Sultan's Kitchen. Ozcan Ozan
with my mother as a child. We would dry them and in the winter we would stuff each fig with a walnut and eat them for dessert.
~ Mounds of fresh eggplants and string beans for sale
Olive trees are everywhere in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey. They produce all types of olives: black, green, light reddish green, beige, and pink, which are served at all meals, and they are often garnished with a drizzle of oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a sprinkling of dried herbs.
Fish are plentiful in these coastal regions and it is prepared in many ways. Almost everybody has a charcoal grill at home, even in the high-rise apartment buildings where they are kept and used on balconies. (I recently saw a true example of the old encountering the new when visiting my brother-in-law in İzmir, who was using a hair dryer to intensify the charcoal fire on his apartment balcony. He grilled çipura, a fish for which İzmir is famed. It was delicious!)
The flavors of Turkey have as broad a range as its many peoples and cultural influences. Some of these recipes are centuries old, and they have all evolved somewhat with time and with changing cooking methods. Despite the passage of time, these dishes are almost unmatched in their wholesomeness and rich flavors. The recipes I've collected here represent a sampling of Turkish cuisine. I am happy to share them with you, and welcome you to the world of Turkish food.
~ A summer luncheon (see menu above) served with Raisin Compote (page 150) and Rustic Turkish Bread (page 46)
SUGGESTED MENUS
ALL MENUS SERVE 4-6 PEOPLE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summer dinner menu
SOUP: High Plateau Soup (page 60)
APPETIZER: Stuffed Eggplant (page 19)
MAIN COURSE: Char-Grilled Swordfish Shish Kebab (page 110) and White Rice Pilaf (page 115)
SALAD: Shepherd's Salad (page 127)
DESSERT: Pistachio Semolina Cake (page 139) and Turkish Coffee (page 150)
Winter dinner menu
SOUP: Red lentil, Bulgur, and Mint Soup (page 66)
APPETIZER: Jerusalem Artichokes Cooked in Olive Oil (page 24)
MAIN COURSE: Pasha's Kofta (page 76) and Bulgur Pilaf with Peppers and Tomatoes (page 120)
SALAD: Daikon Radish Salad (page 128)
DESSERT: Baklava (page 137) and Turkish Coffee (page 150)
Summer lunch menu
Serve a sour cherry drink (page 151) or ayran, a yogurt drink (page 151), with this menu.
APPETIZER: Fried Eggplant and Green Peppers with Yogurt-Garlic and Tomato Sauces (page 20)
MAIN COURSE: Spicy Char-Grilled Kofta Shish Kebab (page 77) and Rice Pilaf with Chickpeas (page 115) and Onion Relish (page 15)
SALAD: Dandelion Salad (page 124)
DESSERT: Almond Pudding (page 147)
Winter lunch menu
APPETIZER: Spicy Pureed Tomatoes (page 19)
MAIN COURSE: lamb with White Beans in a Clay Pot (page 81) and White Rice Pilaf (page 115)
SALAD: Celeriac Salad (page 126)
DESSERT: Shredded Filo Dough with Walnuts (page 140)
DRINK: Turkish Tea (page 150)
TURIKISH INGREDIENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MOST OF THE INGREDIENTS USED IN TURKISH cuisine are not that unusual, and you will be able to find them in a well-stocked supermarket or gourmet shop. But there are a few items that you will need to buy in specialty or Middle Eastern food stores. See the list on page 153 for mail-order sources.
BEANS AND PEAS: Beans and peas are used widely in Turkish cooking, both fresh and dried. Some of the beans used in Turkey are slightly different, but I have given readily available alternatives in each recipe.
Dried beans and peas need to be soaked overnight to reduce their cooking time. Wash the beans and remove any pebbles or dirt. Place them in a pot or bowl with enough cold water so that the water level is 2 inches above the top of the beans. They can soak at room temperature, but refrigerate them if the weather is very warm. leave them to soak overnight (8-10 hours), and discard anything that floats to the surface. The next day, drain the beans and wash them again.
If you don't have time to soak the legumes overnight, you can prepare them using the quick method: place 2 cups of beans with 6 cups of water in a large pot and boil for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the beans sit for 1 hour before cooking. See also Fava Beans.
BLACK CARAWAY SEEDS (COREK OTU): These small black seeds are also called black cumin or nigella seeds. They have an intense fragrance and flavor unlike that of any other spice. In Turkey, they are sprinkled on pita bread, rolls, and other breads before baking.
BULGUR (CRACKED WHEAT): This cracked wheat comes in fine, medium and coarse grinds. Sold in supermarkets either in bulk or in boxes, it is used for making various pilafs and is added to salads. Use the fine grind for making salads, and medium to coarse grinds for pilafs.
CLARIFIED BUTTER (SUZME YAG): You can substitute regular butter wherever I have listed clarified butter in the ingredients lists, except in the desserts. I prefer to use clarified butter whenever melted butter is called for, especially in making pastries. Clarified butter lacks the impurities that cause butter to burn easily and turn black. Turkish desserts, such as baklava, keep longer at room temperature when they are made with clarified butter because the milk solids, which sour easily, have been removed.
To make 1 1/2 cups of clarified butter, melt a pound of butter in a saucepan over low heat until a white foam appears on the surface. Skim and discard the foam. Slowly pour the clarified butter in a bowl, leaving behind and discarding the milk solids that have collected at the bottom of the pan. It will keep for a few weeks stored in a cool place.
FRESH CORIANDER (KISNIS): This herb, which is sold in markets in this country under the Spanish name cilantro, is widely used in cooking in the southern and eastern parts of Turkey. Kişniş looks a bit like Italian flat-leafed parsley, but the leaves are more delicate. In Turkish cuisine, it lends its distinctive flavor to pilafs, salads, and soups. To keep it fresh for up to a week, place the coriander stems in a jar of water, cover with plastic bag, and refrigerate.
EGGPLANT (PATLICAN): Eggplant has a special place in Turkish cuisine, and it is featured in a wide range of dishes. In Turkey, the eggplants are small, long, and thin and range in color from purple to almost black. These are stuffed or added to stews and pilafs. In these recipes, I've recommended using Italian eggplants, which are similar. Globe eggplants, called bostan patlıcan, are also used in Turkey, in recipes that call for the flesh to be pureed like in beğendi, a creamed eggplant accompaniment to meat.
I use eggplants imported from Holland because I find them fresher and less bitter than those grown here. When buying eggplants, make sure the skins are tight and smooth, without any dark spots. The stems should be green and fresh.
~ Top Row: saffron, pistachio nuts, mastic, almonds