Beef, chicken, fish, seafood main courses as well as some hearty vegetarian and vegan dishes.
March 5, 2023
Stuffed Eggplants – Karniyarik Karnıyarık word by word translates as “split belly”. Eggplants are stuffed with seasoned minced meat. This is a very Turkish recipe which […]
July 8, 2016
This is a healthy, gluten free variation of a classic bulgur (cracked wheat) pilaf with green or brown lentils. Cauliflower rice is substituted for bulgur, giving […]
October 30, 2014
Eggplants, Peppers & Tomatoes in Olive Oil Literally meaning “peasant fries”, Kirli Kizartmasi is a local dish from Aydin province in the Aegean region of Turkey. […]
May 3, 2013
Diced Zucchini with Scrambled Eggs This is a common dish from the rural areas of the Aegean region of Turkey where I grew up. When I was […]
February 23, 2013
Garbanzo Balls Ingredients: 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (dry or canned) If you are going to use dry garbanzo beans, you need to soak […]
November 26, 2012
Bar Pilaf with Shrimps – Karidesli Meyhane Pilavı Meyhane is a cross between a restaurant and a pub. “mey” means “wine” and “hane” means “house”, however, […]
November 23, 2012
Baked Salmon Wrapped in Grape Leaves – Asma Yaprağında Somon Although the term “stuffed grape leaves” typically refers to grape leaves stuffed with rice or bulgur […]
October 31, 2012
Chicken Caserole – Tavuk Gratin This is a very healthy, tasty comfort food. No mayonnaise, no canned soups in the sauce. Just chicken, veggies and home- […]
October 26, 2012
Sautéed String Beans with Eggs – Yumurtali Borulce My friend Nuran cooked this for us on our boat trip this summer. She told us that this […]
October 19, 2012
Spinach and Mushrooms in Olive Oil – Zeytinyağlı Mantarlı Ispanak Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil 1 small or 1/2 medium onion, sliced 1 lb baby spinach […]
October 14, 2012
Uzbek Pilaf with Chicken – Tavuklu Özbek Pilavı Uzbek Pilaf is traditionally prepared with lamb browned in butter or lamb fat. I’ve modified the recipe by […]
October 5, 2012
Eggplants Stuffed with Onions and Garlic in Olive Oil – Imam Bayıldı The name of this famous dish “Imam Bayıldı“ means “Priest Fainted”, supposedly with pleasure […]
October 1, 2012
Menemen – Scrambled Eggs with Onions, Tomatoes and Peppers Menemen is a close cousin to omlettes, but it is typically a summer lunch classic in Turkish […]
May 30, 2012
Meatballs in tomato sauce – Salçalı Köfte Definitely a comfort food. Kids love it, so do the adults. These classic meatballs are not only a great […]
May 20, 2012
Swiss Chard Rolls with Bulgur Stuffing Ingredients: 2 bunches of Swiss Chards (about 12 leaves) 3 cups boiling water 1 ½ cup No1(fine) or No 2 […]
May 15, 2012
Fava Beans in Olive Oil – Zeytinyagli Bakla Fava Beans in Olive Oil – Zeytinyagli Bakla Ingredients: 1 lb fresh fava beans 4 cups water 1 […]
May 10, 2012
Here we go, two purslane recipes backt o back! Spring and summer are the time a lot of olive oil based vegetable dishes are cooked in […]
May 5, 2012
Swiss Chards with Bulgur in Olive Oil This dish is a sort of “West meets East” version of the traditional Swiss Chard dish from Turkey. Swiss […]
April 12, 2012
White Beans over Rice – Kurufasulye – Pilav is one of the most basic, traditional, comforting dishes in the Turkish Cuisine. If you go to a […]
April 3, 2012
Couscous with Feta Cheese and Garbanzo Beans Couscous, originally from North Africa, is a pasta dish fairly common throughout the Middle East. In Turkey it mostly […]
March 20, 2012
Baked Chicken with Mixed Vegetables When our kids were young, working full time and making sure the family was properly fed was always a challenge. I […]
March 5, 2012
Black Eyed Peas & Peppers in Olive Oil Here’s a simple dish that could be eaten hot or cold, either by itself or as a side […]
March 2, 2012
Ingredients: 1 medium cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets 2 cups boiling water ½ lb lean ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 2 table spoons olive […]
February 23, 2012
Dolma means “stuffed” in Turkish, referring to stuffed vegetable dishes. Best known dolma by far is the stuffed grape leaves. Other vegetables that are used in […]
February 17, 2012
Lady’s Thigh Paddies – Kadin Budu Kofte This is a kind of kofte (meat paddies or meatballs) that is made with ground beef and rice. Turkish […]
February 7, 2012
Oruk – Meat and Bulgur Patties Oruk – Meat and Bulgur Patties: Before talking about ORUK, let’s first talk about BULGUR, the main ingredient in Oruk […]
January 28, 2012
Green Lentils with Carrots in Olive Oil In Turkish cuisine, like throughout the Middle East, both red and green lentils are used quite often, especially […]
January 4, 2012
Stuffed Eggplants – Karniyarik Karniyarik word by word translates as “split belly”. Eggplants are stuffed with seasoned minced meat. This is a very Turkish recipe which […]
December 5, 2011
Seabass Stew If you look up “Blue Cruise”, also known as Blue Voyage, you’ll discover the beauty of the Turkey’s southwestern coast and the magical excursions […]
July 1, 2011
White Roughy in Tomato-Olive Oil Sauce Ingredients: 3 pieces of white roughy, approximately 4 oz each. 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed (optional) 2-3 medium tomatoes, coarsely […]
June 11, 2011
Ingredients: 1 egg 1/2 cup olive oil 1 lb lean ground beef 1 medium onion, cut into 4 pieces 3 cloves of garlic, crushed ½ cup […]
June 11, 2011
Savory Pastry Squares: BOREK This is a recipe from my dear late father-in-law, Vakif Ari who had many “signature dishes” from borek to omlettes, salads, and […]