Turkish Apple Tea

(Elma Cayi)

2 red apples, do not peel and do not remove the seeds, cut in 4 or 6
1 orange, do not peel, cut in 4 or 6
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole cloves
4 cup water

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until the fruits are tender. Strain into the bowl pushing gently with the back back of the spoon to remove all the liquid. Then pour into the tea glasses.

If you like you may sweeten with honey.

Apple Tea
Apple Tea speeds up metabolism increases the amount of urine. It makes people who have weight problem throw edema. Boil the orange with its skin which contains citric acid. Citric acid is also available in medication for losing weight.
Thanks to the mineral salts found in Apple Tea that act as urine remover and blood cleaner. In addition, it strengthens the body against uric acid and rheumatism. Vitamins and mineral salts gives energy and freshness. The presence of vitamin A keeps the respiratory tract, nerve system, blood vessels and the skin healthy.
Apple Tea strengthens both the heart and stomach.

Turkish Spinach Pide

(Ispanakli Pide)

Dough Ingredients:
7 gr active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 + 3/4 cup warm water or milk
~ 2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp olive oil

Topping:
1 bunch spinach, cut off the roots, washed, drained, copped
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1-2 garlic clove, chopped
2 tbsp red pepper paste, mild

Glaze:
1 tbsp yogurt mixed with 2 tbsp water

Topping Preparation:
Saute the onion with olive oil until it is softened, add garlic. When the smells come out turn the heat off. Add the red pepper paste, spinach and feta cheese, toss. Put it a side.

Dough Preparation:
In a small bowl, mix the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. Stir well so the yeast dissolves. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, sift the flour and salt. Add in the bubbly yeast mixture and 3/4cup warm water and olive oil. Mix and place the dough on the lightly floured counter. Knead well for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth (no more crumbles). Then spread 1 tsp of olive oil inside a clean bowl. Place the dough in it and turn it upside down to spread olive oil all the surface. Then cover it with a clean, damp towel. Put aside for about an hour at room temperature until the dough rises to double its size.

Place the dough on the lightly floured counter. Press all over with your hands to get rid of any air bubbles. Cut the dough in 4 pieces with a knife. Knead and give a ball shape to each, cover with a damp towel, and put aside for about 15 minutes. With your hands to flatten and then use a roller give a long oval shape each one. Dived the topping in two, spread on the each dough. Fold the long sides towards the inside, then twist the ends to give a boat shape.

Place parchment paper on an oven tray, then arrange the doughs on it. Brush some yogurt mixture along the edges.

Preheat the oven to 500 F (250 C). Place the tray on the middle rack and bake for about 15 minutes. Immediately brush butter or olive oil on the edges.

4 Spinach Pide.

Turkish Spinach Pide with Egg


Meanwhile poached one egg for each pide. Boil 3 cups water with 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp vinegar in a large pot. After bubbling, turn down the heat to medium-low. Crack the eggs into the water side by side. Cover the lid and let the eggs cook for 3 minutes. Take the eggs out with a perforated spoon. Place the eggs over the top of the each Spinach Pide. Serve with lemon wedges.

Snow Pudding

(Karyagdi Tatlisi)

3 cups homogenized milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup coco powder
1/2 cup + 1 tbs all purpose flour
1 tbsp unsalted butter

12 round shape chocolate thins cookies

Garnish:
Sweetened flaked coconut

Place all the ingredients (except butter) in a large pot. Stir constantly at medium heat. Add the butter. Cook until it gets enough thickness, stir occasionally. Take it off the stove. Pour into the blender. Blend for about 5 minutes over medium speed. Put 2 cookies at the bottom of each bowl. Pour in the bowls equally.

After letting them cool, place the bowls in the fridge for 12 hours. Sprinkle flaked coconuts all over the tops.

6 bowls Snow Pudding.

Çökertme Kebab

(Bodrum)

250 beef or veal strips, I cut the strips in 2 or 3

Marinade:
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt

2 medium sized white potatoes, cut in julien
1 cup sunflower oil

2 cubanelle peppers
6-8 cherry tomatoes

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

First, fill medium sized plastic bowl halfway with water and add 1 tbsp salt in it. Soak the potato slices in it for about 20 minutes. Heat up the liquid oil in a frying pan. Drain the potatoes, but don't rinse them and dry with a paper towel. When the oil heats up, fry the potatoes until golden brown. Afterwards, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.

Marinate the beef strips for about 4 hours or overnight in the fridge in a container with a lid. Bring the beef to room temperature 10 minutes before cooking. Heat up the Teflon pan. Than put the beef strips in it. Cook until the beef is tender. Season the beef with salt and pepper, turn the heat off.

Meanwhile saute the peppers and tomatoes with the butter for about 5-6 minutes in the pan.

Place the fried potatoes on a service plate. Arrange the cooked beef on them. Garnish with peppers and tomatoes. Put the Yogurt Sauce on top and serve while still warm.

2 servings.

Eggplant Jam

(Patlıcan Reçeli)

6 petite size eggplant ~6 cm long

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup water
4 cloves
2 tbsp lemon juice

Don't remove the stems and caps of the eggplants. Peeled them very fine. Soak them into the 2 cups of water with salt for about 15 minutes. Gently squeeze the eggplants with your hand. Bring to boil some water in a small sauce pan. Add the eggplants and boil for about 7-8 minutes at medium heat. Drain, let them cool down. Gently squeeze the eggplants with your palm.

Melt the sugar, water and cloves in a small sized pot. Bring to boil then add the eggplants and turn the heat to down. Cook for about 25 minutes at low heat. Put a drop of syrup on a cold plate, if it is not runny and stays, then it's done. Add the lemon juice, stir. Turn the heat off after 2 minutes. Let it cool down.

You may serve Eggplant Jam with Thick Turkish Cream.

Codfish with Swiss Card and Sultana Raisin

(İsviçre Pazısı ve Üzümlü Morina Filetosu)

500 gr Codfish fillet, cut in medium size pieces
Bunch of red Swiss chard, washed and cut the stems off*
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium size onion, sliced
1-2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 medium size tomato, peeled, cut in cubes
1 Bay leaf
2 tbsp Sultana raisins, soak into the hot water for 15 minutes, drain
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted

Put all the leaves one on the top of the other, roll, then cut in julienne. Fill a large pot half way with water and boil. Add in Swiss chard, stir and drain.

Saute the onion with butter and olive oil for about 3-4 minutes in a large skillet. Add the garlic when the smell of the garlic comes out, place the tomato, Swiss chard, salt and pepper. Arrange the fish pieces and Bay leaf on the top. Sprinkle Sultana raisins and put the lid on. First turn the heat to high, then in a minute turn to very low-medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes. If there is so much juice, turn the heat to higher in order to reduce the amount of water in the pot.

Then turn the heat off, discard the Bay leaf. Gently slide the dish onto the service plate. Sprinkle the lightly toasted pine nuts all over the dish. Serve with the lemon wedges and Ezo Gelin Pilaf on the side.

2 servings.

* Don't throw the stems, make Swiss Card Stems with Yogurt Sauce .

Swiss Card Stems with Yogurt Sauce

(Yoğurtlu Pazı Sapı)

Bunch of red Swiss chard stems, washed and cut in 1 cm long
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

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

Garnish:
1 tsp mint
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or red pepper

Bring to boil some salted water in the pot, then throw the stems in it. Boil just 10 minutes and drain.

Meanwhile, saute the onion with olive oil for about 3-4 minutes. Add the stems, saute for about 2-3 more minutes.

Place on a service plate. Let it cool down. Whisk the yogurt with mashed garlic and place all over the them. Sprinkle some mint and red pepper over the top.

2 servings.

Spinach-Chicken on Turkish Bread

(Ispanaklı-Tavuklu Ekmek)

Half loaf of Turkish bread or French bread or Artisan bread

Filling:
~300 gr spinach, frozen, chopped, thaw and drain
Cooked chicken pieces or use left over chicken or Turkey meat
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1-2 garlic clove, sliced
3-5 tbsp crushed tomato, in can
1/2 cup feta (white) cheese, crumbled
Salt
Pepper
Crushed pepper

Saute the onion with olive oil for about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, when the smell of garlic comes out add the spinach, crushed tomato, salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 more minutes. Cut in half the bread in length. Spread the cooked spinach mixture all over the cut side. Arrange the chicken pieces and feta cheese on top. Sprinkle the crushed pepper all over them. Put the bread on the oven tray.

Preheat the oven to 450 F (230 C). Place the tray on middle rack. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the edges golden. Serve while still warm with Ayran. If you like slice them up and serve as a finger food at your party:)

2 servings.

Candied Chestnuts in Syrup

(Kestane Şekeri)

500 gr chestnut
1 cup sugar
2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

When buying chestnuts, choose the fat ones, as they will be more delicious. Soak the chestnuts in water for about 15-20 minutes to get them to soften. Using a small knife, cut the shells horizontally on the top (fat) side. Place the chestnuts in a medium size pot, cover them with the water. Boil them for about 5 minutes. Remove the shells and inner skins using a small knife.

Clean the same pot, put sugar, water and vanilla extract in it. Boil it for about 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts into the syrup, close the lid. Cook for about an hour over just under the medium heat.

Let the chestnuts cool down first in the pot. There should be a little bit syrup left. If the syrup is too much, cook a little bit longer without the lid.

Place them into the glass container with the syrup, put the lid on and keep it in the refrigerator. For servings, place them individually in the candy cups.

New Year Eve's Menu:
-Potato Soup , Chicken with Cherry Sauce and Appetizers.

Chicken with Cherry Sauce

(Vişneli Tavuk)

1 whole chicken
1 lemon, cut in 4
1 small onion, peeled
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
Salt
Pepper

Cherry Sauce:
1 cup Cherry compote juice, in jar-in light syrup
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp corn starch
1 1/2 cup cherries
1 tbsp butter, unsalted

1 /4 cup sliced almond, roasted

Wash the chicken and dry it with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper inside and outside of chicken. Also season with oregano inside of it and place lemon wedges and onion in it. Spread the butter all over the chicken with your hand. Place chicken in a oven dish, cover with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven 500 F (260 C), cook for about half an hour. Remove the aluminum foil, reduce the heat to 350 F (180 C), cook another 1 hour. Let sit chicken 10 minutes, then cut in four.

In the meantime prepare the sauce; Place the sugar, honey, cinnamon and corn starch in a small pot. Slowly add 1 cup of cherry compote juice and stir constantly to avoid lumps over medium heat. When it gets thicker, add in the cherries and butter. Cook for 1 more minute and turn the heat off.

Place the baked chicken pieces on a service plates. Pour the cherry sauce over the chicken, sprinkle some roasted almonds and serve with Pilaf with Orzo .

4 servings.

Potato Soup

(Patates Çorbası)

2 medium sized potato, peeled, cut in small cubes
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, peeled, cut in small cubes
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in small cubes
1 Bay leaf
2 1/2 cup chicken stock
Salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest

Saute the onion and carrot with butter for 2-3 minutes on medium heat in a medium sized pot. Add the potatoes and continue to saute for about 4-5 more minutes. Add the flour and stir one more minute. Now add the chicken broth, cubanelle pepper, salt and pepper. Cook until the carrot in tender on low-medium heat. Add the parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest. Discard the Bay leaf. Immediately pour into individual bowls and serve.

2 servings.

Turkish Pastrami Borek

(Paçanga Böreği)

4 sheets Phyllo Pastry

Filling:
~150 gr Pastırma (Turkish Pastrami), sliced, remove the chemen*, break in medium size pieces
1 tsp butter
1 medium tomato, peeled, discard the seeds, cut in small cubes
1/4 cup Kaşar or mozzarella cheese, grated
Salt
Pepper

Glaze:
1 egg yolk

Saute pastırma with tomato and butter over low-medium heat for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Place two sheets on top of each other on the counter and position them vertically. Cut them in three strips from top to bottom. Put some filling on the bottom side of each sheet, sprinkle some cheese on top. First fold the ends from the outside to the inside, then roll it up. Soak the open end in the water and close it up (picture).

Place parchment paper on an oven tray and arrange the Borek with the folded side facing down. Brush the tops with egg yolk.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Bake for 15-18 minutes until the tops take a golden colour.

*If you like, fry each borek equally over medium heat until they take a light golden color. Don't leave the stove as they fry quickly:) Place ones that are done on a paper towel to soak up extra oil.

6 Turkish Pastrami Börek.

*Chemen: Cumin paste (a condiment prepared from ground cumin seeds, red pepper, and garlic and used to coat the outside of pastırma).

Fried Green Pepper with Tomato Sauce

(Domates Soslu Biber Kızartması)

4 Cubanelle Peppers or long green peppers
1/2 cup sunflower oil

Sauce:
2 large tomatoes, peeled, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed pepper
Salt

Place sunflower oil in a medium sized skillet. When the oil heats up, fry the peppers on both sides until golden brown. While you're frying the pepper, cover it with a paper towel since the oil will spit. Afterwards, place on a paper towel and wait until they cool down. Then peel off the thin layer of skin with your hands. Meanwhile, remove the seeds from the pepper.

Combine all the tomato sauce ingredients in a small pot. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Make sure it doesn't dry out.

Put the peppers on a service plate. Pour the tomato sauce over it and refrigerate. Serve the dish at room temperature or chilled as an appetizer. Try serving this dish with bread.

Fried Diced Liver with Red Peppers

(Arnavut Ciğeri)

500 gr lamb liver, peel the membrane and remove the nerves then cut in cubes
1 tsp red pepper
1/2 cup flour, all purpose
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Sprinkle the red pepper all over the lamb cubes. Then roll them on the flour. They should be coated well with flour.

Meanwhile, heat the oil up in a large frying pan. Fry the livers, turn them occasionally. Take them out with a perforated spoon and place on a paper towel to soak up extra oil. Season them with cayenne pepper and salt. Serve Fried Diced Liver with Red Peppers with the Onion Salad by the side.

Onion Salad:
Red or white onion, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
Parsley, washed and drained
Lemon, cut in 8 pieces
Some sumac

Sprinkle 1 tbsp salt and rub the onion slices with your hand. Rinse and drain. Toss the parsley and onion, place in plate. Sprinkle some sumac all over them.

Turkish Green Olive Salad

(Yesil Zeytin Salatasi)

1/2 cup green olives-filled with red pepper, in jar, drained, sliced
1/2 head of Romain Salad, washed, drained
1 small carrot, finely grated
1/4 cup walnuts, small pieces

Dressing:
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp pomegranate paste or Grenadine syrup
1 pinch cayenne pepper, crushed
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

Break the leaves of green salad with your hands. Place it in a salad bowl. Arrange the green olive slices, carrot and walnuts on it. Whisk all the dressing ingredients pour all over, lightly toss them all. Garnish with parsley.