Gluten-free recipes

Easy one pan chicken with vegetables – Sebzeli, tavuklu türlü

This is another easy, delicious, nutritious one pan dish, perfect for week day meals – leftovers make a lovely lunch or another supper the next day. Türlü is a popular stew of meat and vegetables at home, traditionally cooked on the stovetop, and sometime baked. Green beans, potatoes and peppers are lovely here though you can use other veg in hand – beets, squash, carrots, leeks can be fantastic options for cooler temperatures. Marinating chicken in yoghurt and spices add a lot of flavour and tenderizes chicken – gut friendly too. You can prepare this dish a head of time, it also freezes well.

Another version of this dish, using aubergines and peppers and baked in the oven, Baked aubergine kebab with yoghurt and spices marinated chicken, Patlicanli Kebap, is also at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table. Signed copies are available at this link.

Easy one pan chicken with vegetables – Sebzeli, tavuklu türlü

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: One pan stews

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Chicken marinade:
800g chicken breast, cut in 4cm chunks
3 tbsp plain yoghurt
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1tsp ground cumin
½ tsp pul biber
1 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
1 tbsp pepper paste, biber salcasi
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
For the rest:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut in small – 2 cm – chunks
1 medium potato, cleaned, halved and thinly sliced (1/2 cm thick)
250 g green beans, trimmed
For the sauce:
1 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
170 ml water
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

First marinade the chicken. Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and with clean hands, combine well. Cover and keep in the fridge for 30 minutes (or more, if you can).
Pour 2 tbsp olive oil in a large wide pan and stir in the marinated chicken. Sauté for about 6 minutes over medium to high, stirring often, to seal the juices of the chicken. Remove the chicken to a plate, keep the oil in the pan.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pan and stir in the onions, peppers, potato. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 6-7 minutes over medium to high heat. Now return the chicken to the pan and combine well for a minute. Also introduce the green beans to the pan and mix well.
Combine sauce ingredients in a jug, mix well for the tomato paste to dissolve. Pour over to the pan, season with salt and pepper, combine well. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer for 35-40 minutes, until everything is cooked and sauce thickened.
Serve hot with drizzle of extra – virgin olive oil over and some rice or chunks of bread aside. Cacik dip of yoghurt and cucumber goes well with this dish too.

Rice pilaf with chestnuts, pine nuts and currants – Kestaneli Ic Pilav

By Ozlem Warren on December 10, 2021 in Gluten-free recipes, Pilafs and Rice, Vegan / Plant based 0

This sophisticated rice pilaf dates back to the Ottoman Palace kitchens and is packed to the brim with flavour. I love the different textures and flavours this rice showcases with currants, pine nuts as well as fresh herbs. It’s been enjoyed in Istanbul, as well as in Anatolia; my mother would make it at special occasions and for the New Year’s Eve; traditionally cubed lamb liver would be added too, as I have it at my cookery book Ozlem’s Turkish Table. You can serve this dish on its own with a slice of lemon and Turkish pickles, tursu or with the Shepherd’s salad of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, Coban Salata, from my cookery book Ozlem’s Turkish Table, on the side. This special herby rice also traditionally used stuffing for turkey and chicken, to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home. You can also pair with my Baked aubergine/eggplant and chicken kebab, Patlicanli Firin Tavuk, from Ozlem’s Turkish Table.

Signed copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book, and this festive apron is available, via GB Publishing, at this link. if you like to order for a festive gift.

If you live in the US, Canada and Mexico, there is now lower rates of shipping at this link.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Rice pilaf with chestnuts, pine nuts and currants – Kestaneli Ic Pilav

This sophisticated rice pilaf dates back to the Ottoman Palace kitchens and is packed to the brim with flavour. I love the different textures and flavours this rice showcases with currants, pine nuts as well as fresh herbs. It’s been enjoyed in Istanbul, as well as in Anatolia; my mother would make it at special occasions and for the New Year’s Eve; traditionally cubed lamb liver would be added too, as I have it at my cookery book Ozlem’s Turkish Table. You can serve this dish on its own with a slice of lemon and Turkish pickles, tursu or with the Shepherd’s salad of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, Coban Salata, from my cookery book Ozlem’s Turkish Table, on the side.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Rice

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

170g/6oz cooked chestnuts, chopped into small bite size pieces
30ml/2 tablespoons olive oil
15ml/1 tablespoon butter
30ml/2 tablespoons currants
45ml/3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 medium onion, finely chopped
10ml/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (add a little more if you like cinnamon)
350g/12oz long grain rice, rinsed and drained
750ml/1¼ pints hot water
1 small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 small bunch of dill, finely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
Wedges of lemon to serve

Instructions

Soak the currants in warm water for about 15 minutes. Then drain and set aside.
Heat the butter and the olive oil in a heavy, medium size pan over a medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until softened.
Add the pine nuts and stir; as they begin to turn golden, stir in the currants, chopped cooked chestnuts, cinnamon and the rinsed rice, combine well for a minute. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Pour in the hot water and bring to the boil. Then lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until all the liquid have been absorbed. Turn off the heat; cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and place the lid back on tightly. Leave to steam for 10 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the chopped parsley and dill and combine gently. Serve with wedges of lemon by the side, Turkish pickled vegetables, Tursu or a zingy Shepherds salad.
Afiyet Olsun.

Leek fritters with cheese and herbs; Pirasa Mucveri

By Ozlem Warren on January 21, 2021 in Gluten-free recipes, Vegetables Cooked in Olive Oil 0

We absolutely love Mucver in Turkish cuisine; vegetarian fritters with herbs and cheese. In the past I shared my Courgette/zucchini fritters, Kabak Mucveri as well as the Baked cauliflower with vegetables version, Firinda Karnabahar Mucveri recipes, as also in my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table. They are the perfect patties, great as a mezze; small bite size fritters are wonderful for entertaining too.

Make sure to chop the leeks finely and knead and soften with your hands, with salt.

This time, I experimented using leeks in the fritters. I added wholesome chickpea (gram) flour in the mixture, rather than plain flour this time. I have been enjoying the gram flour recently; it is a pulse flour made from ground chickpea, it is gluten-free, nutty, earthy tasting and packed with goodness. Great in these fritters too. Of course you can use plain flour here instead, if you wish. I also added grated carrots to these fritters, they gave a lovely natural sweetness and crunch.

These Leek fritters, Pirasa mucveri, turned out great. I also baked some in the oven as a variation (in a greased baking dish at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for about 35 minutes); they turned equally tasty and lighter in flavor. Enjoy them with a good squeeze of lemon and garlicy yoghurt by the side.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Leek fritters with cheese and herbs; Pirasa Mucveri and Pide Online Cookery Class!

I hope you enjoy these delicious Leek fritters, Pirasa mucveri. I added wholesome chickpea (gram) flour in the mixture, rather than plain flour. I have been enjoying the gram flour recently; it is a pulse flour made from ground chickpea, it is gluten-free, nutty, earthy tasting and packed with goodness. Great in these fritters too. Of course you can use plain flour here instead, if you wish. I also added grated carrots to these fritters, they added a lovely natural sweetness and crunch. Enjoy them with a good squeeze of lemon and garlicy yoghurt by the side.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Vegetarian

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

200g/7oz (2 medium) carrots, grated
430g/15oz (3-4 medium leeks), trimmed, quartered and chopped finely
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small bunch dill, finely chopped Handful of flat parsley, finely chopped
3 eggs, beaten
150g/5oz Turkish white cheese, beyaz peynir or feta cheese
75ml/5 tablespoons chickpea (gram) flour Or all-purpose/plain flour
5ml/1 teaspoon Turkish pul biber or chili flakes (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Canola oil, groundnut oil or sunflower oil for shallow frying
Wedges of lemon to serve

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F (if you wish to bake the fritters)
Place the finely chopped leeks in a large bowl. Sprinkle a good pinch of salt (1-2 tsp) over the leeks, and rub and mix with your hands. Please do this stage with your hands, rather than with a spoon, as mixing with your hands will soften the leeks.
Grate the carrots. Take a couple of sheets of sturdy paper towel, place the grated carrots in it and gently squeeze out the excess moisture.
Combine the grated carrots with the leeks in a large bowl. Transfer the gram flour (or plain flour, if you wish) to the large bowl and stir in the beaten eggs. Crumble the Turkish white cheese, beyaz peynir or feta cheese and combine in the large bowl. Add the chopped garlic, dill and parsley, season with salt and ground black pepper. Sprinkle the pul biber or red pepper flakes, if you enjoy a little heat. Combine well into a batter (take care not to add extra salt if your cheese is already salty).
In a frying pan, heat enough groundnut, sunflower or canola oil to shallow fry. Using a tablespoon, drop the batter mix into the hot oil spoonful by spoonful, leaving space between each one. Fry over a medium heat for about 2-3 minutes each side until both sides are golden brown. Remove with a straining spoon and drain on an absorbent kitchen paper towel.
Alternatively, if you would like a lighter flavor, you can bake your mucver in a preheated oven at 180C / 350F. If you choose this way, grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon light olive oil or groundnut oil. Place spoonfuls of the batter on the baking tray, leaving about 1”/2.5cm space between each spoonful batter. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes, until they are gold and getting crispy around the edges.
For garlic yoghurt, crush a garlic clove with salt and finely chop. Combine the plain yoghurt and garlic and beat until smooth. Add salt to taste.
Serve the fritters warm, at room temperature or cold with wedges of lemon and garlic yoghurt at the side.
Afiyet Olsun.

Let’s Make Pide! Online (Zoom) Turkish Cookery Class – SOLD OUT

Saturday, February 27th, 2021

Vegetarian Pide, from Ozlem’s Turkish Table – join us to learn how to make it; image by Sian Irvine Photography

Date: Saturday, February 27th 2021

Time: 6pm-7.30pm (GMT)

Cost: 30 GBP (40 USD) per person

Please join us at my online (zoom) cookery class, where I will be demonstrating how to make the popular Pide; our Oval flatbreads with various toppings, on Saturday, February 27th, 6pm-7.30pm (GMT). I will demonstrate Pide with minced (ground) meat with vegetables topping, Kiymali Pide, as well as Vegetarian Pide with cheese, spinach, peppers. We will also do a variation, Karadeniz style, with a cracked egg on top. I will also demonstrate how to make our delicious Ezme dip with tomatoes, peppers, onions and herbs, to go with the Pide.

You will get plenty of ahead of time preparation tips, ideas for substitution and with stories from my homeland. Recording of the class will also be sent to the participants for limited viewing. The class would also make a wonderful gift for a foodie.

A recent review on Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book:

(thank you very much, Hannah, for your kind words):

“Thank you Ozlem, such a wonderful book. I have made many of the recipes already and my family loved them all. My daughter is so happy as they are just like Babannes.”

It is the best compliment hearing folks enjoy my recipes from my homeland, and they bring happy memories, my sincere thanks to everyone left a review on Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book. Signed copies are 25 % Off via GBPublishing at this link and delivered worldwide, including the US.