POTATOES WITH EGG AND MUSHROOMS ( mantarli, yumurtali patates)

YOU NEED

• 350-400 g new potatoes, diced
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion or 50 g leeks, chopped
• 50 g peppers, diced
• 50 g mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 eggs
• Salt, pepper.

METHOD

First stir fry the onions on high heat for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, pepper and cook on medium heat with the lid on until the potatoes are cooked and golden for about 1o minutes stirring and mixing occasionally. Add mushrooms , cook for 5 more minutes. Add eggs, salt and pepper and cook for couple of minutes more until the eggs are to your taste. Serves 2-3.

BULGUR PILAV WITH AUBERGINES ( patlicanli bulgur pilavi )

INGREDIENTS

• 200 g bulgur wheat, coarse
• 2- 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 aubergine, diced
• 1 small pepper, chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes,diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 500 ml stock or hot water
• Handful of chopped parsley and dill
• Salt

METHOD

First wash the bulgur, drain and set aside. Fry the onion in olive oil until it is brown. Now add the aubergine, pepper, tomatoes, garlic. Cook for 5 minutes stirring. Add bulgur, cinnamon, black pepper, tomato puree. Stir and pour hot water. Add herbs, salt and bring it to boil. Replace the lid and simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes until the rice is cooked. it is very tasty either hot or cold. Serve with meat, vegetables and with salads when cold. Serves 4-6

NOTE

This pilav dish is creamy in texture like in risotto.

TOMATO SOUP ( Domates corbasi )

YOU NEED

• 1 kg tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 100 leeks, chopped
• 100 peppers, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 small chilli ( optional )
• Handful of parsley and dill, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste.

METHOD

First wash the tomatoes and chop them roughly. Fry the leeks in the oil until they go brown, then add the tomatoes together with the rest of the ingredients and bring the soup to boil. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 20- 30 minutes until it is cooked. Let it cool. Now pour the soup into a liquidiser and blend until smooth. Sprinkle with parsley, season with salt and pepper just before serving.

Serve with crusty bread or pitta bread. Serves 4-6

NOTE

You can sieve the soup before liquidising it, if you don't like tomato skins.

This soup can be served hot and cold.

The ingredients are easily halved to serve 2.

AUBERGINE FILLED WITH MINCE MEAT (Patlican karniyarik)

Karniyarik is a very popular summer dish in Turkey. We all love aubergines and there are 101 ways of using aubergines for wonderful Turkish recipes. This serves 2.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Aubergine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200 g steak mince
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 100 g fresh tomatoes, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 50 g peppers, chopped
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• 150 ml hot water for BAKING.

INGREDIENTS FOR VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE

• 2 Aubergine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 50 g peppers
• 200 g tomatoes
• 100 g mushrooms
• Parsley, salt and black pepper.

METHOD

Open the aubergine by cutting down the middle. Then shallow fry the aubergines, turning frequently OR put them into the microwave on high for 5 minutes to soften them without the oil. Set them aside.

Prepare the filling by stir frying mince with onions first until it is going brown. Then add tomatoes, garlic peppers and mix it well. Turn the heat down and simmer for 7-10 minutes. The juice from the tomatoes should be enough but if it starts to stick, add little water to make it into a nice sauce. Add the parsley, season with salt and pepper at the last minute and turn the heat off.

Spoon the filling into the aubergines. Decorate the top with sliced tomatoes. Place them into the baking tray together with 150 ml hot water. Bake them in the preheated oven 375F, 190C, 170 c fan, gas mark5 for 30-35 minutes.

NOTE

For vegetarian alternative follow the same steps.

DANDELION SALAD WITH OLIVES AND GOAT'S CHEESE

DANDELION: This nutritious herb can be boiled or added to salads. it has more beta-carotene than carrots and more calcium and iron than spinach. You can use the flowers as garnish for the salad.

INGREDIENTS

• 200 g mix salad of dandelion and rocked
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 150 g cherry tomatoes
• 75 g peppers, diced
• 150 g goats cheese, crumbled
• 100 g black olives
• 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Some lemon juice,
• mixture of fresh parsley, dill and mint, chopped finely
• salt and black pepper

METHOD

Wash and prepare the salad, add tomatoes, onion, olives, peppers and mix well. Add oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper. Then cheese and the eggs just before serving. Decorate with olives and egg slices and serve with crusty bread. Serves 4-6

COOK'S NOTE: If you are not keen on dandelion, salad of your choice will be just fine.