Friday, November 30, 2012

Quince Dessert (Ayva Tatlisi)

4 medium quinces
2 cups water
1 ½ cups sugar
7 pieces of clove
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Seeds of quinces
2 Tbsp pomegranate flowers/ a pinch of red food coloring (optional)

For garnish:
Ice-cream/whip cream/thick cream
Crushed nuts

Peel the quinces and cut them in half, remove the seeds but do not discard. You may want to flatten the bottom of the quince halves for a better standing in the serving plate. Set them aside for later use. If not using the quinces you may want to dip them in lemon juice water to prevent browning. 
Place water, cloves, cinnamon stick, pomegranate flowers/red food color and quince seeds (for thick syrup) in a shallow pot or saucepan. Bring to a boil and place the quince halves bottoms up (seeded parts facing down). Simmer on low medium for 15 minutes with lid is half closed. Then, flip the quince halves now the seeded parts facing up and add sugar filling the seeded holes. Simmer for 10 more minutes with lid open or half closed. Check them with a fork and if they are soft enough.
Take them over the serving plate sliced part facing up and spoon some of the syrup in the bottom of the plate. Let them cool for 20-30 minutes. Then you may use either whip cream or thick cream or even ice cream to fill up the holes. If desired, sprinkle with come crushed nuts and serve.
ENJOY

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TURKCE
4 tane orta boy ayva
2 su bardagi su
1 ½ su bardagi seker
7 tane karanfil
1 cubuk tarcin (istege bagli)
ayvanin cekirdekleri
2 yemek kasigi nar cicegi/ bir tutam kirmizi gida boyasi (istege bagli)

Uzeri icin:
Dondurma/krem santi/kaymak
Cekilmis antep fistigi/findik/ceviz

Ayvalarin kabuklarini soyup ikiye bolun. Cekirdeklerini cikarin ve daha sonra kullanmak uzere ayirin. Yuvarlak kisimlarini biraz duzleyip servis yaparken duzgun durmasini saglayabilirsiniz. Eger ayvalari hemen kullanmiyorsaniz, kararmasini engellemek icin limonlu su icine koyun.
Cok derin olmayan genisce bir tencereye; su, karanfil, tarcin cubugu ve nar cicegi/kirmizi gida boyasini koyun ve kaynatin. Sonra, ayvalari yuvarlak kisimlari yukari gelecek sekilde tencereye yerlestirin ve 15 dakika kisik ateste kapagi yari kapali sekilde pisirin. Ayvalari ters cevirin ve cukur cekirdek kisimlarini dolduracak sekilde sekeri ilave edin. Yine kapagi yari aralik sekilde 10 dakika kadar ya da ayvalar yumusayana dek pisirin.
Servis tabagina alin ve surubundan da dibine koyarak yaklasik 20-30 dakika sogumasini bekleyin. Sonra, cukur kisimlarini istege bagli olarak kaymak/krem santi ya da dondurma ile doldurun. Ogutulmus antep fistigi/ceviz/findik serperek servis yapin.
AFIYET OLSUN

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Muhammara (Red Pepper Walnut Dip)

1-1 ½  cup roasted red peppers, drained
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
½-1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp hot red pepper flakes (optional)
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt to taste

Blend all the ingredients but the olive oil in a food processor blend until mixture is smooth. You may also leave it a little chunky if you like it that way. Stir in oil gradually. Transfer muhammara to a serving bowl and if desired, garnish with fresh parsley/mint. Serve it with crudities, pita triangles or fresh bread. May be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
Serve at room temperature.
Muhammara is also very good at breakfasts.
ENJOY
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TURKCE
1 su bardagi kozlenmis kirmizi biber, suzulmus
1/3 su bardagi ceviz ici, ufalanmis
2-3 dis sarimsak, dovulmus
1 yemek kasigi taze limon suyu
1 yemek kasigi nar eksisi
½-1 tatli kasigi kimyon
1 cay kasigi aci kirmizi pul biber (istege bagli)
2-3 yemek kasigi sizma zeytinyagi
1 cay kasigi tuz

Zeytinyagi haric butun malzemeleri mutfak robotunda puruzsuz hale gelene dek pure haline getirin. Istege bagli olarak iri parcali da birakabilirsiniz.Zeytinyagini da yavas yavas karistirin. Servis tabagina alin ve arzu ederseniz taze maydanoz/nane ile susleyin. Taze ekmek, pitaucgenleri ya da sebze ile servis edebilirsiniz. Buzdolabinda 24 saate kadar saklayabilirsiniz. Oda sicakliginda servis edin. Muhammara kahvalti sofralariniza da cok iyi yakisacaktir.
AFIYET OLSUN

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Kebapche-Bulgarian (Bulgaristan Usulu Kebap)

2 lbs minced meat (60% lamb, 40% beef)
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp cumin
1-2 glove garlic, minced (optional)
Mix all ingredients together well. Leave in the fridge for 4-12 hours. Take out and roll in sausage like pieces. About 1 inch in diameter and 6 inches in length. Makes about 30 pieces.
Cook over the grill until both sides are done.
ENJOY
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TURKCE
1 kg kiyma (60% koyun, 40% dana)
1 yemek kasigi tuz
1 yemek kasigi taze ogutulmus karabiber
½ tatli kasigi kimyon
1-2 dis sarimsak, ezilmis (istege bagli)
Butun malzemeleri guzelce karistirin. Buzdolabinda yaklasik 4-12 saat dinlendirin. Sonra, kiymadan yaklasik 2.5 cm capinda ve 15 cm uzunlugunda uzun yuvarlak sucuklar yapin.Yaklasik 30 adet cikar.
Mangal ya da izgara uzerinde her iki taraflari kizarana dek pisirin.
AFIYET OLSUN