Green Tomatoes with Wheat and Chickpeas

(Yeşil Domates Aşı)

500g green tomatoes, washed, cut in medium-size
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 handful pearl wheat, soaked in water overnight
1/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
2 1/2 cups water
Salt

Sauce:
1 tbsp flour
1tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp yogurt
1/4 cup water

Saute the onion with olive oil until it is softened at medium heat. Add the wheat and chickpeas, continue to saute for a couple of minutes. Add the green tomatoes, salt and water. Cover and cook until the tomatoes are softened at medium heat.

Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour into the pot, stir. Cook for about 5 minutes at low heat without the lid. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

2 servings.

Artichokes Stuffed with Ricotta

(Lor Peynirli Enginar Dolma - Aegean Region)

Artichokes -peeled, cleaned, see Artichokes with Rice in Olive Oil
Bread crumbs
Extra virgin olive oil

Stuffing:
Fresh ricotta cheese
Dill, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).

Mix all the stuffing ingredients. Heap the stuffing on the artichokes. Sprinkle some bread crumbs over the tops. Drizzle some olive oil. Arrange them on an oven tray.

Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven. Cook until the tops are golden colour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Zucchinis with Pomegranate Paste

(Nar Ekşili Kabak - Antakya - Mediterranean Region)

2-3 small zucchinis, peel alternating strips of skin lengthwise, chop as you like
5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 medium-sized tomato, peeled, diced
1 tsp mint
2-3 tbsp pomegranate paste
Salt
Pepper

Place all the ingredients in a medium-sized pot. Cover and cook at low-heat until the zucchinis are tender. Do not overcook! Serve warm or at room temperature.

2 servings.

Watercress Stir-Fry

(Su Teresi Kavurmasi)

Ingredients:
~250g (about 1⁄2 lb) watercress, washed, drained, cut in medium-sized pieces
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small-sized red Bell pepper, sliced
Salt
Pepper

Garlic-Yogurt Sauce:
1⁄2 cup plain yogurt
1 clove of garlic, mashed with salt

Directions:
In a medium-sized pot, sauté the onion with the olive oil. Add the red bell peppers and continue to sauté for a few more minutes. Add the watercress, salt and pepper and stir. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender. Drizzle them with more olive oil. Serve chilled or at room temperature with Garlic Yogurt Sauce.

Benefits of Watercress:
This water-loving herb contains a volatile mustard oil and has pungent tasting leaves. Tiny white flowers are produced.

The leaves and shoots are used. It is a pungent bitter herb which helps to remove toxins, boosts digestion, etc.

Artichoke Borani

(Enginar Borani)

Ingredients:
4-5 medium-sized Artichokes, cleaned; cut in medium size - both hearts and bottoms
1 cup water + juice of half a lemon
1 small onion, sliced
5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tbsp bulgur or rice, washed
Salt

Garnish:
Dill, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil

Garlic-Yogurt Sauce:
1⁄2 cup plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

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

In a medium-sized pot, sauté the onion with salt and olive oil. Place the artichokes, bulgur and the water with lemon juice in it. The water should cover the artichokes. Cover and cook at medium-low heat until the artichokes are tender.

Let them cool down first. Then transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle them with more olive oil and garnish them with dill. Serve chilled or at room temperature with Garlic Yogurt Sauce.

Leek with Yogurt Casserole

(Sirkeli Pırasa - Sinop - Black Sea Region)

Only white parts of 4-5 large leeks, cut in 2 or 3 (cut them lengthwise in half), wash, drain
Salt
1/4 cup liquid oil, for frying
2-3 tbsp wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

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

Garnish:
Paprika

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).

Boil the leeks with salt water until they are tender, drain. Squeeze out the excess water, dry with a paper towel. Fry the leeks on both sides until light golden colour. Then, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil. Place them in an oven-proof dish. Drizzle the vinegar and pour the garlic yogurt sauce over the leeks.

Place the dish on the middle rack of the oven and cook for about 20 minutes. Garnish with paprika and serve at room temperature.

This is a surprisingly delicious dish:)

Mushrooms Sauteed with Chickpeas

(Alanya - Alanya Usulu Mantar Kavurma)

~25 medium-size mushrooms, cleaned, sliced
1/4 cup onion, sliced
1/3 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup water
Salt
Pepper

Saute the onion with olive oil and butter for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue to saute for 2 more minutes. Then, add in the mushrooms, chickpeas and water. Season with salt and pepper. Saute 4-5 more minutes at medium heat while stirring occasionally.

Serve while still warm.

Pickled Swiss Chard Stems Stir-Fry

(Pazı Sapı Turşusu Kavurması - Sivas - Central Anatolia)

Pickled Swiss Chard Stems (See, How to Make Pickled Chard Stems)
Onion, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil

Lightly caramelize the onion with olive oil. Add the pickled chard stems along a few strips of pickled red peppers. Continue to saute for 2-3 minutes more and serve.

Pan Fried Mushrooms

(Sacda Mantar Kavurma)

~350 g mushrooms, cleaned, cut in bite size
1 tbsp butter or 4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium size onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
2 medium size tomatoes, peeled, cut in small pieces
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in small pieces
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Paprika
Oregano

Start to saute the onion with butter. The cooking process is supposed to be in a sheet pan but since I do not have it, I used a Chinese pan (wok). Add the rest of the ingredients. Continue to saute for 4-5 minutes. Turn the heat off.

Season with paprika and oregano. Serve while still warm with pide or Pilaf on the side.

2 servings.

Green Lentils-Bulgur in Yogurt

(Mercimekli Katma - Mediterranean Region)

1/4 cup green lentils, soaked in water overnight, rinsed
1/3 cup Turkish bulgur, medium or large grain
1 cup water
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
~
1/2 cup yogurt, plain
2-3 fresh mint leaves, chopped
Paprika
Extra virgin olive oil

Place the green lentils, bulgur, water, cumin, salt and pepper in a medium-size pot. Cover and cook at low heat until all the water evaporates. Let it cool down. Cover it with the plain yogurt. Sprinkle some paprika and chopped mint leaves and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the top.

Serve the dish at room temperature or chilled. It is a great summer dish:)

Zucchini with Summer Vegetables and Bulgur

(Kabak Aşı - Aegean Region)

1 medium onion, sliced
1 long red sweet red pepper, iscard the seeds, cut in medium size
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, cut in medium size
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, diced
2 medium zucchinis, peeled, cut in medium size
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 handful medium grain bulgur, rinsed
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Fresh mint leaves, chopped

Place all the ingredients in a medium-size pot. Cover and cook at low heat until the vegetables are tender.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve with bread and Cacık and green garlic on the side.

2 servings.

Fried Eggplant Strips with Summer Vegetables

(Kırlı Patlıcan Kızartma - Aydın - Aegean Region)

4 small size eggplants - peel the skin in strips lengthwise without removing the stalks, soak in 2 cups of water with salt for about 15 minutes, dry with paper towel
Liquid oil for frying
~
2 large tomatoes, peeled, diced
1 medium size onion, sliced
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 cubanelle pepper, sliced
8-10 garlic cloves, unpeeled

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. Cut lengthwise into four by keeping the stalks.

Meanwhile saute the tomatoes, salt and pepper with 1 tsp olive oil at low-medium heat for about 15 minutes. Pour the tomato sauce over the eggplants equally. Arrange the green pepper strips and garlic cloves over the tops.

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Place the dish on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

4 servings.

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

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.

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:)

Tomatoes Stuffed with Ricotta Cheese

(Lorlu Domates Dolması)

4 mini size tomatoes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Water

Stuffing:
1 small onion, sliced
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Insides of 4 tomatoes
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
2-3 stems of parsley, washed, drained, chopped
1 tbsp walnuts, crumbled, lightly toasted
Pinch of cumin
Salt
Pepper

Cut off the tops of the tomatoes 3/4 of the way horizontally, leave the rest attached. Remove the insides of the tomatoes (used for the filling) with a teaspoon, put them aside.

To prepare the filling: saute the onion with olive oil until the color of the onions turns to light brown. Stir in the insides of tomatoes and cook until they are soft. Turn the heat off. Then add the cheese, parsley, walnuts, cumin, salt and pepper, mix. Fill the tomatoes with the filling using a spoon and close up the tops. Place the filled tomatoes in an oven-proof dish.

Set the oven to grill (broil) and place the oven dish on the middle rack, cook for 5 minutes. Then turn the oven to 400 F (200 C) and cook for another 15 minutes. Drizzle some extra virgin oil all over the tops. These are perfect if served at room temperature.

Spinach Root with Yogurt

(Ispanak Kökü Boranisi - Antakya - Mediterranean Region)

1 bunch spinach roots and stems
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt
1/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
2-3 tbsp water, warm
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup creamy yogurt
Mint

Cut off the roots and stems of the spinach in medium size and soak into salted water to get rid of all the dirt between the roots. Continue to wash until you see no more sand at the bottom of the bowl.

Meanwhile, saute the onion with olive oil for about 5 minutes. Stir garlic until fragrant for about 30 seconds. Then add the chickpeas, spinach roots and stems, water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the spinach roots are tender at medium heat. Do not overcook!

Place the creamy yogurt in a bowl. Take 2-3 spoons of juice of the dish and whisk with yogurt. Slowly pour this mixture over the spinach, stir. Simmer for about 5 minutes without the lid. Garnish with the mint and serve.

*You can use the spinach leaves to make Spinach Cake or Bulgur Pilaf with Spinach or Toyga Soup or Spinach Salad with Yogurt Sauce:)

Celery Root Cooked in Orange Juice

(Portakallı Kereviz)

1 large celery root, peeled, sliced
Enough water with half of lemon juice to cover the vegetables

4-5 green onions, cut in 4 or 5 pieces
~20 ml extra virgin olive oil (half for cooking, half for after cooking)
Juice from one orange
4-5 slices of orange
2-3 tbsp water with a few drops of lemon (taken from the lemon water to soak the vegetables)
Salt

Soak the celery slices into a cup of water with a few drops of lemon juice to prevent them from getting dark for about 5 minutes.

Remove and place in a shallow pot. Arrange the orange slices and green onions over the tops. Add the orange juice, water with lemon juice and salt. Cover and cook until the celery is tender at low heat.

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

Cheese Filled Zucchini

(Peynirli Kabak Dolması - Istanbul)

2 small-size zucchinis

Filling:
Inside of the zucchinis
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Topping:
4 tomato slices
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F (200 C).

Cut the zucchinis lengthwise in half. Make a slit around the seeds with the tip of a small knife. Remove the seeds with a teaspoon. Do not discard! Mix the filling ingredients with a teaspoon and fill in the zucchinis equally. Drizzle the olive oil and place the tomato slices on the tops.

Place parchment paper on your oven tray. Arrange the zucchinis on it. Cook for about 25 minutes until they are softened. Sprinkle some chopped dill and drizzle olive oil over the tops.

Serve the dish at room temperature or chilled.

Sauteed Vegetables with Black Olives and Feta Cheese

(Zeytin-Peynirli Sebze Sote)

1 zucchini, cut in bite size
1 onion, cut in chunks
10 mushrooms,cleaned, cut in 4
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Red pepper flakes, optional
Salt
Pepper

Turkish black olives
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Saute the vegetables with olive oil in a large pan at medium heat. Do not over cook! Turn the heat off. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cheese and black olives over the top, then serve.

It is a great brunch on hot Summer days:) You can also serve as a side dish with beef or chicken.