Fried Eggplant Salad on Romain Leaves

(Marul Tabağında Patlıcan Salatası)

1 medium-sized eggplant
3-4 tbsp olive oil

2 leaves of Romain
A few thin slices of red or white onion
1/4 cup feta cheese, cut in cubes

Dressing:
4-5 tbsp tomatoes, grated
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp pomegranate paste
Salt
1-2 peppercorns, pounded

Peel the eggplant in lengthwise strips. Cut in bite size or round shape. Soak in 2 cups of water with salt for about 20 minutes. Squeeze and dry them with a paper towel.

Heat up the pan first. Then pour the olive oil. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Fry the eggplants, stir occasionally. Afterwards, place them on the paper towel to soak up any extra oil. Let them cool.

Then place the Romain leaves on a plate. Arrange the fried eggplants, onions and feta cheese. Whisk the dressing ingredients, pour all over them. This is a very easy and delicious recipe with a great salad for the summer time:)

2 servings.

Raw Mushroom Salad

(Çiğ Mantar Salatası)

~15 medium-sized mushrooms, cleaned, sliced
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Parsley, chopped
Dill, chopped
~
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
1 garlic clove sliced
1 tbsp sumac
1 tsp salt

Rub the onion and garlic slices with sumac and salt. Add the mushrooms and olive oil, mix. Cover and let them stay in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Garnish with parsley and dill, serve.

Avocado-Egg Salad

(Yumurtalı Avakado Salatası)

1 ripe avocado, cut in bite size
1 hard boiled egg, sliced
A few slices of Asiago cheese
A few slices of red onion
1 or 2 slices of lime

Dressing:
2 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
Salt
Pepper

First squeeze the lemon over the avocado to prevent them turning brown. Place them on a serving platter. Add the remaining ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing. Serve immediately.

Eggplant Salad With Roasted Peppers

(Közlenmiş Biberli Patlıcan Salatası)

1 large eggplant, roasted
1 red Bell pepper, roasted
1 yellow or orange Bell pepper, roasted

Dressing:
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper

Peel the eggplant, remove any hard seeds. After draining, cut into small pieces. Then, place the peppers in a paper bag for a few minutes so that you can peel off the skins more easily. Cut them in medium-sized pieces.

Place the roasted eggplant and peppers on a serving platter. Drizzle with the dressing. Serve with Creamy (Strained) Yogurt by the side.

Roasting the Eggplant:
Before putting the eggplant in the oven, make holes in it with a fork so that it will soften and cook better. Place it on an oven tray and roast for about 35 minutes on broil. Then peel it and soak it in 2 cups of water with juice of 1⁄2 lemon to prevent from turning dark. Leave it in the water for about 5 minutes. After draining, cut into small pieces. Alternatively, you can barbecue it until softened.

Roasting Bell Peppers:
Cut off the tops of the peppers. Discard the seeds. Cut each pepper in half. Set the oven to broil (grill), and heat it up. Place the peppers on an oven tray (inner side facing down) and place in the oven. Roast them for about 15 minutes and peel off the skin.

Alternatively, you can barbecue the peppers until softened. Just place the peppers with the outer side facing down on the barbecue.

Parsley Salad with Pomegranate

(Narlı Maydanoz Salatası)

Parsley, washed, drained, chopped
Pomegranate seeds
~
Extra virgin olive oil

Spread the parsley on a serving platter. Garnish with some pomegranate seeds. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil all over them. Serve immediately.

Long Green Bean Salad with Yogurt

(Yoğurtlu Taze Börülce Salatası)

Ingredients:
Bunch of long beans or Chinese beans, wash, trim both ends

Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup yogurt, room temperature
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

Red Pepper Sauce:
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
Bring the water to a boil. Add the beans and boil for about 15 minutes, drain. Pour a little bit of extra virgin olive oil over them while they are still warm. Let them cool down.

Pour the Yogurt Sauce on top. Heat up the olive oil in a small pan and add the cayenne pepper. Then, pour it over the yogurt sauce and serve.

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.

Arugula Salad with Feta Cheese and Tomatoes

(Beyaz Peynirli-Domatesli Roka Salatası)

Ingredients:
Bunch of baby Arugula, washed and drained, break off the stems and discard
1⁄4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
5-6 cherry tomatoes, washed, cut in half or 10-12 grape tomatoes
2 green onions (scallions), chopped
1⁄4 cup sliced white onion, crushed with salt and sumac with your hand

Dressing:
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Flaked red peppers

Directions:
Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Place the arugula on a serving platter.

Sprinkle the feta cheese, tomatoes, green and white onions over the arugula. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Spinach Salad with Bulgur

(Bulgurlu Ispanak Salatası - Kastamonu - Black Sea Region)

Ingredients:
250g baby spinach, washed, drained
2 green onions (scallions), chopped
1⁄4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tbsp bulgur, small grain, soaked in hot water for about 30 minutes,then drained
1⁄2 cup Parmesan (or Tulum cheese -sharp and salty cheese wrapped in goatskin), crumbled
1⁄4 cup canned kernel corn

Dressing:
1 tbsp pomegranate paste or Grenadine syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice
50ml extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Place the spinach on a serving platter.

Sprinkle the green onions, parsley, bulgur, corn and cheese over the spinach. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

* Don't throw away the roots of the spinach, instead make Spinach Root Salad or Spinach Root with Yogurt:)

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Walnuts

(Cevizli Kozlenmis Sebze Salatasi)

Cauliflower; peel off the stem leaves, separate the florets
Brussels sprout; stem sides cut off, remove few outer leaves, cut in 4
Asparagus; rinsed (break and discard bottom stems), cut in bite size
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
~
A little bit pomegranate paste
Extra virgin olive oil

Garnish:
Green olives-filled with red pepper in jar; sliced
Walnuts; crumbled, lightly roasted
Boiled egg; sliced, seasoned with salt and pepper

Place the vegetables on an oven tray, season with salt. Drizzle some olive oil, mix. Set the oven to broil (grill). Place the tray on middle rack. Roast until the vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.

Transfer the roasted vegetables onto a servings platter. Immediately drizzle some pomegranate paste and olive oil and while still hot, toss. Garnish with some walnuts and green olives. Arrange the sliced eggs around the platter and serve.

Swiss Chard Salad with Feta Cheese

(Peynirli Pazı Salatası)

Bunch of Swiss chard, washed
5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 green onions, chopped
2 medium size tomatoes, peeled, diced
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup feta cheese, cut in cubes
2-3 tbsp walnuts, chopped, lightly toasted

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

Stack individual leaves on top of one another and roll them up lengthwise. Then cut them into thin slices. Chop the stems, too.

Saute the onion and stems with olive oil for 2-3 minutes in a large pot. Add the Swiss chard leaves, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the Swiss chard is softened. Do not overcook! Turn the heat off, add the feta cheese and walnuts, mix. Let it cool down.

Serve the salad with Garlic-Yogurt Sauce.

2 servings.

Tahini Roasted Eggplant Salad

(Tahinli Patlıcan - Hatay)

1 large eggplant, roasted, peeled
1 red bell pepper or long red sweet pepper, roasted, peel and discard the seeds, cut in medium size
1 cubanelle pepper, roasted, peel and discard the seeds, cut in medium size
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-5 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
Red pepper flakes
Salt

Mash the roasted eggplant using a fork and mix with the tahini. Then add the remaining ingredients. Place on a serving platter and serve.

Purslane with Pomegranate Syrup

(Pirpirim Ekşisi - South East Anatolia Region)

Purslane*, washed, drained
1 small cucumber, cut in half-moon slices
1 tomato, peeled, chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, chopped
1 long red sweet pepper, chopped
8-10 slices of white onion

Dressing:
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tbsp pomegranate syrup/paste or 1 tbsp sumac or lemon juice
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt
Salt
Paprika

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

*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. 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:)

Roasted Eggplant Salad - Antep Style

(Söğürme - Gaziantep - South East Anatolia)

1 large eggplant, roasted, peeled, cut in cubes
1 large tomato, peeled, diced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cubanelle pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Red pepper flakes
2 tbsp butter

In a pan, saute the onion, tomato and pepper with olive oil for 4-5 minutes while stirring at medium heat. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. When the garlic gets a little softer, stir in the roasted eggplant. Continue to saute for about 5 more minutes. Turn the heat off. Sprinkle some red pepper flakes. Heat the butter up and pour all over it and serve with the pide.

Roasted Eggplant:
Before putting in the oven, make holes on the eggplant with a fork so that it will soften and cook better. Place it on an oven tray and roast for about 35 minutes on broil. Then peel it and cut into cubes.

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.

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.

Salad for Breakfast

(Kahvaltı Salatası)

Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Cucumber, cut in bite size
Red onion, sliced
Feta cheese
Egg, hard boiled, sliced
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

Dressing:
Lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil

Place all the salad ingredients on a serving platter. Season with lemon juice and olive oil. It is a great salad for breakfast!

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.

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.

Mung Bean Salad

(Maş Piyazı - Gaziantep)

1 cup mung beans, soak in water overnight, washed and drained
1 small red onion, finely chopped
3-4 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
3-4 tbsp pomegranate paste or syrup
Red pepper flakes
Salt
Pepper
1/3 cup walnuts, crumbled

Cover the beans with water and boil until they are softened. Rinse well with hot water and let it cool. Place in a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients, mix. Cover and keep in the refrigerator for about an hour. Arrange on a serving platter, garnish with olives, serve.