizzle more extra virgin olive oil and garnish with the chopped fresh dill, then serve.

Veal Stew with Arugula

(Rokalı Dana Yahni)

~250 g milk-fed veal, cut in strips (not stripes)
1 cup warm water
1 bunch of arugula, washed, cut in medium size
2 tbsp bulgur, large grain, rinsed
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red pepper paste
1/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
Pinch of cumin
Salt
Pepper

Sautee the veal with olive oil at low-medium heat until soft. Add the remaining ingredients except arugula, bulgur and water. Continue to saute for about a few minutes. Then add the arugula, bulgur and water. Cover and cook at low-medium heat until bulgur is cooked. Serve with fresh Turkish bread while still warm.

2 servings.

Grilled Cherry Tomatoes-Ricotta Cheese & Toasted Bread

(Közlenmiş Domates-Lor Peyniri ve Kızarmış Ekmek)

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Fresh ricotta cheese
Oregano
Extra virgin olive oil
Turkish black olives

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).

Arrange the tomatoes on an oven tray. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil. Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven and grill.

Spread some fresh ricotta cheese on the toasted bread slice. Place the roasted tomato halves on it. Season with oregano and olive oil. Serve with Turkish tea and black olive on the side.

Thyme Salad

(Zahter Salatası - Antakya)

~40 g fresh thyme leaves, rub the leaves with salt so that they will not be bitter, rinse, drain and dry them up with paper towel
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, rub with salt
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
Pinch of red pepper flakes
4-5 green olives, pitted, sliced
1/3 cup or more..finely chopped tomatoes or Bell pepper

Dressing:
2-3 tsp pomegranate paste
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Whisk the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad ingredients. Serve immediately.

Bulgur with Tomatoes and Ground Beef

(Bulgurlu Domates Yemeği - Turhal - Black Sea Region)

1 small onion, sliced
2 tbsp butter
~150 g ground beef
1 cubanelle pepper, chopped
1 large tomato, peeled, diced
1 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup bulgur, large grain, rinsed
1 1/4 cups warm water
Salt
Pepper

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

Saute the onion and ground beef with butter until the colour of ground beef turns to light brown at medium heat. Add the cubanelle pepper and tomato, crushed tomatoes, saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the bulgur, warm water, salt and pepper, stir. Cover and cook until all the water evaporates at low heat. Let the Pilaf stand for about 5 minutes.

You can serve it with Garlic Yogurt Sauce by the side.

2 servings.