Zucchini Pancakes Mcver Ingredients: 2 zucchinis 1 egg 1 onion, finely chopped 2-3 T flour 5 springs each Dill and

parsley, or to taste 1 t baking soda or 2t gr baking soda Red pepper Salt, black pepper Chope onion finely, and mince parsley and dill. Grate zucchini and mix all the ingredients. Heat oil in a pan, drop batter by spoonfuls and fry till browned. Serve with yogurt, hot or cold.

Cauliflower Musakka Karnabahar Musakka Ingredients: 1 medium cauliflower 1 onion, chopped 1 T tomato paste 1 T pepper paste 200 gr ground meat Salt, black pepper 3 t oil Juice of one lemon Divide cauliflower into florets and parboil a few minutes. Saute meat and onions in a pot, add pastes and continue to saut. Add the cauliflower, salt and pepper, and boiling water to a bit below the level of the cauliflower, and allow to cook on low heat. Add lemon juice 5 minutes before the dish is done.

Eggplant Musakka Patl can Musakka Ingredients: 5 eggplants (long type) 1 medium onion 250 gr ground meat 2 tomatoes, skinned and cut into small pieces 2 sivri peppers or Anaheims, minced 2-3 T vegetable oil Salt and pepper to taste 2 T tomato paste Peel half the skin of the eggplants leaving alternating strips, then cut in finger-thick circles. Salt and allow to stand for 15 minutes, then wash, pat dry and fry in oil, set aside to drain. Saute ground meat together with onions in 2-3 T oil, add minced pepper, fry another minute or so and add tomato paste. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper, cook until the tomatoes have begun to fall apart, then remove from the heat. Arrange the eggplant in a broad pan, and spread the meat mixture on top. Add water to a bit below the surface of the meat, and simmer on medium for 25 minutes, or until much of the water has been absorbed.

Patates Musakka (Oturtma) Potato Musakka (Casserole) Ingredients: 1 kg potatoes 250 gr ground meat 1 large onion, chopped 2-3 T oil 2 T tomato paste Salt and pepper to taste Peel potatoes, and cut into rounds. Brown lightly in oil, drain and arrange half the potatoes in a single layer in the bottom of a pan. In another pan, saut meat and onions in1t oil. When meat is cooked, add the tomato paste and continue cooking a few minutes more. Add salt and pepper, and spread this mixture over the potatoes. Top with another layer of potatoes. Add water just to the level of the potatoes and cook, covered, on medium heat till done.

Chopped Eggplant with Lemon Ek ili Patl can Do rama Ingredients: 1 kg. eggplant 1 onion 1 clove garlic 1 plate of boiled chicpeas 300 gr. diced meat 2 spoon tomato paste Salt, dried mint Juice of 1 lemon 2-3 spoon olive oil (Photo by Almost Turkish Recipes) Put meat in saucepan with just enough water to cover, bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender. Reserve broth. Meanwhile, peel half the skin from eggplants in alternating strips, then cut into small cubes. Salt and allow to rest for 15 minutes, rinse and pat dry. Chop onions fine and saut in oil. Add meat and continue sauting, add tomato paste and cook together. Add eggplant, stir a few minutes, then add minced garlic, chickpeas and the meat broth. Add salt, mint and lemon juice and cook covered on medium heat until eggplant is tender.

Zucchini Musakka (Casserole) Kabak Musakka (Oturtma) Ingredients: 1 kg zucchini 1 onion 250 gr ground meat 2-3 T oil 2 T tomato paste Salt, black pepper Parsley, dill, chopped (Photo by Almost Turkish Recipes) Peel zucchinis and cut into rounds. Fry lightly in oil, and arrange half of them on the bottom of a saucepan. In another pot, saut the finely chopped onion with the ground meat. Add tomato paste, salt and pepper. Spread this mixture over the zucchini layer in the pan, and top with the remaining zucchini. Add 1/2 c water, cover and cook on medium, sprinkle with parsley and dill.

Diced Zucchini Kabak Do rama Ingredients: 1 kg zucchini 1 onion, chopped 2-3 T oil 1 T tomato paste 1 T pepper paste 1 bunch parsley or dill Salt, pepper to taste Peel and cube zucchini. Chop onions and saut in oil till transparent. Add tomato and pepper pastes and mix well. Add the zucchini and saut, add salt and pepper and saut till the zucchini releases its water, adding a bit of water if necessary. Cover and cook on low heat. When zucchini is tender, remove from heat, add chopped parsley or dill and cover.

Kabaklama Zucchini with Meat and Chickpeas Ingredients: 1 kg zucchini, peeled and cubed 1 c cooked chickpeas kg small cubed meat 2 T tomato paste 1 onion, chopped 4-5 cloves garlic 3-4 T oil Juice of lemon Salt and pepper to taste Dry mint Saute onions and meat together in the oil until the meat begins to become tender. Add the tomato paste and sautee another minute. Add the zucchini and water just to the level of the zucchini, or more or less as desired. Add cooked chickpeas, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the zucchini has reached the desired doneness. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Heat one T of oil in a small pan and add 1t dry mint to infuse the oil with the mint flavor, then add to the dish before serving.

Spinach with Eggs Yumurtal Ispanak

Ingredients: 1 kg spinach 1 onion, chopped Salt, pepper to taste 4-5 eggs 3-4 T oil or butter Wash spinach and soak for 15 minutes in water with a bit of vinegar added. Wash again and chop. Saute onions in oil or butter. Add spinach and saut lightly until wilted but not too soft. Spread the spinach in the pan, make indentations in the surface and into these, break the eggs. Cover and simmer until eggs are poached, serve.

Spinach with Ground Meat K ymal Ispanak Yeme i Ingredients: 1 kg fresh spinach 1 onion, chopped fine 200 gr ground meat 1/3 c rice 2 T tomato paste 2 grated tomatoes 2 T oil Salt, pepper to taste Wash spinach well and soak for 15 minutes in water with a bit of vinegar added. Wash again and chop, set aside. Saute onion and ground meat in a pot. Add tomato paste and stir, add spinach by handfuls, as the spinach is quite bulky at first but wilts quickly. Add rice, salt and pepper, and then the grated fresh tomatoes. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook with no additional water. Serve with lemon or with yogurt flavored with garlic.

Spinach with Olive Oil Zeytinya l Ispanak Ingredients: 1 kg spinach 2 onions, finely chopped 1/3 c rice 1 tomato, grated 1 t tomato paste Salt 1 t sugar 3-4 T olive oil Wash spinach and soak for 15 minutes in water with a bit of vinegar added. Wash again and chop, set aside. Saute onions in olive oil till transparent. Add tomato paste and mix well. Add the spinach and saut a few minutes more, until it wilts. Add rice, salt and sugar, then add grated tomatoes, lower heat to a low simmer and cook covered until done. Serve cold.

Purslane with Tomatoes and Ground Meat Semizotu Yeme i Ingredients: 1 kg purslane 1 onion, finely chopped 200 gr ground meat 3-4 cloves garlic 3-4 T oil 2-3 T tomato paste, or 2-3 grated tomatoes Salt and pepper to taste 1/3 c rice Wash purslane well and chop. Saute onion in oil, and add either tomato paste or grated tomatoes. Add purslane, rice, garlic, salt and black pepper, and saut, and if you used pepper paste, add c water and allow to simmer till purslane is tender. This dish may be served topped with lemon or with garlic flavored yogurt.

Sauted Mallow Ebegmeci Kavurmas (Serves 4)

Ingredients: 1 kg mallow leaves, finely chopped 2 onions, minced 1 t pepper sauce c olive oil Salt, red flake pepper Lightly saut the onion in the oil, add pepper paste and mix well. Add the salt and the mallow, and reduce. Continue sauting until the mallow is tender, add red pepper to taste.

Leeks with Ground Meat K ymal P rasa Yeme iIngredients: 1 kg leeks, chopped 150 gr ground meat 1 onion, chopped fine 1/3 c rice 1-2 T tomato paste 2-3 T oil Juice of 1 lemon Salt to taste Peel off outer leaves of leeks and chop fine. Saute meat and onion with oil. Add the tomato paste and stir in well. Add the leeks and saut together, stirring. Add the rice, the salt and 2/3 c water. Cover and cook on a low flame, until rice is very tender. A few minutes before it is finished, add the lemon juice.

Leeks with Olive Oil Zeytinya l P rasa Ingredients: 1 kg leeks 1 onion, chopped finely c rice 1 T tomato paste (optional) 1-2 carrots, cubed 1 t salt t sugar 3-4 T olive oil Juice of 1 lemon

Peel outer leaves from leeks and remove tough green leaves. Wash and cut into diagonal pieces. Allow to soak in water for 20 minutes. Saute the carrots in the olive oil for 2 minutes. Add onions and continue sauting till they are transparent. Add tomato paste if desired. Drain leeks and add to the pot, add salt and sugar and cover, let cook covered on medium heat for 10 minutes or so, till leeks give out their water. Add rice and if necessary add a bit of water, cover and reduce heat. Simmer till the rice is very soft. Five minutes before it is done, add lemon juice. Serve cold with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Kapuska Ingredients: 1 small heat of cabbage 1 onion, chopped 1/3 c rice 1-2 T oil 3 T tomato and pepper paste, combined, in desired proportions Salt and pepper to taste Juice of 1 lemon Slice cabbage thinly. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the cabbage to shock it, parboil for 1 minute and drain, set aside. Saute onions in oil till transparent. Add tomato and pepper pastes and mix well. Add the cabbage and saut lightly. Add rice, salt and pepper, and boiling water till a bit below the level of the cabbage, which will sink down as it cooks. Bring to a boil again, reduce heat and cover, simmer till cabbage is tender. Shortly before it is finished, add the lemon juice. Serve hot. P.S. Kapuska may also be made with ground or cubed meat, or chicken wings.

Kale Soup (Black Sea Region) - kelj Kara Lahana orbas Ingredients: k kale 200 gr ground beef 1 onion, chopped 5-6 cloves garlic, minced 1 c cracked corn 1 c corn meal 1 1/3 c cooked white (navy) or pinto beans

3-4 T oil (or butter) 2-3 T combined pepper and tomato paste Juice of one lemon Salt to taste Chop kale finely. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add kale to shock it, allow to boil a few minutes. Drain and set aside. Saute onions with meat. Add the tomato and pepper pastes, and then the kale. Mix well and add the rest of the ingredients except the lemon juice. Add boiling water and simmer till it becomes a medium thick soup and the corn is soft, adding water if necessary. Add lemon juice shortly before it is done. Stuffed Vegetables with Meat Etli Dolma Ingredients: 500 gr lean ground meat 300 gr rice 1 kg vegetables for stuffing (peppers, eggplant, zucchini, etc.) 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped 3-4 T tomato and pepper sauce, mixed 2 T oil 2 T butter 2 onions, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed, or more to taste 1 tomato Salt, to taste, pepper, mint Juice of 1 lemon 2 T pomegranate molasses (Photo by Almost Turkish Recipes) Clean and hollow out vegetables. For peppers, cut around the stem, leaving a shoulder, and remove seeds. For eggplant, choose small ones, cut off ends and remove soft inner pith with an apple corer, then finish with a narrow spoon. If they are larger, cut in half and hollow out from cut end. Prepare zucchini as for larger eggplants. Prepare filling: Mix 2 T of oil with the pepper and tomato paste and saut briefly. Combine all the ingredients. Fill the vegetables to the top but do not pack the filling too tightly or they will split when the rice expands. One way to close them, especially peppers, is with a thin slice taken from the outside of a tomato. The rest can be arranged end-to-end in a pot so that they seal each other. They should be

packed evenly to the same level. If you have extra, cook them in another pan into which they fit well rather than packing them higher than the rest in the main pan. Cover with a plate to hold in place (find one just slightly narrower than the cooking pot), and fill with hot water just to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for half an hour or until the rice is done. Often these are made with a combination or vegetables as well as vine leaves, and from dried peppers, eggplant and zucchini in the winter. These must be softened in hot water before using; you can use the soaking water for cooking as well. Every cook from every region has his/her own particular version of dolma/sarma stuffing, this is a good one to start with. Experiment with other ingredients such as chopped tomatoes (squeeze to remove extra liquid), chopped fresh peppers, red flake pepper or isot, and sumac; chopped instead of ground meat (popular in eastern Turkey). In some areas they are cooked with a bed of ribs on the bottom of the pot; this adds more flavor. You can forego the pomegranate molasses or lemon and cook them in water in which a handful of sumac (either ground, or whole if you can find it) has been added. In this case you would not add sumac to the filling.

Stuffed Vegetables with Olive Oil Zeytinya l Dolma Ingredients: 1 kg stuffing peppers, vine leaves, etc. as desired 3-4 onions, finely chopped 300 gr rice 1 bunch parsley, chopped 3/4 c olive oil 2-3 T pine nuts 2-3 T dried currants Salt, 1 cube sugar 3 T dry mint Optional: chopped fresh dill, allspice. Juice of 1 lemon Wash rice and soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Saute pine nuts and onion in the oil. Add the rice to the pot and saut. Add the currents, and water just to cover the rice, turn the heat low and cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, add chopped parsley and dried mint, let stand 10 minutes. Then stir lightly to mix, and fill the vegetables or vine leaves with the mixture. Pack the dolma/sarma in a pot, and drizzle c olive over them, lemon juice, and water just to cover, and invert a plate on them to hold them in place. Bring to boil then reduce heat and let simmer for around 25 minutes. Serve cold with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Fried Vegetables K zartma Ingredients: 2 eggplants (long type) 2 zucchinis 2 potatoes kg green pepper Vegetable oil for frying For Sauce: 1 olive oil 3-4 tomatoes 1 spoon tomato paste 3-4 cloves garlic Salt 1/2 bunch of parsley Cut eggplants into circles, salt and let rest 15 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. Cut zucchini into rounds, and fry in hot oil. Repeat with potatoes. Wash and dry peppers, cut off their stems and lightly slit the ends, then fry and add to the rest of the fried vegetables. In a saucepan, mix the tomatoes, 1 T olive oil and pepper or tomato paste. Cook for a few minutes but there should be plenty of the juice remaining, then add finely chopped parsley. Add the salt, and pour over the fried vegetables, serve hot.

Fried Cauliflower Karnabahar K zartmas Ingredients: 1 medium cauliflower Vegetable oil for deep frying kilo yogurt 2-3 cloves garlic 2 egg yolks 1 t flour t salt

Crush garlic and mix with yogurt. Break up cauliflower into florets, and parboil in salted water for a few minutes, drain. Mix flour and salt in a bowl, and add egg yolks Dip cauliflower in egg, then roll in flour and fry in hot oil. Cool and serve topped with the garlic-infused yogurt.

Fried Carrots with Garlic Yogurt Havu K zartmas Ingredients: kg carrots Oil for frying 2 egg yolks 1 t flour t salt Yogurt infused with garlic Peel carrots and cut into quarters longwise, then into short lengths. Mix egg yolks, salt and flour in a bowl, and mix well with the carrots, the fry in hot oil. Allow to cool and top with yogurt.

Stuffed Celeriac Root with Olive Oil Zeytinya l Kereviz Dolma Ingredients: 3-4 celeriac roots 2 onions, chopped 1 carrot, cubed 1 potato, peeled and cubed 1 t fresh peas, cooked 3-4 T olive oil Salt to taste 1 cube sugar 1 bunch dill Juice of 1 lemon Peel celeriacs and cut in half lengthwise, and put in water with lemon juice to keep from turning brown. Meanwhile, saut carrots for 2 minutes, then add onions and saut till transparent. Add the potatoes and continue sauting. Add peas and sautee for a minute more. Add salt and sugar. Carve out the middles of the celeriac halves, and fill with the onion-carrot-potato mixture. Arrange in a wide pan, add one cup water and simmer on low heat till celeriac and vegetables are

tender. When done, top with finely chopped dill and lemon juice, and close the lid again. Serve cold with a squeeze of lemon.

Celeriac with Meat Etli Kereviz Ingredients: 1 kg celeriac root, peeled and cubed 350 gr small cubed meat 2 T oil 1 T tomato paste 2 onions, chopped Salt Juice of 1 lemon Saute onions and meat until the juice released by the meat has been absorbed. Add the tomato paste and saut a moment longer. Add the celeriac and stir several times. Add salt and water just to surface of ingredients, and cook on medium heat till celeriac is soft. 5 minutes before it is done, add the lemon juice. Green Beans with Meat Etli Taze Fasulye Ingredients: 1 kg fresh green beans 1 onion, chopped 300 gr small cubed meat 1-2 T combined tomato and pepper paste 1-2 tomatoes, peeled and cubed Salt to taste 1 t sugar 2 T oil Wash and clean beans, and either snap, chop or slice. Saute onion and meat with oil in a pot. When the meat is tender, add the pepper and tomato pastes and mix. Add the beans and saut, add salt, pepper and sugar. Add tomatoes and continue sauting for a few minutes. Then add boiling water just to the surface of the beans, or more or less if desired, reduce heat and simmer covered until the beans are tender.

Green Beans with Olive Oil Zeytinya l Taze Fasulye Ingredients: 1 kg fresh green beans 2 onions, chopped 2 tomatoes, peeled and cubed 1 t tomato paste 1 t salt or to taste 1 cube sugar 3-4 T olive oil Wash and clean beans, and either snap or slice as desired. Saute onions in olive oil. Add tomato paste and stir in well. Add the beans and stir a few times, then add the tomatoes and saut for 510 minutes. Add salt and sugar, and 1 c water. Cover and cook on low heat. Serve cold topped with a squeeze of lemon.

Etli Bezelye Peas with Meat Ingredients: 1 kg fresh shelled peas 250 beef or lamb cut small 1 onion, finely chopped 3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped 3 T oil 3 c water 1 t sugar Salt to taste Brown meat together with the onion in oil, and cook until the water it exudes has been absorbed. Add tomatoes and continue cooking till the tomatoes disintegrate. When the tomatoes have broken down, add the peas and cook until they have changed color slightly. Into this half-cooked mixture add the water, salt and one t sugar, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover, and cook until the peas are tender. If you make this dish with canned peas, then add the water and allow to simmer until the meat is done, then add the peas and cook only enough to heat through. Two cups of peas is enough.