Discovering Turkish delights
Before my last trip to Turkey, I associated that country’s culinary offerings with lamb kabobs and tasty desserts like baklava and the sugary, chewy cubes known as Turkish delight, but it is a large country with history from Ottoman and Persian influences, which is part of what makes its cuisine so utterly delightful.
During my recent 10 days in Turkey with my daughter, Jennie, my culinary horizons were broadened. I reveled in the use of thick, fresh yogurt on things such as chickpeas and rice, tasted amazing pickles, ate olives for breakfast and enjoyed a new list of desserts, including sugared figs with ice cream, quince in syrup and Turkish delight made with honey.
The Turkish people are incredibly welcoming, and the ancient cities are amazing. Although I could not bring those home, I am able to share part of my culinary experience with recipes, and most of the ingredients are available at local groceries, although one or two items, like sumac, might require a mail order from www.penzeys.com.
While we were in Istanbul, my daughter and I took a “street food” excursion and toured the interior and west coast. We sampled regional dishes whenever we could in restaurants, from street carts and at various hotel buffets where I constantly pulled our guide over to ask about interesting dishes and the names of the variety of cheeses.
Many Turkish dishes are similar to those found in Greece, as the countries are neighbors. The use of dill is evident in the cuisine of both countries, and on this trip, I enjoyed the taste of fresh dill in many different things. Fresh fruits, as in most European countries, often shared the spotlight with sweeter items on the dessert table. In Turkey, mulberries and cherries took a starring role.
On our first night in Istanbul, my daughter and I ordered an eggplant appetizer. The bright flavor of fresh dill was a lovely flavor accent in a dish of chopped marinated eggplant, olives, roasted red pepper, tomato and flat-leaf parsley. After reading several recipes that seemed similar, I already have re-created this one at home and am sharing my version.
Dill in thick fresh yogurt was often served on the side for everything from vegetables to meat. This combo graced a plate of chickpeas sauteed with fresh cherry tomatoes and a bit of salt, pepper, parsley and basil served over plain rice. Kabobs were made with ground-meat patties as well as cubes of meat. Adana kabobs became a favorite, and tomato and cucumber salads were perked up with dill, vinegar and a drop or two of Turkish olive oil.
Rice pudding is a frequent player on dessert tables along with ashure – a catch-all pudding said to have been invented by Noah’s wife to use up all of the grains and dried foods left on the Ark. I tried the rice pudding, which was thinner than the variety I am used to, but it similarly was flavored with cinnamon and sugar.
Our foray into street food was really exciting tastewise. We tried simit; a bagel-like, round dough baked and covered with sesame seeds; kumpir, the ultimate stuffed potato; Turkish coffee; and, best of all, dondurma, a fantastic local ice cream. You can approximate kumpir and asure at home. Dondurma’s unique taste comes from salep flour (or salepi, from the root of wild orchids), goat’s milk and mastic, a natural resin that is also very healthy, and this ice cream is great.
A family of Turkish immigrants has undertaken the creation of this frozen treat in New York City, so it is now possible to savor the incredible texture and delightful pistachio, strawberry and other flavors by the pint without flying across the ocean. Check out www.lezzetliicecream.com if you are going to the Big Apple anytime soon. I have not had an opportunity to test their quality, but they use the right stuff.
Turkish delight there is not a dry, chewy square of sugary substance. The candy comes in a variety of local food flavors such as pomegranate, pistachio, rose, lemon, mint and walnut. It is made with honey and comes in long blocks and the more familiar sugar-syrup squares.
I also sampled a treat that is considered a standard hostess gift in Turkey – candied chestnuts. The only word for these little shelled chestnuts dipped in sugar syrup is amazing. The best ones are made near Bursa, where chestnut trees line the old silk road.
Adana Kabobs
▪ 1/2 pound ground lamb
▪ 1/2 pound ground beef
▪ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
▪ 1 tablespoon ground sumac
▪ 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
▪ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
▪ 1 tablespoon red onion, diced
▪ 1 egg (Many recipes did not include this, but I found it necessary as a binder. You can try the recipe with and without.)
▪ Salt to taste
Mix all ingredients by hand. Form into oval meat shapes, thin, not thick. Chill an hour or two in the refrigerator.
Put two or three on a wooden skewer, and grill until cooked through.
Serve with accompaniments.
Accompaniments (serve in bowls)
▪ Pita bread or another flat bread (I like naan.)
▪ Fresh, flat Italian parsley leaves, chopped
▪ Red onion, thinly sliced
▪ Chopped red tomatoes
▪ Pickled peppers or other pickles
▪ Yogurt mixed with dill, or dill and cucumber
– Adapted by Joan Leotta from three sources, http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/08/adana-kebab-turkish-ground-lamb-kebab-recipe.html, according to her tasting experience, her guide’s input and her cousin, Maria, whose husband is Turkish.
Favorite Turkish Eggplant Appetizer
Note: Eggplant shows up in many Turkish appetizer dishes.
▪ 1 large eggplant (about 1 pound)
▪ Olive oil, 2 to 3 tablespoons (more oil if you choose the saute option)
▪ 3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
▪ 3 to 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
▪ Salt and pepper to taste
▪ 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
▪ 2 tablespoons small green olives with pimento, skied
▪ 1 medium tomato, sliced (optional)
▪ 1 to 2 pieces (small) roasted red pepper, diced
▪ 2 tablespoons fresh dill fronds, chopped
Peel and cut eggplant in 3/4-inch slices. Soak in salted water for about 20 minutes, wash and dry. Dice the slices into cubes.
Either begin to add the other ingredients to marinate the cubes in a serving dish, or saute the cubes in heated olive oil in a frying pan until golden brown, drain and place. Drain and place in a serving platter.
Once the cubes are in the serving dish, sprinkle with chopped garlic and vinegar, and mix well with a spoon.
Add parsley and dill. Add olives, tomato and roasted red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mix all ingredients. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Serve with pita or Naan
– Adapted by Joan Leotta from “The Complete Book of Turkish Cooking” by Ghillie Busan
Kumpir (the ultimate stuffed, twice-cooked baked potato)
▪ 1 potato per person
▪ 3 tablespoons butter per potato
▪ 3 tablespoons cheese (see method for type) per potato
Bake a potato (not in foil, that might flavor the skin)
Scoop out the insides and blend with 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter and the same amount of yellow Turkish curd cheese known as Kasar. Note: Mozzarella has been listed as a substitute, however, shaved mild Havarti is a more accurate flavor substitute.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toppings (serve in bowls, and each person selects their favorites)
▪ Various varieties of cheese
▪ Cooked, spiced lamb or beef
▪ Sliced green olives
▪ Sliced black olives
▪ Chopped flat-leaf parsley
▪ Chopped red onion
▪ Garbanzo beans cooked in tomato sauce
▪ Grated carrots
▪ Chopped, diced or julienned cabbage (red and white)
▪ Pickles of various types
▪ Sliced fresh mushrooms
▪ Sliced cooked mushrooms
▪ Fresh soft chick peas
▪ Other canned beans, rinsed
This story was originally published July 15, 2015 at 1:00 AM with the headline "Discovering Turkish delights."