Essential Turkish Cuisine
By Engin Akin and Anya Bremzen
3.5/5
()
About this ebook
Engin Akin shares her culinary mastery and describes the evolution of Turkey’s diverse culture of food in Essential Turkish Cuisine. Complete with two hundred recipes found across the country, including traditional dolmas, kebabs, halva, and more, this definitive book offers rare insight into the myriad influences on modern Turkish cooking.
Featuring a wide range of large and small plates—from Stuffed Peppers and Eggplant to Lamb with Quince, Fresh Sour Cherry Hosaf to Crêpes with Tahini and Pekmez—Akin includes expert instruction for each dish. Through these recipes and the gorgeous photographs of Turkey—its bustling markets, its food, and its traditions—Akin shares the country’s rich heritage and brings the spirit of Turkey into your kitchen.
“Here is a lifetime of culinary wisdom shared with English-speaking cooks looking for a key to unlock one of the world’s most seductive cuisines.” —Maricel E. Presilla, culinary historian
“A reference. A treasure. A culinary tour de force.” —Steven Raichlen, author of the Barbecue Bible cookbook series
Related to Essential Turkish Cuisine
Related ebooks
Middle Eastern Cookery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Özlem's Turkish Table: Recipes from My Homeland Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Lebanese Heritage Cookbook Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Saffron Tales: Recipes from the Persian Kitchen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Food of Oman: Recipes and Stories from the Gateway to Arabia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Foods of the Greek Islands: Cooking and Culture at the Crossroads of the Mediterranean Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sweets & Desserts from the Middle East Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Israeli Soul: Easy, Essential, Delicious Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Arabian Nights Cookbook: From Lamb Kebabs to Baba Ghanouj, Delicious Homestyle Arabian Cooking Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCooking in Iran: Regional Recipes and Kitchen Secrets Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Tapas: Classic Small Dishes from Spain Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sweet Middle East: Classic Recipes, from Baklava to Fig Ice Cream Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Super Tuscan: Heritage Recipes and Simple Pleasures from Our Kitchen to Your Table Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Turkey: More than 100 Recipes, with Tales from the Road Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Flavours of Andalucia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Exotic Table: Flavors, inspiration, and recipes from around the world--to your kitchen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I.G.A Vegetarian Turkish Cuisine: Easy to Make Mezze Dishes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLa Paella: Deliciously Authentic Rice Dishes from Spain's Mediterranean Coast Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5European Peasant Cookery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5MasterChef: Street Food of the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Spice Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Taste of Greece: Bring Mediterranean cuisine to your table with 90 unique island recipes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Taste of Lebanon: Vibrant Recipes from Yesteryear Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSicilia: A love letter to the food of Sicily Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMoorish: Vibrant recipes from the Mediterranean Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Turkish Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Regional & Ethnic Food For You
Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition Fully Revised and Updated Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook: Easy And Healthy Recipes You Can Meal Prep For The Week Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Prairie Cookbook: Memories and Frontier Food from My Little House to Yours Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Tucci Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Prairie Homestead Cookbook: Simple Recipes for Heritage Cooking in Any Kitchen Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mediterranean Diet: 70 Easy, Healthy Recipes Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Korean Home Cooking: Classic and Modern Recipes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One Bowl Meals Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ultimate Mediterranean Cookbook Over 100 Delicious Recipes and Mediterranean Meal Plan Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking Explained in More Than 100 Essential Recipes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Official Downton Abbey Afternoon Tea Cookbook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Expert Advice for Extreme Situations Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Everyday Slow Cooking: Modern Recipes for Delicious Meals Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Everything Mediterranean Diet Book: All you need to lose weight and stay healthy! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Matty Matheson: A Cookbook Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Everlasting Meal Cookbook: Leftovers A-Z Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mediterranean Diet: A Complete Guide: 50 Quick and Easy Low Calorie High Protein Mediterranean Diet Recipes for Weight Loss Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTaste of Home 201 Recipes You'll Make Forever: Classic Recipes for Today's Home Cooks Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Let's Cook Japanese Food!: Everyday Recipes for Authentic Dishes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Southern Slow Cooker Bible: 365 Easy and Delicious Down-Home Recipes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrench Comfort Food Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rustic Mexican: Authentic Flavors for Everyday Cooking Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/530 Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan: Ultimate Weight Loss Plan With 100 Heart Healthy Recipes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: Easy and Kitchen-Tested Mediterranean Diet Recipes for Everyday Healthy Eating Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Modern Mediterranean: Easy, Flavorful Home Cooking Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIndian-Ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Reviews for Essential Turkish Cuisine
4 ratings1 review
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I learned many things about how to use the ingredients of Turkish cuisine in my home kitchen in Istanbul.
Book preview
Essential Turkish Cuisine - Engin Akin
• PART ONE •
SMALL PLATES (MEZE)
Melon and White Cheese
Turkish Caviar
Spicy Peanut Spread (Acikax with Peanuts and Tahini)
Hot Paprika and Walnut Spread (Muhammara/Acika)
Fava Bean Puree
Chickpea Balls with Tahini (Topik)
Roe Spread (Tarama)
Fried Mussels
Sardine Balls
Red Lentil Balls with Cornichons
Fried Calamari Rings with Pistachio Sauce
Sardine Birds
Crispy Zucchini Slices
Fried Zucchini Blossoms
Zucchini Pancakes (Mücver)
Crispy Eggplant with Tulum Cheese and Pekmez
Albian-Style Fried Liver
Blanched Chicory with Oil and Lemon
Circassian Chicken, the Easy Way
Fried Balls of Greens and Figs
Smoked Mackerel
Roasted Baby Bonito
Cornmeal Pancakes with Anchovies
Salmon Tartar Made in the Style of Uncooked Kofta (Çiğ Somon Köftesi)
Black-Eyed Peas with Samphire
Wild Radishes
Yufka Squares with Botargo
Avocado with Botargo
Egg and Botarga Rolls
CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: OLIVE SALAD (THIS PAGE), GREEN ONIONS AND RADISHES (SEE THIS PAGE), MELON AND WHITE CHEESE (THIS PAGE), CRISPY EGGPLANT WITH TULUM CHEESE AND PEKMEZ (THIS PAGE), FRIED BALLS OF GREENS AND FIGS (THIS PAGE) WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS (SEE THIS PAGE), WARM GRILLED TOMATO SALAD (MÜNCÜR, THIS PAGE), FRIED GREEN PEPPERS WITH GARLIC YOGURT (SEE THIS PAGE), BLANCHED ALMONDS (SEE THIS PAGE).
The meze table brings together a tempting array of little dishes to be enjoyed communally. These small plates can include everything from stuffed grape leaves or vegetables to shish kebabs and fried calamari, typically paired with pickles, yogurt sauce, dips, and little salads. A table spread with small plates is not only appetizing, but also extends the time spent around the table with family and friends. Accompanied by drinks, usually glasses of raki, the gathering becomes festive and joyful, and what is more, meze creates an atmosphere where people can talk more freely and communicate more intimately. That is why the tables at the meyhanes , or taverns where meze were served, were called çilingir sofrası — çilingir meaning the locksmith table,
which implies that the table will unwind tongues, and people will talk more freely and casually. In truth, Turks value this type of conversation more than what is served, but certainly a tasty tidbit and a drink helps people relax.
The ritual of spreading the table with many different meze is more recent. In the old Ottoman days, tavern habits were more like the happy hour of the West today, where customers might enjoy a drink along with a handful of peanuts. However, after the Turkish republic was established, and men and women began socializing together as a way of life, the offerings on the meze tables became more elaborate at restaurants and homes alike. Eventually labor-intensive dishes like sigara börek (cigar-shaped fried pastries) and Zucchini Pancakes (Mücver, this page) would appear regularly—along with just about any type of meze the chef or hostess was capable of making. Even homey Turkish recipes, especially vegetable dishes like leeks, celery roots, and artichokes in olive oil, were added to the table around the mid-twentieth century.
One way or another, the variety keeps growing, as restaurants with an atmosphere conducive to drinking must continue to add new items to their meze platters.
It is interesting to note that meze and tapas, both of which are rooted in Arabic or Persian traditions, are becoming a popular way of eating, not only in their countries of origin but around the world. Perhaps everyone is yearning for a space in which they can truly relax and enjoy good company, with a drink and a few tasty tidbits to help set the stage.
All of the small dishes and even the fried pastry dishes in this book would be welcome additions on a meze table. You can serve just one or two meze while you enjoy a drink and conversation with a friend. Or, for a larger group, you can present a mix of hot and cold dishes, meat- and vegetable-based dishes, little salads and condiments—so many tasty tidbits that you will not even have to serve a main dish.
A
Melon and White