What goes well with figs? That was the question we asked ourselves before we made this dish. And it didn’t take us long to decide to pair our figs with blue cheese. Oh and some other additions, too. But first, we have a confession. . Eating seasonally is what we do. And for the last …
Domates soslu patlıcan biber kızartma (fried aubergine/eggplant and green peppers in olive oil and tomatoes) was one of the first home-cooked Turkish recipes we tried when we moved to Fethiye. We were round at a Turkish friend’s house and his mum had made some for us. Vegetable Appreciation Along with the famous Turkish green beans …
Fried chicken livers as a cold meze dish. We can’t remember where we were when we had this on our table at a restaurant one night – or when we were there. Judging by that vagueness of memory, we know it was quite some time ago. And we know we were somewhere in Turkey. I …
A huge bowl of freshly made Turkish şakşuka (shak-shoo-ka) is such a treat. This Şakşuka recipe is best eaten freshly made and cold – but it is so difficult to leave it alone and let it cool once you have combined all the perfectly matched ingredients. What Is Turkish Şakşuka? Turkish şakşuka is a popular …
Is there anybody out there who doesn’t love to indulge in a portion of freshly fried falafel? Okay, there probably is. But we’ve never met that person. It’s a perfect go-to food – versatile, wholesome and satisfying. Whether it’s enjoyed as a street food snack or as a meze dish in restaurants, it rarely disappoints. …
Seasonal food and seasonal eating is a huge part of our life in Turkey and was one of the main elements that excited us about starting a life here. Even now, all these years later, we still love to wander around our local markets, buy up lots of seasonal produce (completely neglecting to accept we’re …
It’s broad bean (bakla) season at the moment so we just had to buy a bagful of them to do a Turkish recipe for broad bean salad – iç bakla salatası. Springtime is synonymous with new growth and an abundance of produce on the local markets around Turkey. At the moment, we just feel like …
Throughout the Middle East and around the Mediterranean, the combination of aubergines (eggplants) and chickpeas has been enjoyed for generations. One of four favourite ways to use these two ingredients together is to make one version of a spicy aubergine and chickpea stew. In Turkey, a version of the dish is called nohutlu patlıcan yemeği. …
Mushrooms on toast is one of life’s simple pleasures. And, when you can make this simple pleasure even more of a treat by adding garlic and making it seasonal, it just brings out even more appreciation of mushrooms. In November, we’re blessed with the growth of the meaty orange mushroom, çıntar (Saffron Milk Cap). And …
Turkish pickles! Or turşu, to give them their Turkish name. Especially when it comes to food, we all have our own guilty pleasures. When we first came to Turkey, I immediately noticed that there was no need for my guilty pleasure to be guilt-riddled at all. No; it was perfectly acceptable. A fact of life. …