Seafood Pilaf

(Deniz Mahsulleri Pilavı)

Ingredients:
3⁄4 cup long grain rice, rinsed
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, peeled, grated
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil or 1 tbsp butter
1 clove of garlic, chopped
~250g (about 1⁄2 lb) sea food medley (octopus, squid, mussels, shrimp, lobster, crab...)
2 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp currants
1 cup warm water
1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp allspice
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
2-3 tbsp parsley, chopped
1-2 tbsp dill, chopped
Fresh or dried mint
Zest of one lemon
1⁄4 cup walnuts, crumbled, lightly toasted

Directions:
First sauté the onions, carrots and pine nuts with oil for about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and when the smell of the garlic comes out, add the rice, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 more minutes while stirring constantly. Spread the sea food ingredients over the rice and pour in the warm water and stir.

Turn the heat down to low. Cover and cook until all the water evaporates. Cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel, cover with the lid and let the Pilaf stand for about 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley, mint, dill, lemon zest and walnuts, serve.

This recipe goes well with Turkish long green bean salad :)

Makes 2 servings.

Chard-Yogurt Dip

(Pazı Cacığı - Malatya - East Anatolia Region)

Half a bunch of fresh Swiss chard; washed, drained, cut in medium-sized pieces

Garlic-Yogurt Sauce:
1 or 1 1/2 cups yogurt, plain
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
1-2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Garnish:
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Place the chopped Swiss chard in a pot, cover tightly and cook in its own juice at medium-low heat until the chard is tender. Let it cool down.

Mix the Swiss chard with the Garlic Yogurt Sauce. Drizzle it with olive oil and garnish with dill and paprika. Serve chilled.

Ottoman Kebap

(Osmanlı Kebabı)

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized eggplant - peel alternating strips of skin lengthwise, slice and soak in 2 cups of water with salt for about 15 minutes, squeeze, and dry them with a paper towel
~
Oil for frying

Filling:
~250g lamb, cut in cubes
4-5 green onions, cleaned, chopped
4-5 medium-sized mushrooms, cleaned, cut in 4
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds and chop
1 medium-sized tomato, peeled, diced
1-2 tbsp canned crushed tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
~
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 medium-sized tomato, cut in wedges
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, cut into 2-3 pieces
~
~1 cup warm water

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 450° F (230° C).

Fry the eggplants on both sides until golden brown. Then, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil. Place them in an oven-proof dish.

Meanwhile, to prepare the filling;
Cook the lamb cubes in their own juice in a medium-sized pot. Then, add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Cover and cook at medium-heat for 8-10 minutes. Turn the heat off.

Distribute the filling equally over the slices of the eggplant. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the tops. Arrange the green pepper strips and tomato wedges around them. Pour 1 cup of warm water into the dish from the side.

Place on the middle rack and cook for about 30 minutes. If necessary, add a little more hot water. Serve with Pilaf with Orzo, Cacık or Ayran on the side.

Makes 2 servings.

Bean Medley Salad

(Karıșık Fasulye Piyazı)

Ingredients:
1 can of Bean Medley (540ml) (kidney beans, black-eyed beans, romano beans, great northern beans, lima beans, black beans..), drained, rinsed with hot water
1 medium-sized tomato, peeled, sliced
1 cubanelle pepper,
1-2 green onions, chopped
1⁄4 cup red onion, thinly sliced and rubbed with 1⁄2 tsp sumac

Dressing:
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Paprika
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Wedges of hard boiled egg
Black olives

Directions:
Put the rinsed beans in a large bowl. Add tomato, peppers and onions. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour over the bean mixture.

Toss and chill for at least 4 hours. Garnish with wedges of hard boiled eggs and black olives, and serve.

Lamb Pilaf with Artichokes

(Kuzu Etli Enginar Pilavi)

Ingredients:
~250g (1⁄2 lb) lamb cubes
1⁄2 cup warm water (for lamb)
~
4 medium-sized artichokes, cleaned & cut in bite size
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup rice, rinsed
11⁄2 cups warm water
1 tbsp butter
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Zest of half lemon
Dill, chopped

Directions:
Cook the lamb cubes in a medium-sized pot at medium heat until there is no liquid left. Add the 1⁄2 cup of hot water. Cook at medium-low heat until the lamb pieces are tender and all the water evaporates.

Place the artichokes, green onions, rice, butter, salt and pepper in layers over the lamb. Slowly pour in the water.

Cover and turn the heat down to low and cook until the rice absorbs all the water. Remove the cooking pot from the heat. Open the lid, place a clean kitchen towel across the top of the pot on the rim and put the lid back on. Let the Pilaf stand for about 5 minutes.

Garnish with lemon zest and chopped dill and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

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