Turkish Style Stuffed Poblanos with Ground Beef (Etli Poblano Dolması)

Poblanos are the best substitute I've found for Turkish stuffing peppers. In Turkish cuisine it's quite rare to stuff spicy peppers, but the mild heat poblanos bring to this traditional dolma is genuinely inspired. This is a classic dolma recipe -- the stuffing works beautifully in any pepper you like.

• 6 poblano peppers, washed and seeded
• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1 medium-large onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, grated or blended
• 7 tbsp rice (1 per poblano, plus 1 or 2 for good measure)
• 1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1/3 flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste 
• 1 tbsp red pepper paste (or use 2 tbsp tomato paste total if unavailable)
• 4 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 to 2 tsp black pepper
• Hot water

1. Slice off the tops of the poblanos and set them aside -- you'll need them later. Pierce the bottom of each pepper once with a sharp knife.
2. Combine the ground beef, grated tomatoes, rice, onion, garlic, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands for a couple of minutes until everything is evenly incorporated.
3. Stuff each poblano loosely, stopping about half an inch below the top. Don't press the stuffing down or try to pack in as much as possible -- the rice will expand as it cooks and needs room.
4. Cap each pepper with its reserved top. Sliced tomato works just as well if a top broke or got lost -- the goal is simply to keep the stuffing in. Arrange the stuffed peppers upright in a pot large enough to hold them snugly.
5. Dissolve the tomato paste (and red pepper paste if using) in about 2 cups of hot water, stirring until smooth. Pour over the dolmas -- the liquid should come at least halfway up the peppers but doesn't need to cover them fully. The tops will cook in the steam. Add more water if needed.
6. Drizzle the olive oil or dot the butter over the top.
7. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
8. Serve with yogurt on the side.

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Izmir Style Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (İzmir Köfte)

Turkish cuisine has so many meatball dishes that you could easily fill a multi-volume cookbook with them. Among all of them, İzmir köftesi, a specialty of the Aegean city of İzmir, holds a special place in my heart. Meatballs cooked with potatoes and peppers in tomato sauce, it's one of my all-time favorite comfort foods: the kofte goes tender in the sauce, the potatoes drink it up, and everything tastes a little better than the sum of its parts. İzmir kofte is traditionally a summer dish, made when tomatoes are at their peak and served with rice and yogurt on the side, accompanied by an icy glass of rakı, obviously. But these days we need comfort more than ever, so I've been making it almost weekly--tomatoes in season or not.

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For the meatballs

• 1/2 lb ground meat
• 2 slices of stale bread, soaked in water and squeezed tight, or 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup minced or finely chopped onion
• 1–2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 egg (traditionally there's always an egg in the meatballs, both to hold them together and to keep them moist when baked; I don't like the smell of egg in meatballs, so I leave it out)
• Salt

For the rest

• About 10 peppers, seeded. In Turkey, green sweet chilies are the standard for this dish. If you like heat, any pepper works: jalapeño, wax, banana, Anaheim, or poblano. I like shishito and sweet Italian peppers here.
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3–4 medium tomatoes, grated or chopped in a food processor
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

Mix all the meatball ingredients and knead well for 5–7 minutes. Wet your hands and shape into 3–4 inch oval, finger-shaped meatballs — rounded in the middle and tapered at the ends.

Heat a pan and add 3 tbsp olive oil. Add the meatballs and cook just until they change color. You're not cooking them through, just sealing them.

Set the meatballs aside and keep the oil in the pan. (Some people fry the potatoes too, which is delicious but much greasier, so I skip it.)

Arrange the meatballs in a sun pattern in a wide oven-proof dish or cast iron pot, leaving 1/2 to 1 inch between them. If you're using a square or rectangular dish, line them up instead.

If you're using tomato paste, add it to the pan with the reserved oil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes (or canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce) and salt to taste. Cook until the juice has reduced, then add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat.

Tuck the potatoes between the meatballs and place the peppers on top, keeping the sun shape.

Pour the tomato sauce over everything. It should barely cover the meatballs and vegetables-if it doesn't, add a little more boiling water.

Bake on the middle rack at 380°F for 40–45 minutes, enough time for the potatoes to cook through.

Serve with rice or crusty bread and yogurt.

Bon appétit!

  

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Sour Meatballs or Meatballs in Egg and Lemon Sauce (Ekşili Köfte)

 Ekşili Köfte, a very popular meatball dish cherished by kids and adults alike has differing  variations in different parts of Turkey; in some parts tomato or pepper paste is used; in some small diced vegetables; and in some eggs are completely left out. This version is from the Northwestern / Western part of Turkey.

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, grated

1/3 cup + 2 tbsp white rice

1/4 or 1/3 cup very finely chopped parsley

1/4 or 1/3 cup very finely chopped fresh dill

1 egg, white and yolk separated

1 tsp or more black pepper

salt 

3 tbsp flour

4 tbsp olive oil

juice of 2 lemons

-Put ground meat, grated onion, parsley, fresh dill, 1/3 cup rice, white of the egg, black pepper, salt in a bowl and mix really well. 

-Flour a tray.

-Make mini meatballs, quarter size, and place them on the tray.

-When all are on the tray, shake the tray back and forth or side to side to roll the meatballs to get covered in flour. This flour on them will make a nice crust and will make the "soup" part of the dish thick. 

-Grab a wide bottom-ish pot and heat. Add the olive oil and once hot place the meatballs at the bottom. 

-Cook the meatballs until they have a nice crust on one side. 

-Add half of the lemon juice, 4 cups of water, and 2 tbsp white rice, and a tad bit of salt, just to your taste.

-Simmer on low for 20 minutes. 

-Mix egg yolk with the rest of the lemon juice in a bowl. Start taking little scoops of liquid or soup from the dish and mix with egg and lemon. We are trying to warm the egg slowly so that it won't curdle when we add it to the dish. Add 3-4 scoops of liquid, one at a time and mix the sauce after each time. 

-Add the egg and lemon sauce to the dish, stir once and let simmer covered for another 15-20 minutes. 

-Serve fresh dill or parsley, or with dry mint flakes on top, and crusty nice bread on the side. 

Tips: If you have picky kids or adults, you can skip the fresh herbes in the meatballs. If you want to add veggies, add diced carrots, potatoes, celery root and peas right after you add the water. 

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Ground Meat Bread Rolls (Kıymalı Rulo)

A yeasty dough rolled with ground meat and walnuts and a dash of cinnamon is what we all need for afternoon tea.  It takes a while to make regarding the yeast and the wait for the rise, but it is easy and delicious. You should definitely try this one!

for the dough
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
2-2 1/2 cup flour (or more)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil (olive oil, sun flower, whichever you feel comfortable with)
1 tsp salt
yolk of one egg (we'll use the to brush the dough, you can add the white into the dough)
black nigella seeds or sesame seeds

the stuffing
3 tbsp oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped, ~1,5 cup
1/2 pound ground meat
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2-1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

-Mix yeast, sugar, and water with a spoon in a bowl and let it dissolve for 15-20 minutes. Yeast will start to expand and bubble.
-In a pot on medium heat cook ground meat stirring constantly until it soaks its juice.
-Add 3 tbsp oil and onions to ground meat and stir until onion is cooked. Turn it off and add walnut, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper.
-Sift flour into the bowl of yeast. Add milk, oil, and salt. Add flour as necessary to make dough easy to handle. Dough should not stick to your hands.
-Let the dough sit in the bowl covered with a kitchen towel or whatever you use in a warmer place to rise twice its size, depending on the season and the warmth if your house this might take from 40 minutes to 2 hours.
-After it rises, divide the dough into two.
-With a little bit of oil and your hands make each piece into a 15 X 15 cm circle or a squarish circle. Don't worry it doesn't need to be a perfect shape.
-Place the half of the stuffing on your first circle-ish dough. Roll the dough like a cigarette without squeezing it too hard. Do the same for the second dough.
-Brush egg yolk on each roll and sprinkle black n'gella or sesame seeds or don't sprinkle anything.
-Bake at 375 F in a preheated oven for ~25 minutes or until golden brown like a loaf of bread.
-Let cool down for 10 minutes. MAke tea while waiting and dig in. Bon appetit!

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Bowl Kebap (Tas Kebabı)

Bowl kebap is one of my mom's specialties, the kind that you request every time you go back home. It is family favorite in our house as well; even the picky ones love this dish. 

Bowl kebap is a very simple recipe. Preparation time is approximately 15 minutes, but you need to cook the meat between 1-2 hours for tenderness and deliciousness. 

Some people find how this dish is cooked confusing and because of that shy away from trying it. I assure you, it is very easy. All you need to do before getting your ingredients ready is (1) to find a bowl with a flat rim that can hold ~2 lb of meat; (2) and a wide pot that the bowl can fit in when it's upside down. Voila! You're ready.

 serves 4-6 people

~2 lb stew beef or lamb
1-1 1/2 cup diced onions
1 tsp or more black ground pepper
1-1 1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp tomato or red pepper paste

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 tbsp butter
2 cups of boiling water

(optional: 2-3 potatoes, peeled and diced. Traditionally bowl kebap is made simply with meat, no vegetable is used. However, sometimes I do like the addition of potatoes in this dish. Potatoes simmered in meat juice makes a wonderful baby food when mashed.) 



-For this dish find a bowl with flat, even rim 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 picture.
-If you're using potatoes, place them 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. Get in there and make sure meat gets coated with all.
-Add this meat mix to the bowl, on top of the potatoes. If you're not using potatoes, just place the meat in the bowl. Depending on the size of the bowl, meat may or may not go all the way up, either way is fine. 
-Scatter small pieces of 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 as in the picture above.
-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 the bowl in the pot: a full pitcher, teapot, or a kettle filled with water like I did.
-Pour 2 cups of boiling water in the pot to fill 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 or low medium and cook between 1 1/2 to 2 hours. With really good meat, 1 1/2 hours would suffice, however, if you're using a less expensive cut I would recommend cooking for 2 hours. Regardless, anything will come out scrumptious cooked for two hours in this method. 
-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 might get sucked in and sealed to the pot. If this happens, don't panic, just reheat the bowl kebap. When it warms up, it will allow you to take the bowl back. 

-Serve bowl kebap with any kind of rice or grain, but I have to say it's best with buttery white rice and a hearty red wine. 

If you try this recipe, I guarantee it will become a favorite for you as well. 

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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 especially like it 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 what would otherwise be a regular kofte recipe. We usually enjoy it in summer, since it is lighter than all-meat version and wonderful off the grill. I recently discovered that Ayla Algar's Classical Turkish Cooking includes a similar recipe, so what follows draws from both.   

serves four

• 1 pound ground beef (80% lean) [Algar uses ground lamb]
• 1/2 cup fine bulgur
• 1 big or 2 medium onions, grated
• 1 green pepper, preferably a spicy variety, finely chopped
• 1 tsp crushed 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 dried mint flakes or dried basil)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and black pepper to taste

-Place the bulgur in a bowl and pour just enough hot water over it to barely cover. Let stand for 15 minutes.
-Add the remaining ingredients, season with salt, and mix well. 
-Shape pieces slightly larger than a walnut into oval patties.
-Grill until both sides are charred and crisp, or cook in a lightly oiled pan over medium on heat, turning once.

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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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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 couple 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 on 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 of course eggplants roasted on the grill outside taste the best.
-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 6-8 minutes, until soft but not browned.
-Add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
-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 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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