Slow Cooked Beef Stew (Etli Güveç)

Güveç (Gue-vech) is a Turkish term that defines both slow cooked stews and the clay pot, glazed or unglazed, that they are cooked in, just like tagine. The stew could be vegetarian or with meat: chicken, beef, lamb, or goat. The vegetables used in this dish vary depending on the season it's made.

Traditionally the dish is prepared by layering the ingredients in an order that they will cook; meat at the bottom and tomatoes on top, and no water is added because the clay pot and its lid are sealed with dough so the delicious steam doesn't escape. And the güveç is cooked slowly for 1,5 - 2 hours in the wood fired clay oven that most houses had in their backyards in the past. After crackıng the dough around the lid, the stew would be served over rice with a nice loaf of bread and yogurt on the side. It's really hard to describe the deliciousness of meat and/or veggies cooked slowly in their own juices in a clay pot.   

As you can imagine, nowadays not many people have clay ovens in their backyards. Some people still keep the tradition by sending their güveç to either neighborhood bakeries or, in rare instances, to few existing güveç bakeries that specialize in baking güveç. However, most people who still fancy the dish and the clay pot, like my mom, cook it at home on regular stoves (most kitchens in Turkey feature small size ovens that would not accommodate the height of a clay pot). My mom prepares the dish in her half a century old clay pot which is almost black now rather than clay color due to the usage and love it got over the years. She still makes a small amount of dough to seal the lid to the pot and uses a heat diffuser that distributes the heat evenly so the pot doesn't crack.

I gave up on clay pots after I broke two in suitcases trying to bring them here to the States. So the following recipe is an authentic "almost" Turkish one, since I opt for a cast-iron pot instead.

It is completely up to you how much of what you will use in this dish. The tricky part is you cannot make a small batch because even if you add one of each vegetable they add up. So make the dish, get some bread and a good red wine and invite friends over. I usually make a very meaty stew, since my younger clientele is still quite picky about veggies, so they flavor their buttery rice with only meat and juice from the stew.

1 lb stew beef or lamb (You can use chicken as well, but I rather have it vegetarian than with chicken)
1 medium to big size onion, diced
7-8 cloves of garlic, peeled
a handful of green beans, or less, trimmed and cut into ~2 inch pieces
1 eggplant, peeled in stripes or not and cut in cubes
1 zucchini or summer squash, or both, cut in cubes (in Turkey they peel zucchinis, I don't.)
1 potato, peeled and cubed
3-4 peppers, shishito, sweet Italian, anaheim-if you like spicy, chopped (but never ever use American bell peppers, please!)
3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped or grated. You can use grape or cherry tomatoes as well, just halve them
1/2 cup water (because cast iron and I am not making dough to seal it)
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil
salt
1 tbsp tomato or pepper paste, optional (some add tomato or pepper paste for the color)
Parchment paper

-Take a biggish cast iron pot. Place meat at the bottom, and layer up the rest in this order: onion, green beans, couple of garlic cloves, eggplant, more garlic cloves, zucchini, garlic cloves, potatoes, peppers, and finally tomatoes.
-Mix salt and water and add to the pot. If you want to use tomato paste. Mix it in the water at this stage.
-Pour the olive oil evenly on top.
-Cover the top of the veggies with parchment paper tightly. We're cheating and using it in lieu of dough. Place a heavy plate on top; small enough to go in the pot but wide enough to cover as much of the surface as possible.
-Finally place the lid.
-Bring the stew first to a boil and then cook on low for 1,5 hours. Lamb cooks faster than beef. So cook for 1 hour for lamb and 1,5-2 for beef.

  

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Beef Stew with Tart Green Plums (Yeşil Erik Tavası)

If you have happened to be around someone from Turkey during the month of May then you probably know how people of Turkey are crazy about their sour green plums. (These tart, crunchy plums dipped in salt are enjoyed as snacks or sometimes as meze with raki/arak/araq throughout the Middle East.) We talk about it--how it's so delicious with salt; pre-order overnight shipments of it; or some determined ones try to schedule trips to Turkey specifically in May. Meanwhile, almost all the Americans I know don't like these green beauties and, even worse, do not understand what the fuss is about, and I am living with one but have no complaints having all the green plums to myself.

This May my thoughtful in-laws who frequent a Middle Eastern market in Arizona came across the plums below and, remembering my obsession, shipped them to me. I was very excited, of course, but whether from Arizonan heat or the trip, they were not crunchy enough to be salt worthy. I decided to cook with them. In the Western parts of Turkey, green plums are used for making compote only when they soften or turn yellow. However, in the Eastern provinces they are frequently used in meat stews for their tartness. Plums stewed with fresh garlic give an incredible flavor to beef. This delicious stew recipe is from Urfa and it made the American here appreciate green plums.  

serves 4-6 people
2 lb stew beef
1 1/2 or 2 lb tart green plums, seeded
1 tbsp red pepper paste (like this) or just use tomato paste
1 tbsp tomato paste
7-9 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
5 medium tomatoes, grated or crushed in a food processor OR 1 can of diced tomatoes
salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes

-In a bowl mix stew beef, pepper paste, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes with your hand. Make sure the beef is well coated with pastes and spices.
-Add seeded plums, garlic cloves, and tomatoes.
-Place the mixture in a wide and deep oven-safe casserole or in a cast iron dish.
-Add boiling water to barely cover the meat ~1 cup.
-Cook in a preheated oven at 370F for two hours.
-Serve with rice and/or bread (you'll need both to soak up the divine juice).

You can find green plums at Middle Eastern markets or online Turkish grocery stores.

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Priest's Beef Stew (Papaz Yahnisi)

Since I haven't posted a new recipe in a while, I wanted to break the silence with a heavily delicious or deliciously heavy one: priest's beef stew or ragout. This succulent ragout recipe comes from the Aegean part of Turkey, and judging by the name, priest--not "yahni" since it is of Persian origin for meat and onion dishes--the dish must be originally Greek. Another clue about its Greek roots is the use of cinnamon. Although it is an indispensable spice in Turkish cooking, cinnamon is used for the most part in desserts, not in savory dishes and most definitely not in stews. But here we go, this stew asks for cinnamon and allspice, and in the end the beef braised for hours with these spices is just fantastic. If you are a meat eater, you will want to write this recipe down.    

serves 4-6, depending on the appetite 

2 lb stew beef

1 lb pearl onions, peeled (you can use frozen ones, but I really think they don't taste the same)

3 tbsp butter

1 head of garlic,8-10 cloves, don't panic it's good

3 tbsp red wine vinegar or 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 can of diced tomatoes or 3 tomatoes, grated

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice, ground

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp or more salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 c flour 

2 c hot water

parsley, finely chopped to garnish

-Place stew beef on a flat surface (a big plate or a tray), sprinkle flour on top, and make sure each piece is coated.

-Melt the butter in a stew pot, add stew beef, and on medium heat saute until they are all browned and crispy outside: ~6-7 minutes.

-Add pearl onions and garlic and stir for  another 6-7 minutes. At this point flour on the beef might stick to the bottom of the pot, but that's fine. Keep stirring; it'll go away once you add tomatoes and water.

-Add diced or grated tomatoes (I always put diced tomatoes in a food processor or a hand blender and pulse 2-3 seconds to have a smoother texture), spices, salt, and boiling water.

-Once it bubbles, turn the heat down to low, cover ans simmer for at least 2 hours, and get a beer &  go outside because the delicious smell will drive you crazy. 

-Serve with rice and/or crusty bread.

I started making papaz yahnisi based on a recipe that I read from a Turkish cookbook back in the day when I didn't have a blog and wasn't careful about my recipe sources. and now I cannot remember the name of the writer or the book. If I remember, I'll definitely cite it. 

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Fennel with Meat (Etli Rezene)

The Aegean cuisine in Turkey is known for its greens.  It is truly unbelievable how many different green plants/weeds and in how many different ways the Aegeans can cook. Among all those greens fennel is a popular one. Although it has numerous health benefits, fennel has a distinct flavor resembling anise that a lot of people, including myself, cannot stand. Mainly for this reason, although intrigued, I avoided cooking with fennel for a long time. When I finally decided to give it a try, my first choice of recipe was a very traditional and a very basic one which would not require any kind of spice to cover up that distinct flavor. Although I was prepared for the worse, I have to admit that I was nicely surprised. This is a very easy-to-make, very light recipe with fantastic flavors. I follow a Turkish blogger's, Miss Cilek's recipe.

1 bulb fennel, washed and coarsely chopped

1/2 lb stew beef (the original recipe asks for lamb on bone, but for me one strong smell was enough)

1 bunch green onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp butter (this is my addition; the original recipe does not ask for any)

salt and pepper

-Place the stew beef at the bottom of a pot so that they won't be on top of each other.

-Put first green onion then fennel on top and finish with the butter. 

-Add salt and black pepper and cover.

-Cook on low for ~1 hour. 

-Serve with rice or bread.

   

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Dried Eggplant Dolma (Kuru Patlıcan Dolması)

I have been receiving complaints from readers, friends, and friends of friends about lack of new recipes on the blog. I know; it's been a while. I've been busy and lazy at the same time. But here we go.

Dried eggplant dolma is a popular winter dish mainly in the southeastern part of Turkey. Reasonable size eggplant are cut in half, carved, put on strings, and dried out in the sun to cherish eggplant deliciousness in the winter. You can find strings of dried eggplants easily at Turkish or Middle Eastern markets. The number of dried eggplants on a string vary between 30-40. Why am I cooking dried eggplants when we can find tasty fresh ones? We're moving across the country and I am cooking our pantry one item at a time!

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Bulgur Kofte (Bulgur Köftesi)

I don't know if you have noticed that I like bulgur, different types of bulgur, and anything with bulgur. I like bulgur especially in kofte form such as this, this, and this. Bulgur kofte is yet another bulgur dish in kofte form. The recipe belongs to my mom and has long been a family favorite. Bulgur gives a nice, nutty flavor to otherwise a regular kofte recipe. We usually enjoy it during summer days since it is lighter than 100% meat recipes and delicious when grilled. Although I have a copy of Ayla Algar's Classical Turkish Cooking, I hadn't noticed before that Algar has a similar recipe to my mom's bulgur kofte recipe. The following is a combination of both.   

for 4 people
1 pound ground beef (80% lean) [Algar asks for ground lamb]
1/2 cup fine bulgur
1 big or 2 medium onions, grated
1 green pepper, preferably a spicy one, chopped finely
1 tsp crushed spicy red pepper flakes
1 to 1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/3 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup mint, finely chopped or 1 1/2 tbsp dry mint flakes or dry basil
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and ground pepper

-Place bulgur in a bowl. Pour hot water on top to barely cover it. Let stand for 15 minutes to soak.
-Add the rest of the ingredients. Salt to your taste.
-Take pieces little bigger than walnuts and shape into oval patties.
-Either grill until both sides are crispy or cook them in a lightly oiled pan on both sides.

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Baked Cabbage with Ground Meat (Fırında Kıymalı Lahana)

Baked cabbage with ground meat can be described as either a kind of no-pasta lasagna, börek, or mousakka. However you name it, it is simply delicious and healthy. If not witness the preparation of the dish, it might be even impossible to tell it's cabbage.


1 small to medium cabbage
1/2 lb ground meat
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (my addition)
2 big tomatoes, diced or 1 can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup ricotta (my addition)
1-2 tbsp basil flakes
1 tsp spicy red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1/2 parsley, finely chopped

-Take cabbage, discard bad leaves, and break leaves one by one. Wash well.
-Boil water in a big pot with 1 tbsp salt. Cook cabbage leaves in water for 5-7 minutes, or until tender. Preserve 1/3 cup of cooking water.
-Heat oil in a pan. Add first onions and garlic. Stir for a couple of minutes. Then add ground meat and cook until brown by breaking it into small bits.
-Add 1 tbsp tomato paste, black pepper, basil, and salt. Stir for a minute.
-Add diced tomato and cook for 5 minutes.
-Grease an oven safe dish. Layer half of cabbage leaves on the dish.
-Pour the ground meat mix on leaves. Spread ricotta on top and then layer the other half of cabbage leaves.
-Mix 1 tbsp tomato paste well with 1/3 cup of cooking water. Pour it on top of cabbage leaves.
-Sprinkle mozzarella on top.
-Bake in a preheated oven at 380-390F for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.
-Serve with parsley on top.

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Leeks with Stew Beef (Etli Pırasa)

Although the most popular way to prepare leeks is in olive oil (a vegetarian recipe served lukewarm or cold), leeks with ground meat or with stew beef are also widely enjoyed winter dishes.

3 leeks, washed and cut in 1/2 inch rounds
1/2 lb or more stew beef (some people like cooking leeks with lamb)
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, cut in half rounds
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
1 tsp dry rosemary
1 1/2 cup water
salt

-Heat olive oil in a shallow pot and add stew beef. Cook until brown on all sides.
-Add leeks, onion, and carrots, and saute for 6-7 minutes or until soft.
-Add water, rosemary, dill, lemon juice, and salt.
-First bring to a boil, and then turn it down to low and simmer for approximately 1 hour.
-Serve hot with rice and / or crusty bread.

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Cannellini Beans with Eggplant (Patlıcanlı Kuru Fasulye)

A great twist to a very traditional recipe: white beans, which are generally referred to as the national dish of Turkey.

1 medium size eggplant, diced
1 cup of dry cannellini beans, soaked over night or 1 can of cannellini beans
1/4 lb stew beef [for a meatier stew you can use more stew beef and for a vegetarian version skip it completely]
1 big onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tomatoes, diced or 1 can of diced tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 green chilies (slightly spicy anaheims?), finely chopped
3 tbsp butter
frying oil, ~1/2 cup
salt
red pepper flakes

-Heat frying oil in a pan and fry eggplant until golden brown. Let fried eggplant cubes soak on a paper towel. If you want to keep the oil level low, you can bake the eggplant in stead of frying. Brush an oven tray with oil and place eggplant cubes. Bake ~20-25 minutes at 390F.
-Heat butter in a pot. Add onion and garlic. Stir until soft.
-Add pepper and stew beef. Cook until beef releases and then soaks its juice.
-Add diced tomatoes, 1 cup of hot water, salt, and red pepper flakes--optional, [and if you are using dry beans, add them now, too.] Cook for 30 minutes.
-Add fried eggplant cubes and beans [if you are using canned beans] and cook for another 15-20 minutes on low-medium.
-Serve hot with crusty bread and rice.

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Stuffed Zucchinis with Ground Meat (Etli Kabak Dolması)

I was surprised to see that I haven't posted this recipe before, since it's one of my favorite summer time dolma dishes. Now that zucchinis are everywhere, especially round zucchinis that are perfect for stuffing, it's time to stuff zucchinis.




























makes 12 zucchini dolmas

12 round zucchinis or 6 thickish zuchinis
~1 lb ground meat (preferably beef)
2 onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup rice
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
1-2 tsp black pepper
1 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tomatoes, grated
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 1/2 cup hot water

-If you're using globe zucchinis, wash them, cut tops off, and carve out each carefully. If you're using regular zucchinis, wash them, cut them in half and carve out each half carefully. Save the carvings for dishes such as Baked Zucchini Fritters or Baked Vegetable Fritters
-Slightly salt inside of all and set aside.
-In a bowl mix well ground meat, onion, rice, olive oil, parsley, dill, salt, black pepper, and 1 grated tomato.
-Loosely stuff each zucchini with the stuffing half inch to the top and place them in wide pot.
-Cover the tops with a tomato slice. (You can place the globe zucchini tops on tomato slices if you wish)
-Mix 1-2 cup of hot water with the remaining grated tomato and pour on top.
-Let it boil first, then cook on low for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

It goes well with yogurt.

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Bowl Kebap (Tas Kebabı)

Bowl kebap is one of my mom's specialties. Although I have been very picky about red meat dishes all my life, bowl kebap is something that I never said no. I have been craving it recently and noticed that I had never made it here. Almost four weeks ago I was on the phone with my mom getting the details of her recipe. The same day one thing let to another and I ended up buying plane tickets to Turkey and a couple of days later I was there having bowl kebap for dinner with my parents. My trip was not for bowl kebap, of course, but I definitely asked my mom to make it a couple of times in two weeks before I flew back. After green plums (something I cannot find here) of which I ate one pound a day, bowl kebap was the food of my short trip to Turkey.



Bowl kebap is a very simple recipe. Preparation time is approximately 15 minutes, but you need to cook the meat over an hour for tenderness and deliciousness. Since you cook this dish in a bowl that sits in a pot, make sure you have the right utensils before you start chopping.


































 serves 4-5 people

1-1.1 or 1.2 lb stew beef or lamb
2-3 potatoes, peeled and diced
2-3 onions, diced
1 tsp or more black ground pepper
1 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp tomato or red pepper paste
3 tbsp olive oil or 2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter
2 cups of boiling water































-For this dish find a bowl that is resistant to heat and would hold all the ingredients. Next find a pot that the bowl would fit upside down, as in the pictures.
-Place potatoes at the bottom of the bowl.
-In a different bowl mix meat, onion, salt, pepper, olive oil, and tomato or red pepper paste with your hands. Make sure meat gets coated with all.
-Add the meat mix to the bowl, on top of the potatoes.
-Place butter on top.
-Put the pot on top of the bowl. Securing both the pot and the bowl with your hands, turn the pot upside down so that the bowl will be sitting in it upside down.
-Since this is how we will be cooking the bowl kebap and we don't want the bowl to move, place a heavy container on top to seal or stabilize it: a pitcher, teapot or a pot filled with water.
-Pour 2 cups of boiling water in the pot, between the bowl and the pot.
-Start cooking on high. Once you see bubbles on the sides of the bowl, turn it down to low and cook between 75 to 90 minutes.
-When you turn it off, you need to move the pitcher, teapot or whatever you placed on top, and slowly remove the bowl leaving the ingredients in the pot to mix with the water which has turned in to delicious juice now. If you do not remove the bowl when it's still hot, it will be sealed to the pot and almost impossible to move.
-Serve bowl kebap with any kind of rice, although white is my favorite, and/or bread.

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Stuffed Cabbage Leaves with Ground Meat (Etli Lahana Sarması)

Stuffed cabbage leaves come directly from the kitchens of the Ottoman palace. There are different versions of this dish: with ground meat, with olive oil aka vegetarian one, with chestnuts, with bulgur, with mussels, etc. Although stuffed cabbage leaves are, I must say, absolutely delicious with chestnuts and mussels, meaty one is still my favorite. The reason why I haven't posted it so far is that they're usually gone before I can take a picture. These are actually the last three of the last batch I made. It might seem hard to deal with cabbage leaves, yet they are very forgiving. So don't be scared to try.




























1 medium (leaning towards big) cabbage [Pick one that is not rock hard, but kind of soft when press on top, they're easier for taking the leaves out)
1/2 lb ground meat (beef - ~80% lean)
1/2 cup short grain rice
2 medium onions, very finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped dill
1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp or 1/2 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp butter
juice of half lemon
salt




























-Put ground beef, onion, rice, tomato paste, parsley, dill, black pepper, olive oil, and salt in bowl and mix well.
-Cut the 1 1/2-2 inches from the bottom/stem of the cabbage. Carefully try to take the leaves out one by one. [Check this site out for step by step how-to pictures]
-Boil some water with salt in a big pot.
-Boil the cabbage leaves 4 0r 5 at a time depending on how big a pot you are using for ~5 minutes flipping them over once. Take them out and place on a tray or a flat plate to cool down.
-Once the leaves cool down. Place one on a flat surface. Cut the big vein of the leaf out; it might be too stringy for rolling. If you have a very big leaf, cut it into two.
-Line the bottom of a pot with the cut out veins and the very outer leaves.
-Add 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp of rice and ground meat filling to one cabbage leaf, closer tot the bottom. Fold sides of cabbage over the filling. Roll it up starting from the stem end, it looks something like this. Repeat the same for the remaining leaves.
-Place rolled cabbage leaves in the pot lined with cut out veins and leaves in an orderly fashion.
-Chop butter in small pieces and scatter it on top. Pour lemon juice and hot water to cover the stuffed cabbage.
-Place a flat-ish plate on top of stuffed grape leaves so that they won't move around.
-Let it boil first on medium. Then cover and cook on low for 30-35 minutes.

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İnegöl Meatballs (İnegöl Köftesi)

One of the renowned kofte recipes in Turkey, İnegöl kofte, was created by Mustafa Efendi, a Bulgarian immigrant to İnegöl in Bursa in the late 19th century. Just lile Tekirdağ kofte, you can find İnegöl kofte all around Turkey, however you can eat the best kofte in İnegöl.

An İnegölian friend Apo used to make delicious İnegöl kofte for us. After he moved back to Turkey, I tried to find the recipe online. Traditionally İnegöl kofte has no spice or bread crumbs, yet most of the recipes I found had either one or both. Apo was so kind to e-mail his recipe. In the last year I made multiple batches of İnegöl kofte from the following traditional and not-so-traditional recipes. We and our friends liked them all. Therefore I decided to post them all in an order that I like them. These meatballs are seriously delicious, you won't regret trying.



























İnegöl Meatball Recipe #1 (traditional)

2 lb ground meat (%20 lamb and %80 beef)
1 1/2 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp salt
1 onion, grated

-Knead groundmeat well with salt and baking soda. Cover and put in the fridge and let rest for one full day.
-Next day, 2-3 hours before cooking add grated onion and mix well. Put back in the fridge and let rest until it's time to cook.
-Take walnut-size pieces of ground meat and roll into small balls, and press slightly in between your palms, or give it a fat finger shape.
-You can either throw them on the grill, or broil them until cooked on one side and then flip them over, or cook them on a non-stick pan on both sides on medium with no oil.
-Use as many as you need. The rest can be placed on a flat surface, a plate or a tray--they should not touch each other, and then put in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once frozen, you can take them off the plate and put in a freezer bag and back in the freezer for future use.

Apo's recipe



























İnegöl Meatball Recipe #2 (with bread crumbs)

makes ~40-45 small meatballs
2 lb ground beef (%80 lean, %20 fat)
1/2 cup stale bread ground into crumbs
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp salt
2 heaping tsp baking soda
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
2 medium onions, grated

-Put ground beef, bread crumbs, water, and salt in a bowl and knead for 10 minutes.
-Let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours, i.e. forget about it for a whole day.
-The next morning, mix baking soda and lemon juice in a small cup and pour it over ground meat mix.
-Add grated onion and mıx well.
-Cover and put back in the fridge for a couple of more hours.
-Take walnut-size pieces of ground meat and roll into small balls, and press slightly in between your palms, or give it a fat finger shape.
-You can either throw them on the grill, or broil them until cooked on one side and then flip them over, or cook them on a non-stick pan on both sides on medium with no oil.
-Use as many as you need. The rest can be placed on a flat surface, a plate or a tray--they should not touch each other, and then put in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once frozen, you can take them off the plate and put in a freezer bag and back in the freezer for future use.

adapted from evcini's recipe



























İnegöl Meatball Recipe #3 (with spice)

makes 40-45 small meatballs

2 lb ground beef (%80 lean, %20 fat)
1/2 cup + 3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1 medium onions, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp oregano leaves
1 tsp cumin powder

-Put ground beef, milk, and salt in a bowl.
-Mix baking soda and lemon juice in a small bowl, and add it to ground mear mix.
-Knead it for 10 minutes. Cover and put in the fridge for approximately 12 hours.
-The next day or after 12 hours, add black pepper, cumin, oregano, minced garlic, and grated onion. Knead well. Let sit in the fridge for an hour or two.
-Take walnut-size pieces of ground meat and roll into small balls, and press slightly in between your palms, or give it a fat finger shape.
-You can either throw them on the grill, or broil them until cooked on one side and then flip them over, or cook them on a non-stick pan on both sides on medium with no oil.
-Use as many as you need. The rest can be placed on a flat surface, a plate or a tray--they should not touch each other, and then put in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once frozen, you can take them off the plate and put in a freezer bag and back in the freezer for future use.

adapted from Derya Ünal who gave the recipe in a comment she posted on evcini's inegöl köfte recipe.

Do not forget the most important thing in making İnegöl kofte is to let the meat rest.

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Sultan's Delight (Hünkar Beğendi)

I have heard two different stories surrounding the name of this dish, Hünkar Beğendi, which literately translates as "the Sultan liked it." The first one is that the dish was created for Sultan Murad IV (1612-1640) and obviously he liked it. Where the dish was created--in the palace kitchens or in the kitchen of a moderate house that Murad IV spent a night on his way back from a hunting trip--is not clear. The second rumor is that the same dish was served for Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, in Sultan Abdülaziz's Beylerbeyi Palace in 1869, and she liked it so much that Abdülaziz promised her to ask his chef to give Eugenie's cook the recipe. And the rumor goes that Abdülaziz's chef was reluctant to share his recipe. I salute whoever shared the recipe later on.

Hünkar Beğendi is lamb stew served on a bed of creamy roasted eggplant puree. However, "begendi," in time, started to be used for eggplant puree. Now you can also find 'chicken beğendi' or 'meatball beğendi.'




























for 4 people

for the stew
1 lb stew lamb (preferably from leg)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 green chilies or bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, petite diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2-3 tbsp butter
salt and pepper
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1-1 1/2 cup hot water

for the eggplant puree
2 lb eggplant
1/4 cup white flour
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup grated Turkish hard mature cheese OR kashkaval cheese OR parmesan
1-1 1/2 cup milk
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

-Heat butter in a pot and sautee the onions for a coupe of minutes. Then add the meat. When browned on all sides, add green pepper. Stir for a couple of minutes.
-Add tomato paste and stir for another couple of minutes.
-Add tomaoes and cook for 5 minutes.
-At this point add the hot water and let simmer until meat is tender, approximately an hour. Add more water if need be.
-Meanwhile, wash and prick the eggplants with a fork on at least two sides.
-Place eggplants oon gas burner or under broiler turning them frequently until eggplant is collapsed and skin is charred. You can also bake them until flesh is soft, but charred tastes better.
-Let cool and then peel eggplants and discard stems.
-Mash eggplant with the back of a fork in a bowl and mix with lemon juice.
-Heat butter in a pot. Add flour and stir constantly to make a roux on low heat.
-Warm the milk and add slowly. Whisk to make the mixture smooth. simmer for 4-5 minutes.
-Add eggplant puree and mix well.
-Add salt and black pepper, and cheese. Mix well. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
-Make a bed on a plate with eggplant puree and place meat on top of eggplant puree. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

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Baked Zucchini Mousakka (Fırında Kabak Musakka)

There is something about mousakka recipes; they always turn delicious, even at the sloppiest restaurant. One of the best eggplant zucchini dishes I've ever had was at my boarding school's cafeteria where even a boiled egg could be a disaster. The reason why mousakka dishes are tastier out at a restaurant is the amount of oil used. Usually it's tastier when it's greasier. Although I love to eat greasy mousakkas out, I prefer healthier ones at home. For this recipe, in stead of deep frying zucchini rounds, I baked them. If you want a vegetarian mousakka, replace ground meat with TVP or try mousakka with garbanzo beans.


























2 lb zucchini, cut in 1/3 inch rounds
1/2 lb ground meat
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 banana peppers or 1 bell pepper, chopped
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tomatoes, sliced in rounds
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
salt and black pepper


























-Bake zucchini rounds in a preheated oven at 400F for ~30 minutes.
-Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add onion and green pepper, and cook until soft.
-Add ground meat. It will release some water. Cook until meat soaks the water.
-Add tomato paste. Stir for a minute.
-Add diced tomato and cook for 5 minutes.
-Turn it off and add salt, pepper, pepper flakes if you wish, and fresh dill.
-Layer half of the zucchini rounds in an oven safe dish. Cover with half of the ground meat sauce. Make the second layer of zucchini rounds and pour over the rest of sauce.
-Add 1/3 cup hot water.
-Place tomato slices on top.
-Bake at preheated 375F for half an hour.

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Green Bean Stew with Meat (Etli Taze Fasülye)

Although not quite favorable as its vegetarian version simmered in olive oil, green bean stew with meat provides a warm getaway from cold olive oil summer dishes of Turkish cuisine. Fresh green beans and ripe tomatoes picked from the farmer's market, cooked with lamb or beef, and served with white buttery rice and cacık makes a strong case against any style of bean dish.

1 lb green beans, ends snapped and cut into 1 inch pieces (or 1 lb frozen beans)
1/2 pound stew lamb or beef
1 big onion or 2 medium ones, chopped finely
2-3 tomatoes, diced or 1 can of diced tomato
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

























-Put butter and meat in a pot and cook to draw out its own juices. Wait until its juices cook down to a rich brown.
-Add onion and stir for 2-3 minutes.
-Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
-Add diced tomato and 2 cups of water.
-Cover and simmer on low-medium heat for 30-40 minutes.
-Add green beans, salt and pepper. Add hot water if it cooked down to barely cover the beans.
-Cover and simmer for another half an hour until beans are cooked.
-Serve definitely with white rice and crusty bread to soak its delicious juice.

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Pressure Cooker Steak (Düdüklüde Biftek)

Another family favorite. Growing up I wasn't an enthusiastic red meat eater but I would never resist pressure cooker steak. It is always tender delicious with green pepper and oregano flavor. Usually my mom prepares the dish according to the ingredients I list below. However, once in a while she uses grated tomatoes in stead of sliced ones and adds 1 tbsp of tomato paste.
for four
4 steaks, cut ~1/4 inch thick3 potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
3-4 tomatoes, thickly sliced
4-6 green chilies, banana peppers (I used anaheims), seeded
1 tsp oregano leaf
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
salt
























-Place steaks at the bottom of the pressure cooker; it's ok if they overlap.
-Place potato slices on steaks.
-Cover all with tomato slices.
-Put green peppers on top.
-Sprinkle salt, oregano leaf and black pepper.
-Pour 1 tbsp olive oil.
-Pour water to barely cover steaks and vegetables.
-Cover and pressure cook on meat or high setting on medium to low heat for 20-25 minutes. If you have not-so-good-cut of steak, cook for 30 minutes.
-Serve with rice and/or crusty bread.


Do not let the simplicity of pressure cooker steak mislead you; oregano is the key ingredient.
This recipe is my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging founded by Kalyn. WHB is hosted by Ahn of Food Lover's Journey.

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Stuffed Grape Leaves with Groundmeat (Etli Yaprak Sarması)

Sarma refers to a dish that can be prepared with grape, cabbage, or chard leaves. The term sarma derives from Turkish verb "sarmak," which means to wrap or to roll. It can be prepared with rice and spices (vegetarian) or with rice and ground meat. Both are delicious. Sometimes sarma is called dolma, too, yet on the western part of Turkey, rolled leaves are always called sarma.



makes 50-60 stuffed grape leaves
1/2 lb ground meat
1/3 cup white rice
2 medium size onions, grated or chopped finely in a processor
1 tsp black pepper
salt
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup dill
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp olive oil or 1,5 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp butter
juice of 1/2 lemon
grape leaves

-If you have fresh grape leaves, boil water in a pot. Cook grape leaves ~1 minute in boiling water. Take out and let cool.
-If you are using jarred grape leaves, soak them in cold water for an hour; they tend to be salty.
-Put ground meat, rice, onion, black pepper, salt, parsley, dill, and 1,5 tbsp olive oil in a bowl.
-Dissolve 1 tbsp tomato paste with 3 tbsp hot water and pour this into the bowl.
-Mix all the ingredients.
-Save the broken, faulty leaves. Use them to cover the bottom of a pot with grape leaves to prevent them from burning.
-Take one leaf. Place it on a smooth surface the vein side up/shiny side down. Place a spoonful of stuffing at the bottom center of the leaf close to the stem. Fold in two sides first and then the bottom. Then roll it neatly like a cigar. Keep rolling until all the leaves are gone. If you still have stuffing, you can use it to stuff small bell peppers.
-Stack stuffed grape leaves in the pot tightly layer by layer.
-Add 1,5 tbsp olive oil or butter, juice of half lemon and water to barely cover the sarmas.
-Place a flat-ish plate on top of stuffed grape leaves so that they won't move around. Cover and cook on low for 35-45 minutes.
-Serve with crusty bread and yogurt.

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Zucchini Mousakka with Garbanzo Beans (Nohutlu Kabak Musakka)

There is something special about musakka recipes; they always turn out great. Although musakka, the term Arabic in origin, does not resemble the Arabic dish which is a kind of cold eggplant appetizer; although musakka means a different dish in a lot of countries such as Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Turkey; and although the musakka dish has numerous versions even in one country, a musakka dish is always delicious. In Turkish cuisine musakka is usually prepared with fried eggplant, tomato, peppers, and ground meat.

This zucchini musakka recipe comes from Musa Dağdeviren, the owner and chef of famous Çiya Restaurant in İstanbul. I had also tried his mualle recipe before. This is not well-known or traditional recipe since it uses garbanzo beans. I replaced ground lamb with ground beef and it is still delicious. If you want to try it with ground lamb, you can find the original recipe here.

























4 medium zucchinis, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup ground meat
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced3-4 tomatoes, diced or 1 can of petite diced tomato
1 cup of canned garbanzo beans
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tbsp red pepper paste or chile sauce
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint or 1 tbsp dried mint flakes
salt
ground pepper
-Prepare a bowl of salty water and soak sliced zucchini for half an hour.
-Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a broad deep pan. Add ground meat and cook until browned and all the juice is gone. -Add garlic and onion, cook for approximately 5 more minutes.
-Add tomato paste and pepper paste (or chile sauce). Let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
-Stir in diced tomato. Cook for 5 minutes.
-Add zucchini slices. Cook on medium heat, stirring, until tender.
-Stir in garbanzo beans. Cook for a couple of minutes.
-Season with salt and pepper. Transfer zucchini musakka into a bowl. Sprinkle with mint and parsley.
-Musakkas are always good with white rice, crusty bread, and yogurt.

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Stuffed Onions (Soğan Dolması)

In order to promote circulation sales, once in a week most newspapers in Turkey come with a supplementary booklet loaded with recipes by TV celebrity chefs. Sad but true! Turkey has witnessed worse; in the past, newspapers offered even non-reading related "things" to increase their sales. Among those were vacuum cleaners, radios, TVs, dinner sets, silverware, cameras, bikes, etc. Unfortunately people subscribed for months to certain newspapers not for their content, political views, or their columnists, but for the items those papers were offering. Compared to TVs and plates, recipe booklets seem less harmless since you need to "read" those recipes.

My mom had packed a couple of food magazines and those recipe booklets when they came to visit us last April. One of the booklets is by a TV celebrity chef, Emine Beder whose dishes I usually find too greasy, and recipes unexciting. However, I have to give her credits; her measurements are very peculiar and when followed strictly, recipes turn out as expected--no surprises.

I found her recipes after the move while unpacking. Flipping through the pages, I found this jewel among ordinary recipes. I changed the recipe here and there, but remained loyal to it in principle. The result was magnificent. I think I will give her recipes another chance.


























2-3 red onions (try to pick large ones--the recipe called for regular onions, I chose to use red ones)
1/3 lb ground meat (beef or lamb)
1/4 cup rice
1 1/2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp red pepper paste (if you cannot find it, use tomato paste)
1/3 cup crushed dried sumac
1 tsp dried mint flakes
1 tsp oregano leaves
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp or more crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup hot water
salt
- Cut the bottom parts of onions 1/4 inch and peel.
-Boil them until soft, but not too soft. Rinse and let cool down.
-Squeeze each one to get every single layer. You will be stuffing those layers. If slippery, use a clean kitchen towel to grip and squeeze.
-Wash rice in plenty water and rinse.
-Soak sumac in hot water for 15 minutes and drain. Save the water.
-Heat butter in a frying pan. Add pastes, spices, and salt. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.
-Take the pan off the fire. Add ground meat, rice, and sumac. Mix well.
-Stuff onions with the mix and place them in a broad pot.
-Pour in sumac water.
-After it starts boiling, simmer covered on low for half an hour.
-Serve hot with crusty bread. We loved it, especially with yogurt.

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