Turkish Zucchini Fritters (Kabak Mücveri)

I have made mücver throughout the summer without following a recipe and each time making differently. This version, by far has been the tastiest one. Most of the time, I do not add white cheese and I think I will never make them again without it. The cheese adds such a wonderful flavor. I was already full when I made these, but I couldn’t resist so I ate two while making them. These are also great for little children who usually would not eat zucchinis. Enjoy!

3 zucchinis

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic (optional)

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ cup crumbled Turkish white cheese (or feta)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried mint

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp cumin

2 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup olive oil

Peel the zucchinis in stripes and grate them along with the onion. Squeeze all the juice out from the zucchinis and the onion. Add the rest of the ingredients except the olive oil. Mix well.

Heat about ¼ cup of oil and place spoonful of the zucchini mixture. 

Cook several minutes on each side until both sides are golden brown. 

Remove and add another ¼ cup of olive oil for the next batch. Repeat this until all the olive oil and the zucchini mixture is used up.

Serve with yogurt garlic sauce (crushed garlic mixed with yogurt) at room temperature.

Eggplant with Green Lentils (Mualla/Yeşil Mercimekli Patlıcan)

Eggplant is one of my favorite summer vegetables. I don’t seem to be cooking with it as much now since my kids don’t love it. One day, I really craved eggplants so I decided to make something saucy with eggplants. This recipe is traditionally made in Hatay/Antakya (Antioch) region and it is just incredibly delicious. The pomegranate molasses gives it such a good kick. It is particularly delicious with flat bread, but I served it with rice, instead of bread.

2 large eggplants

3 large tomatoes (peeled and diced)

3-4 green peppers (cut in fourths and sliced)

1 large onion (cut in fourths and sliced)

4 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 cup green lentils

1 tbsp red pepper paste

2 tsp crushed red peppers

1 tsp dried mint

1 tsp sumac

2 tsp salt

¼ cup pomegranate molasses

½ tsp thyme

¾ cup olive oil

Peel the eggplants in stripes. Cut each eggplant in eights and slice diagonally. 

Fill a large pot with cold water and add salt. Place the sliced eggplants in salty water and let sit for an hour.

Wash the lentils and place in a small pot. Add two cups of water and boil for 35-40 minutes or until the lentils absorb all the water and are soft.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked lentils, green peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, sumac, mint, crushed red pepper, red pepper paste, thyme and pomegranate molasses. 

Drain the eggplants and set aside. In the bottom of a large pot place half the lentil mixture. 

Place the eggplant slices on top of the mixture and pour the rest of the lentil mixture on the top. Drizzle with olive oil.

 

Cook on stove top for 15 minutes on high heat and then turn down the heat and cook for 1 hour. Enjoy with rice.

Turkish Style Potato Salad (Türk Usulü Patates Salatası)

 

Here is a simple, light and delicious potato salad: Turkish style.  There is no mayonnaise or eggs in it, but if you would like it a little creamy, both ingredients can be added. Instead of green onions dried red onion and instead of green garlic a garlic clove can be used. The green onions and green garlic are from my small garden so I preferred to use them. The pictures show more green onions and garlic than what the recipe calls for. The last minute, I decided not to use them all in the recipe and left them for other types of salads. For two medium potatoes, I think the amount of the greens is perfect. Enjoy!

2 medium russet potatoes

½ cup chopped green onions & green garlic (3 green onions and 1 green garlic)

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp sumac

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

¼ cup olive oil

Place the whole potatoes with skin in a sauce pan and fill water to cover them. Boil for about 45 minutes or until tender. This can be checked with a fork.

Let them cool. Peel the skin. 

Cube the potatoes and place in a deep bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss. Enjoy alone as a snack or a side dish. 

Walnut Spread with Red Pepper (Biberli Ceviz)

Besides the taste and the simplicity, the versatility of this dish encourages me to make it more often. As it is traditionally served as a spread on flat bread, it can also be served as a spread for sandwiches, wraps and crackers. It is a quick way of getting a healthy, filling and tasty dish. I actually had it with baked flounder and potatoes the next day which turned out really great. Biberli ceviz is made in the city of Antakya, Turkey(the region I am from) very frequently however we did not consume it much in our household. Only recently did I start making it mainly because I was in search of quick, delicious Turkish meals. This one is a keeper!

2 cups shelled walnuts

3 tbsp red pepper paste

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp cumin

2 cloves garlic

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1 slice of wheat bread cut in small pieces (or white bread)

Dash of salt (adjust to your taste)

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and grind until a paste is attained. Serve on top of bread or crackers as an appetizer, side dish, a snack or as a spread for a sandwich.

 

Dried Red Pepper Salad (Kuru Kırmızı Biber Salatası)

This recipe has been waiting to be published for a few months now and finally I got the chance to publish it. Due to my busy work schedule it has been very difficult to keep up with my blog in the past year or so but I will try to keep it going as long as I can. I do have many more Turkish recipes and can’t wait to share them with my readers.

This recipe was not very labor intensive and tastes delicious so I thought it is perfect for another post. When my mother last visited me, she made a dried red pepper salad for us. She used sliced dried peppers which she had brought from Turkey that had thin skin. I very much enjoyed it and wanted to try it myself. Since the dried red peppers I purchased had tough skin, I decided to remove the flesh from the skin before preparing the salad. Although the texture was different, the taste was very close to my mother’s salad.

This can be enjoyed as a side with a variety of entrees. A cup of plain yogurt also would go well with it. Enjoy.

1/3 lb dried red peppers (any kind)
¼ cup parsley (chopped fine)
1 large clove garlic (chopped fine)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
Water for boiling


Boil half pot of water. Soak the dried peppers covered for 30 minutes in the hot water. Run through cool water and drain. With a sharp knife, slit each pepper lengthwise on a cutting board. Remove and discard the seeds. Gently, remove the flesh of the pepper from the skin by running the knife from the top portion of the pepper towards the end. The flesh of the pepper will most likely stick to the knife, so remove carefully and place in a bowl. Repeat this until all the peppers are cleaned and removed from the skin.

If the skin of the peppers is thin you may slice the peppers instead of going through the trouble of removing the flesh from the skin. If the skin is tough, it is best to remove and only use the flesh.

Add the garlic, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and salt to the bowl with the peppers. Mix well and serve at room temperature.

Note: This salad can be served as a paste in sandwiches. It goes especially well with chicken sandwiches.

Dandelion Salad (Hindiba Salatası)

The taste of dandelions my mother picked selectively from the weeds from our garden many years ago has been active in my palate since childhood. After developing a curiosity for cooking, the name of this wild weed that tasted superb was a question in my head. I had guessed that it may have been dandelions, but to me dandelions were bitter weeds that are not very tasty. I purchased them every once in a while just because they were extremely healthy. One day, it was confirmed that the unforgotten weed with a delicious taste reminiscent from my childhood was indeed dandelion and I was not cooking it properly. The good taste of this green weed wasn’t being maximized. The secret was the way it was prepared. I remember every single ingredient in that dandelion salad my mother made when I was still a kid so, I decided to recreate it to acquire the same exact taste.

Most of the dandelions that were available to me at grocery stores and the farmer’s market were more mature and hence chewy. Luckily, recently I found young, whole dandelions not separated by the leaves at my favorite grocery store. The dandelions in my memory were cooked as a whole with all the leaves attached since they were young and tender. The salad in this recipe turned out to be almost free of the bitter taste and very appetizing.

2 bunches dandelions (approx. 2 lb)
3 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp paprika
¼ cup olive oil
2 ½ tbsp pomegranate molasses

Wash dandelions thoroughly and cut off the roots. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the dandelions for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and run cold water over the cooked greens to stop the cooking process. Cool and drain. Gently squeeze the dandelions to remove excess water and place in a bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, paprika and the pomegranate molasses. Toss and serve at room temperature.

Note: If the leaves are tough, they should be discarded as they will be chewy. Young dandelions should be picked.

Lobster Sauté (Sotelenmiş Istakoz)

Although I do not cook lobster often, this was the first time I cooked a lobster with spices rather than just steaming. Using ingredients commonly used in Mediterranean cooking, the lobster turned out to be very flavorful and light. It was still tender after being steamed and sautéed in oil.

The sautéed lobster can be a delicious ingredient for a sandwich as well being served as a salad, side dish or main dish. We ate it with rice pilaf and steamed vegetables.

1 whole steamed lobster
2 tbsp white onion
1 garlic clove (chopped)
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp white vinegar
½ tsp salt

Cut whole lobster in half lengthwise and remove meat from the tail and claws of the lobster. A cracker will be needed to remove meat from the claws. Roughly chop the meat. Set aside.

Heat olive oil on medium heat. Sprinkle paprika, black pepper and salt on the oil. Add garlic and onions. Sauté until onions are translucent. Pour vinegar. Add the lobster pieces along with the parsley and sauté for 1 minute. Serve warm or cold with potatoes, rice or bulgur pilaf.

Green Bean with Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasülye)

In my opinion, cooking vegetables in season makes a big difference in the taste of a dish. I try to purchase vegetables and fruits in season because I believe they are fresher and taste better. One of those vegetables that I prefer in season is green beans. There are already a few other green bean recipes posted on Turkish Food Passion and here is one more! It’s light, delicious and healthy green which is usually eaten cold or at room temperature. It can be served as a salad, appetizer or a side dish.

1 lb green beans
2 large ripe tomatoes (peeled and sliced)
2 shallots (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt
¼ cup water
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Remove the ends of the beans and cut in thirds. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Sauté garlic and shallots until shallots are transparent. Add beans to the pan and mix. Cook for 5 minutes stirring a few times. Add salt, black pepper, vinegar and water. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the beans and cook for 30 minutes on medium heat. Lower heat and cook another 30 minutes. Let it cool and serve cold.

Eggplant Salad (Patlıcan Salatası)

Today, I almost published a delightful, new cake recipe that I came up with last week. However, the pictures of the cake could have turned out a little better, so I will have to make this cake again sometime soon since there is no more cake now to photograph again. Instead, I will leave you with a common Turkish appetizer; eggplant salad. Since the summer has started to show its signs in most places, the markets are now full of seasonal vegetables, such as eggplant which is widely employed in Turkish cooking.

This salad is mainly served as an appetizer, but I don’t always follow rules, so eat it as you wish. You may eat it as an appetizer, as a side dish or even as a main meal.

4 medium eggplants
2 Anaheim peppers
3 small tomatoes
1 shallot (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
¼ cup parsley (chopped)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 ¼ tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Puncture the eggplants and peppers with a knife. Place in a baking tray along with the tomatoes and broil until both sides of each vegetable are soft.
Remove and cool. Peel eggplant, tomatoes and peppers and dice after removing the seeds from the peppers.
Heat olive oil in a medium pot. Add the shallots and garlic until onions are transparent. Add the diced eggplants, green peppers and tomatoes. Stir and add salt, red pepper flakes and ground black pepper and cook on low for about 30 minutes. Just before removing from heat, add the chopped parsley and stir. Cool and refrigerate for at least five hours before serving. Enjoy with a warm piece of bread as an appetizer, salad or side dish.

Fried Vegetables (Sebze Kızartması)

The summer is almost here and what is better than a meal with summer vegetables? This summer vegetable salad which is made frequently in our household in Turkey is filling and very tasty. Since this salad is made with fried vegetables, I rarely make it, but when I do, I prefer using olive oil. Sometimes, I broil the vegetables instead of frying however it tastes best when the veggies are fried. The only missing vegetable in this dish is green, long peppers which adds a slight hotness to the salad. Other vegetables can also be used such as cauliflower and okra. Enjoy with your choice of veggies.


2 medium eggplants
2 zucchinis
3 medium potatoes
3 tomatoes
2 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
¼ cup flat leaf parsley (chopped finely)
1 tbsp salt
½ tsp ground red pepper
Juice of ½ lemon
1 cup olive oil

Scrape off the skin of the zucchinis and peel the eggplants in stripes.

Cut the zucchinis lengthwise in half. Place each half flat bottom side down on a cutting board and slice.

Put the sliced zucchinis in a small bowl.

Cut the eggplants in half and follow the same process of slicing as the zucchinis.

Place in a separate bowl with cold water and a dash of salt to prevent discoloration.

Peel the potatoes and cut in half similar to the zucchinis and eggplants.

Place in a separate bowl with cold water in order to prevent them from turning brown.

Cut the tomatoes in quarters lengthwise and set aside.

Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large non-stick pan. In the mean time, prepare a large bowl with 5-6 folds of paper towel in it to absorb the oil.

Drain the eggplants and salt them. Add a batch of the eggplants to the pan. Turn over once they become soft or start to get a hint of brownish color. When they are slightly brownish on both sides, remove from pan and place on the bowl with paper towels.

Next, drain and salt the potatoes to the frying pan. Fry until the bottom side of the slices get a light brownish color. Turn over until the other sides of the potato take a golden color. Remove and add on top of the fried eggplants in the bowl.

Next, sprinkle salt to the zucchinis and fry until the zucchinis are soft and take a slight golden color. Add in the bowl with the potatoes and eggplants.

Place the tomato slices in the remaining oil and fry until the skin of the tomatoes separate from the flesh. Place in the bowl with the other vegetables.

Remove the paper towel carefully from the bowl. Sprinkle with ground red pepper. Add the chopped parsley and garlic. Squeeze the lemon and mix the ingredients in the bowl until the lemon, parsley, garlic and red pepper are integrated with the vegetables. Adjust salt according to taste. Serve with flat bread and plain, cold yogurt.

Celery Root (Kereviz Kökü)

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that every one had a nice holiday season. Even though, I had planned to start the New Year with a dessert recipe on my blog, I just did not have the time to make a dessert or any type of dish for that matter. My family was visiting from Turkey and I spent precious time with my family. Unfortunately, I did not get to cook together with my mom much and write down some of her favorite recipes since we concentrated on family time and travels when I was off. When I was working, it was wonderful to find delicious Turkish food ready for me at home. Despite the fact that I love cooking, nothing beats home cooked meals by my mom.

I posted some of my previously prepared posts while I was away, but unfortunately, I do not have many unpublished recipes left. This celery root recipe was also written last year and I thought it is a good time to publish it. I will start cooking again (hopefully soon) for the sake of my blog.

Although, it is not my favorite root vegetable, celery root is extremely light and healthy. This vegetable is commonly used for therapeutic purposes against a number of diseases around the world.

Celery root is very popular in Turkey and this recipe was inspired from ‘Anatolian Feast’ Turkish Cookbook which is my favorite cookbook. Celery root can be found easily in markets during the winter season. This dish is perfect as a side dish. Enjoy.

1 celery root (peeled and sliced)
1 small onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (diced)
2 carrots (diced)
1 large tomato (diced)
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp cumin
½ tbsp chopped fresh dill
½ lemon juice or lime juice
½ tsp salt
1 cup water
Fresh dill for garnish

Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Saute onions and garlic. Add carrots and then tomatoes. Spice up the ingredients with cumin and dill. Add salt and sauté until soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

Take one slice of the celery root and place a few tablespoons of stuffing on top.

Place another slice of celery root on top of the stuffing and repeat the same process until all the stuffing and celery root slices are used up.

Place the stuffed celery root in a pan and add the water. Squeeze ¼ of a lemon on top and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook covered for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with fresh dill and serve at room temperature.

Note: If you desire, you may pour 2-3 tbsp olive oil on the celery root slices prior to cooking.

Broiled Zucchini (Izgara Kabak)

Here is another tasty, yet simple to make appetizer/side dish. The zucchinis would taste much better if you throw them on an outdoor grill. Enjoy.

2 lb medium zucchinis
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Remove stem and cut zucchinis in half. Arrange in a large baking pan. Add salt, pepper, paprika and oregano to both sides of the zucchinis. Brush with olive oil on both sides. Heat oven broiler at 500º F. Keep the oven door half open to avoid any fire dangers. Broil each side of the zucchinis for 7-8 minutes until golden brown. Serve as a side dish or an appetizer.

Bulgur Balls with Spinach and Garlic (Sarımsaklı ve Ispanaklı Bulgur Köftesi)

One of my favorite snacks/appetizers is the bulgur balls with spinach and garlic. These bulgur balls have numerous names. The funny thing is that I did not know the name until I started to write the recipe and begin to think about its name. I grew up with this food, no question about it, but I had no idea what it was called. In my internet search, I found out that it can be called ‘Fellah Köftesi’, ‘Sarımsaklı Köfte’ and some other names. I have to emphasize the spinach and garlic in it, hence I am calling it ‘Sarımsaklı ve Ispanaklı Bulgur Köftesi’ meaning ‘Bulgur Balls with Spinach and Garlic’. To me, that is the most reasonable way of describing it. This dish is mainly known in Southern provinces of Turkey such as Hatay, Adana and Mersin. I would not be surprised if it is also known in Gaziantep and other Southeastern provinces where a very rich variety of food exists.

Instead of spinach, you may also use green beans with red pepper paste sauce. Bulgur balls with tomato sauce and garlic are also very popular. I will start with this as it is my favorite one and will continue with other versions of this recipe at later dates.

In Turkey, generally, this recipe is made in get-togethers and ladies tea parties. Usually, one person does not sit and make the whole thing; it’s a collaborative effort where a few friends or neighbors get together to make it. As you may imagine, rolling every single of these balls can be pretty time consuming if you are making them in large amounts. Having help does allow these bulgur balls to be rolled in no time. Back home in Turkey, these are made in large quantities and shared with neighbors and friends.

The last time I ate this at home was two years ago as a result of my request. Every year when I visit home, my mother would ask for my wish list. What would I like to eat? She certainly prepares my favorite foods first, such as İçli Köfte (Stuffed Bulgur Balls) just before I arrive and just before I leave. My mom never allows me to cook or even help her while I am on vacation as she sees it more like work rather than enjoyment (I am sure most moms are the same). Only if she knew... :) Even though I have shared my blog with her, she probably still does not believe I am able to cook all this food as I had no culinary interests when I was living at home. I guess since I have no access to my mom’s food, I kind of had to learn myself. Although, I never have time to cook there anyway as a result of travel, the beach, catching up with family, friends and relatives.

Before I get off the subject, one day during my vacation, my mother in law was visiting. My mother had asked me what I wanted to eat earlier. I had mentioned that I was craving bulgur balls with spinach and garlic. She was surprised as she thought I came all the way from America and I want to eat bulgur balls with spinach and garlic? She was making every effort to prepare the fanciest, the best food she could think of during my short visits. My mother in law is also one that makes every effort to make the best meal possible and almost forces me to eat more and more. She either thinks I need to gain some weight or that I should be crazy not to stuff myself with all this food that I cannot find in the States. No wonder why after we finish our meal and slow down, they (women in the area I grew up) start complaining about their weight and half of the conversation goes about how to lose weight ... Then, they try to figure out why they gain weight; most of the time the conclusion amazingly would be that their weight gain occurs due to ‘water’ or/and ‘air’! ‘Water’, because they drink too much water and ‘air’ because they swallow air which “causes” them to look inflated than they actually are! Eventually, reality sinks in and they realize that it is really not ‘air’ or ‘water’ that causes the weight gain but the amount of food they eat. :)

Of course, their intention with insisting on eating lots of food is certainly a good one since in Turkish culture, food is a big part of hospitality. With an enormous pleasure, they will cook a feast for their guests and would probably get offended if you do not eat. I think it would be very difficult to stay very slim in Turkey as guests come and go daily and when there are guests, many types of snacks/foods are served. The guests are joined by the host in eating; otherwise it would be impolite.

I know I am going off track here… Back to the bulgur balls... My mother in law and my mom started to make the bulgur balls together. Half of the mixture was made with spinach and the other half with green beans. They finished quickly and we had it for lunch that day.

I decided to try to make it here by myself, since I do not cook in large quantities unless I have company. This is the result of my recipe and both my husband and I were pleased with the result.

For the Bulgur Balls:

2 cups bulgur (fine grind)
1 cup flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup hot water

For the Spinach Mixture:

2 bunches fresh spinach
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
½ cup olive oil
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt (adjust to your taste)

Ttriple wash the spinach. Let the spinach soak in a big pot or bowl filled with cold water. Wash each leaf of spinach individually if you do not like to have any kind of dirt on them. I wash them individually and then soak them in cold water and drain them three times.

Put the spinach leaves in a large pot full of boiling water. If you have a pot that comes with colander (usually used for cooking pasta), that will make boiling the spinach easier. Cook for two minutes and remove the colander from the pot. If you use a regular pot, just pour the contents of the pot into a colander. Place the colander under cold water so the spinach stops cooking. Let them drain.

In the mean time, prepare the bulgur balls. Place the bulgur in a large shallow bowl. Pour the hot water and mix to make sure all the bulgur is soaked. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes until the bulgur is soft.

Add all the other ingredients to make the bulgur balls. Knead for 10 minutes. You will need to dip your hand in water while kneading so have a bowl full of water ready. The bulgur balls will dry easily and that is why soaking the hand is necessary when kneading.

You may also use a stand mixer to mix the ingredients for the bulgur balls. Combine all the bulgur ball ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer and using the flat beater attachment, mix the ingredients for the bulgur for a few minutes on speeds 2 and 4 respectively. Do not add any of the ingredients for the spinach mixture.

Once the bulgur is soft enough and ready to be shaped, dip your hands in the water, pull a small amount of the bulgur in the size of a quarter, roll it and give it a gentle punch with your finger. See picture.



Fill half of a large pot with water and boil. Add the bulgur balls and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Cool the bulgur balls.



Since the bulgur balls are ready, now it is time to prepare the spinach mixture. Squeeze the spinach to let out the water it holds. I usually create large balls of spinach and squeeze them until all the water is drained. Give the spinach a coarse chop. Place the spinach in a large bowl and add all the ingredients listed above for the spinach mixture. Mix well so that the salt and the seasonings are evenly distributed.


Add this mixture to the cooled bulgur balls and mix again so that the spinach mixture and the bulgur balls are married together.

Serve at room temperature along with cold yogurt.