Appetizers and Mezes

Sautéed Liver with Red Onion, Parsley and Sumac Salad; Ciger Tava

By Ozlem Warren on March 30, 2015 in Appetizers and Mezes 30

Turkish Style Sauteed Liver with Red Onion, Parsley and Sumaz Piyaz Salad; Ciger Tava or Arnavut Cigeri

I was delighted to spot calf’s liver at my butcher the other day and decided to make our popular dish, Ciger Tava, Sautéed Liver, served with red onions, parsley and sumac piyaz salad. Also known as Arnavut Cigeri in Turkey, this is an easy and delicious way to enjoy liver flavored with red pepper flakes, accompanied by sumac flavored red onion & parsley salad. With a squeeze of lemon over, it is great to see even those who may pass liver normally, enjoy this way of preparing.

I used calf’s liver as it was available but try also lamb’s liver if you can get it; utterly delicious prepared this way and a hugely popular mezze at home. We enjoyed it as a main course, accompanied by these delicious Potato and Bulgur rolls with pomegranate molasses, Patatesli, Bulgurlu Kofte aside.

Delicious and easy sauteed liver with red onion, parsley and sumac salad; Ciger Tava

Tip: The trick with cooking liver is that it needs to be stir fried quickly for a few minutes each side so it browns slightly and gets crispy outside but stays moist and soft inside. So please prepare your red onion, parsley and sumac salad first and then cook the liver so that you can serve straight after cooking over the salad, with a wedge of lemon aside.

We have a rich meze tradition in Turkish cuisine with a healthy, wide range choices of salads, dips, mezzes, vegetables cooked in olive to share with family and friends, including this Sauteed liver dish – all included in my cookery book. Ozlem’s Turkish Table, available to order (with a prompt delivery) at this link.

Ozlem’s Turkish Table Cookery Book, available to order at this link

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

4.8 from 6 reviews

Sautéed Liver with Red Onion, Parsley and Sumac Salad; Ciger Tava

Sauteed liver Turkish style, Ciger Tava or Arnavut Cigeri, as it is also known, is an easy and delicious way to enjoy liver with red pepper flakes. Sumac flavored red onion & parsley piyaz salad accompanies the sauteed liver very well; serve with a wedge of lemon aside, for an extra zing, flavor and freshness.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish mezzes with liver

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 4

Ingredients

500 gr/ 1 ¼ lb. fresh lamb’s or calf’s liver
60 ml / 4 tbsp. light olive oil
45 ml/ 3 tbsp. all-purpose (plain) flour
10 ml/ 2 tsp. red pepper flakes or chili flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the red onion, parsley and sumac piyaz salad:
1 large red onion, cut in half lengthways and thinly sliced
Handful of flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
10 ml/ 2 tsp. ground sumac
1 lemon cut in wedges

Instructions

Make the piyaz salad first. Slice the red onion and rub 1-2 tsp salt (preferable sea salt) into the onion slices; this will soften the onions and make them more palatable. Stir in the chopped parsley, ground sumac and black pepper, combine well. Spread the piyaz salad on a serving dish and set aside.
Slice the liver into chunky bites or stripes (removing skin or ducts).
Spread the flour on a tray and stir in the red pepper flakes, salt and ground black pepper, mix well. Toss the sliced liver into the flour mixture and make sure all liver pieces have a light coating of the flour mixture.
Heat the olive oil is a wide, heavy pan. In the meantime, place absorbent kitchen paper towel on a clean tray.
Toss in the liver into the hot pan with olive oil and sauté on high heat for about 2-3 minutes each side. The liver pieces will become crispy and have a light brown coating outside but still will be moist and soft inside. Once cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper towel.
Serve immediately over the bed of red onion, parsley and sumac salad. We like to serve with a wedge of lemon and squeeze the lemon juicer over the liver while eating; it gives a lovely refreshing taste to the liver and complements the red onion salad well.

Notes

The trick with cooking liver is that it needs to be stir fried quickly for a few minutes each side so it browns slightly and gets crispy outside but stays moist and soft inside. So please prepare your red onion, parsley and sumac salad first and then cook the liver so that you can serve straight after cooking with a wedge of lemon.

Mini Pizzas with Olives, Cheese and Tomatoes; Zeytinli Mini Pizza

By Ozlem Warren on January 13, 2015 in Appetizers and Mezes, Savory Pastries, Turkish Breakfast 25

Mini pizzas with olives, cheese, tomatoes; zeytinli mini pizza

I love the savory pastries, pogaca and little melt-in-the-mouth mini pizzas with various fillings sold in bakeries, firin and patisseries, pastanes, in Turkey. We Turks love them for breakfast as well as for a morning or afternoon snack with cup of tea, cay; such a delicious treat.

Mini pizzas with olives, tomatoes and cheese, freshly baked – delicious!

Recently I made these little pizzas with olives, tomato and cheese topping; they really are easy to make at home and have brought smiles all round!:) A favorite with children, as well and adults, they were a big hit. Mini pizzas are best to be enjoyed straight from the oven, but they also keep well for a few days. The next day (if any left), you can microwave them for 10 – 15 seconds. Or you can sprinkle a little water over them, cover and reheat at 180 C/350 F for 5- 8 minutes. They will be lovely, soft and delicious.

Shaping the mini pizzas; round Turkish tea glass or a mug works well.

Tips: Make sure to deseed the tomatoes before chopping so that it won’t make the filling watery and the pastry soggy. As for the cheese, you can use grated mozzarella, cheddar or crumbled feta cheese. For olives; Turkish, Spanish or Greek Kalamata olives all work well. To shape the mini pizza rounds, I used my tulip shaped glass Turkish tea glass, it worked perfectly. If you don’t have one, any glass or round mold in 7-8 cm diameter would work.

Mini pizzas with olives, cheese and tomatoes, Zeytinli mini pizza, ready to eat!

I hope you enjoy these delicious mini pizzas with olives, cheese and tomatoes – Afiyet Olsun;

Ozlem

5.0 from 2 reviews

Mini Pizzas with Olives, Cheese and Tomatoes; Zeytinli Mini Pizza

I love the savory pastries, pogacas and these little melt-in-the-mouth mini pizzas with various fillings sold in bakeries, firin and patisseries, pastanes, in Turkey. We Turks love them for breakfast as well as for a morning or afternoon snack with cup of tea, cay; such a delicious treat. They are easy to make at home and a real crowd pleaser, hope you enjoy them - afiyet olsun!

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish Savory Pastries

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 35 mini pizzas

Ingredients

375 gr/ 3 cups all-purpose plain flour
7gr dry yeast (1 sachet)
5 ml/ 1 tsp. salt
10 ml/ 2 tsp. sugar
240 ml / 8 fl. oz. / 1 cup warm milk
15 ml/ 1 tbsp. olive oil
50 gr / 2 oz. butter, melted
For the filling:
3 small tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
Handful - about 15- green and black olives, roughly chopped
200 gr / 7 oz. / 2 cups grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese
15 ml / 1 tbsp. olive oil
For the topping:
1 egg, beaten

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F
Combine the warm milk, sugar and dry yeast in a small bowl and mix well. Let it stand for 5 minutes so that it gets foamy.
Stir in the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
Add the melted butter and slowly pour in the milk & yeast mixture.
Knead well with your hands for a few minutes, until the dough comes together. Have a drizzle (about 1 tbsp.) of olive oil in your hands if the dough gets too sticky; knead and shape the dough like a ball.
Place the dough in the large bowl and cover with a cling film and a tea towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.
Prepare the filling while the dough is rising. Deseed the tomatoes and olives and chop finely. Place them in a medium sized bowl and stir in the grated cheese and olive oil. Combine and mix well. Set the filling aside.
Once the dough has risen, punch down and divide 3 equal pieces and roll into balls.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each of the ball of dough with a rolling pin into thin flat rounds in ⅓ cm (0.14”) width. Using a round mold or round glass of 8 cm/3” in diameter, cut the flat dough into circles. Repeat until all the dough is used.
Line baking parchment paper on your baking tray and place the dough circles on it. Using your finger, make a little dent in the middle of each dough circle.
Place a dessert spoonful of filling in each dough circle (in and around the dent).
Brush the pastries with the beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven (180 C/ 350 F) for 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.
Serve hot immediately. This recipe makes 35 mini pizzas; afiyet olsun!

Notes

Make sure to deseed the tomatoes before chopping so that it won’t make the filling watery and the pastry soggy. As for the cheese, you can use grated mozzarella, cheddar or crumbled feta cheese. For olives; Turkish, Spanish or Greek Kalamata olives all work well. To shape the mini pizza rounds, I used my tulip shaped glass Turkish tea glass, it worked perfectly. If you don’t have one, any glass or round mold in 7-8 cm diameter would work.

Kadinbudu Kofte; Turkish Lady’s Thigh Meatballs

By Ozlem Warren on November 3, 2014 in Appetizers and Mezes, Casseroles and Stews, Roasts and Kebaps 25

Kadinbudu kofte; Turkish lady’s thigh meatballs

Kadinbudu kofte, or as in the literal translation Lady’s thigh meatballs, is one of the favorite forms of kofte with my children and quite a special treat. This tender, juicy kofte has cooked rice in it rather than stale bread and has a delicious coating of beaten eggs and flour. The cooked rice adds a nice texture and a delicious, moist flavor, combined with cumin, red pepper flakes and onions.

There are theories that this saucy name Kadinbudu kofte, Lady’s thigh meatballs, was given by the Sultan’s chefs at the Ottoman Palace kitchens and that kadinbudu kofte being a favorite of the Sultans; one wonders about the inspirations from the Harem.

Drain the cooked kadinbudu koftes on kitchen paper towel.

A few tips on kadinbudu kofte; you can use leftover cooked rice for this juicy kadinbudu kofte. You can use ground (minced) beef, lamb or mixture. I tend to make my kadinbudu koftes quite chunky; smaller ones may also be a wonderful appetizer or mezze. Having a bowl of water aside and wetting your hands does help shape the meatballs. I like to shallow fry them rather than deep fry, they still get a nice coating and lighter. You can cook kadinbudu kofte ahead of time and give a gentle reheat in the oven (at 180 C /350 F for 15 minutes), just before serving.

Kadinbudu kofte is a delicious, comforting meal with mashed potatoes with spring onions by the side. Seasonal vegetables cooked in olive oil, Cacik dip of cucumbers and yoghurt as well as a refreshing Coban Salata, Shepherd’s Salad with tomatoes, cucumber, onions in olive oil and lemon juice complement kadinbudu kofte well. Kadinbudu kofte is also delicious as a cold picnic lunch.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 4 reviews

Kadinbudu Kofte; Turkish Lady’s Thigh Meatballs

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish meatballs with rice, spices and egg coating

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4

Ingredients

500 gr/ 1 ¼ lb. ground beef, or lamb or mixture
100 gr/about ½ cup long grain rice, cooked
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 large egg yolk (for the kadinbudu kofte mixture)
15 ml / 1 tbsp. olive oil
10 ml/ 2 tsp. ground cumin
5 ml/ 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 large egg and the remaining egg white, beaten (for dipping)
60ml/ 4 tbsp. plain (all-purpose flour) for dipping
Small bowl of cold water aside for shaping the meatballs
Light olive oil or canola oil for shallow frying
For mash potatoes with spring onions:
4 medium potatoes, deskinned and cooked
2 spring (green) onions, finely chopped
45 ml/ 3 tbsp. whole milk
15 ml/ 1 tbsp. olive oil
15 ml/ 1 tbsp. butter
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onions. Saute for 3 minutes over medium heat, they will start to soften.
Stir in the half of the ground (minced) meat and cook on medium to high heat for about 8 minutes, until all the moisture is absorbed, turn the heat off.
Add the cooked rice and the chopped parsley to the pan and mix with the cooked onions and ground meat. Season with salt, cumin, red pepper flakes and ground black pepper (I like to season at this stage before adding the raw meat, as you can check the seasoning). Set aside to cool.
Stir in the remaining raw meat and egg yolk to the mixture. Using your hands, knead well into a paste. Cover and leave the mixture in the fridge for about 15- 20 minutes to settle.
Spread the flour on a flat plate. Have small bowl of cold water aside to help shape the koftes. Beat 1 large egg and the remaining egg white in a small bowl.
Wet your hands and take large egg sized portions of the meat mixture. Shape and flatten them into an oval ball shape. Repeat until all the mixture is finished; you should be able to have 11-12 koftes.
Dip the koftes in the flour to have a light, all round coating.
Heat 4 – 5 tbsp. light olive oil or canola oil in a frying pan.
Then dip the meatballs into the beaten egg and shallow fry in hot oil for about 3 minutes each side. They will be crisp and golden in color.
Drain the cooked kadinbudu koftes on kitchen paper towel. If serving a little later, take out the paper towel and keep the kadinbudu kofte warm on a baking tray in the preheated oven (180 C/350 F) for 5- 10 minutes.
For the mash potatoes with spring onions, mash the cooked potatoes with milk, 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter, over medium heat, until smooth.
Stir in the chopped spring onions and season with salt and ground black pepper. Combine well.
Serve kadinbudu kofte hot with mashed potatoes with spring onions and vegetables aside.

Notes

You can also use leftover cooked rice for this juicy kadinbudu kofte. You can use ground (minced) beef, lamb or mixture. I tend to make my kadinbudu koftes quite chunky; smaller ones may also be a wonderful appetizer or mezze. Having a bowl of water aside and wetting your hands does help shape the meatballs. I like to shallow fry them rather than deep fry, they still get a nice coating and lighter. You can cook kadinbudu kofte ahead of time and give a gentle reheat in the oven (at 180 C /350 F for 15 minutes), just before serving.