Tag Archives | Antakya Cuisine

Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book now available in hardback, kindle and eBook!

Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book, now on Amazon!

Merhaba dear All,

I am delighted to let you know that my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table is available in hardback, as well as kindle and eBook versions on Amazon and other online bookstores worldwide. It’s been a special journey; over 3,000 (mostly signed) copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table have been sold and, thanks to the wonderful feedback we’ve received from readers, we have plenty more on the way. Links to online stores are: hardback and kindle Amazon UK; kindle or eBook Amazon US, Barnes & Noble Nook, Apple , Kobo; and for all these and more online bookstores wordwide GB Publishing Org.

Signed copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book is available via GB Publishing at this link, and it is delivered worldwide including USA – signed copies are now 20 % off for the holiday season and can be a wonderful gift for a food lover.

Already lots of folks very kindly left 5* reviews for Ozlem’s Turkish Table on Amazon UK -my sincere thanks to each and everyone – here is one of the reviews; if you enjoyed Ozlem’s Turkish Table, and could kindly leave a review here or here, I would be very grateful, thank you very much in advance:

* * * * * Wonderful cookery book (by Dr E. R. Salter) – review on Amazon –

“If you’re from Turkey or have ever travelled there on holidays and enjoyed the food….and want to learn how to prepare traditional dishes from the country, then this book is for you. This is a beautifully presented book on Turkish cooking. The photographs are stunning and the cook’s love of her family’s country is woven into the book’s fabric. One aspect that struck me was how healthy many of the dishes were, whether vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or carnivore, there’s a dish for you. I thoroughly recommend this book for your cookery book collection or simply your coffee table.”

Turkish Breakfast spread from Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book

Observer Food Monthly Awards – Please kindly vote for Ozlem’s Turkish Table!

Prestigious Observer Food Monthly Awards is the equivalent of the food industry’s Oscars and are open to votes right now; if you enjoyed Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book and could you kindly vote here, many thanks in advance!

Ozlem’s Turkish Table – Upcoming Events

Hope to meet you in one of the upcoming events and classes; more events added periodically here so please check out the latest activities at the Cookery Classes page:

Sunday June 23rd, 2019 – Ozlem’s Turkish Table Meze Feast Hands On Class- Divertimenti Cookery School, London last few spots left for this scrumptious class; if you’d like to join us, please kindly sign up via Divertimenti at this link

Saturday, Sept 7th, 2019 – Ozlem’s Turkish Table book signing, interview and demonstration at De Vries Van Stockum Bookstore – Holland : So look forward to be at the amazing Van Stockum bookstore in den Haag, Holland to meet Turkish food lovers! Details will follow shortly.

Monday, September 30th, 2019 – I look forward to visiting Mozaik Bahce in Fethiye, showcasing the very best examples of southern Turkish cuisine, for an Antakya style dinner and will sign copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table, look forward to meeting Turkish food lovers.

Tuesday, Oct 1, 2019 – Hands on Turkish Cookery Class at Yakamoz Hotel and Turkish Style Afternoon Tea and Ozlem’s Turkish Table book signing – Fethiye, Turkey : Always a pleasure to return and teach Turkish cookery at Yakamoz Hotel; hope you can join our delicious hands on class there; booking essential and the class promises to sell out soon, you can see the class and booking details here.

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2019 –Ozlem Warren Turkish cookery demonstration and lunch at Villa Cennet
Bahcesi, Kalkan, Turkey: I am greatly looking forward to visiting Kalkan and series of events, do hope to see you at our cookery demonstration and lunch; booking essential, you can see more information here.

Thursday, October 3rd, 2019 – Ozlem Warren Hands On Cookery Classes with Guru’s Place Cookery School, Kalkan-Turkey : Hope you can join us our delicious hands-on cookery class at Guru’s Place Kalkan; we will shop for the ingredients at local markets, cook our Turkish feast and enjoy together; booking essential, you can see more information here

What I have been cooking lately ..

Courgette/zucchini fritters from Ozlem’s Turkish Table

My family loves this Courgette/zucchini fritters with feta and dill, Kabak Mucveri from Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book (page 163). These fritters are a fantastic way to enjoy courgettes/zucchini, you can serve with garlicy yoghurt or with a green salad by the side. If you are after a lighter flavour, you can bake the spread. like my mother does, in a greased baking dish at 180 C / 350 F for about 35-40 minutes – so delicious.

Crumbled feta salad with cumin and red pepper flakes, Cokelek Salatasi

This light and healthy salad, Crumbled white cheese (or feta) salad with cumin and red pepper flakes, Cokelek Salatasi from Ozlem’s Turkish Table (page 105) has been another favourite with the weather warming up. Antakya has a special dried cheese blend with spices called kuru cokelek (also known as surk), that is traditionally used in this salad. Cumin, red pepper flakes and oregano is mixed in kuru cokelek and readily available there. If kuru cokelek is not available, the Turkish white cheese or feta will work just as well. Cumin and red pepper flakes amazingly transform the delicate flavour of Turkish white cheese (beyaz peynir), of feta, to a new level.

Last but not least, my very sincere thanks to you all for joining me at this very special journey of sharing delights from my homeland. Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book has been my dream of over 10 years and it gives me so much happiness to have a chance to pass along the legacy of our wonderful Turkish cuisine, recipes, stories, traditions from my homeland to the next generation and Turkish food lovers around the world. Many thanks for for all your support and your special company. My very special thanks goes to all dear readers, my dearest family, GB Publishing and Pinar UK for all their support.

Cok tesekkurlerimle, Afiyet Olsun; look forward to being in touch with new recipes,

Ozlem

Rolled Cabbage Leaves with Bulgur filling; Bulgurlu Lahana Sarma

By Ozlem Warren on November 9, 2015 in Casseroles and Stews, Regional Signature Dishes; Mains, Sides and Desserts 17

Rolled cabbage leaves with bulgur, ground meat, onion and spices; Bulgurlu Lahana Sarmasi

We love stuffed vegetables, dolmas in Turkish cuisine and I have a soft spot for this delicious stuffed cabbage leaves with bulgur, onions and ground meat, Bulgurlu Lahana Sarmasi, Antakya style (“Dolma” is the term used for stuffed vegetables, as in peppers, aubergines, tomatoes and “Sarma” is the term used for rolled leaves in Turkish cuisine). Bulgur is flavored here with the dried mint (the star spice here), cumin and red pepper flakes, along with onion and parsley. It makes a delicious filling even without the meat; so by all means omit the meat for a vegetarian version. I remember as a child so eagerly waiting for this delicious sarma to cook; mother would ask whether we would like to do a “quality check” of the rolls from the pot and we tuck in at that very minute, happy days. These rolls can easily be an all day snack for us.

Tip for separating the cabbage leaves; try to get a large cabbage with big, straight leaves. Trim the bottom root and place the cabbage as whole in a large pan with boiling water and simmer for 8 minutes. The leaves will start to peel off without breaking. Please save the hard stalk or the hard middle part of the cabbage leaves; they are delicious in Lahana Kapuska; cabbage cooked with rice, onions, ground meat and spices, a sort of deconstructed rolled cabbage leaves – my recipe link is here.

Rolled cabbage leaves with bulgur, Southern Turkish Style; dried mint and red pepper flakes flavor the cabbage and bulgur beautifully

Wholesome grain bulgur is widely used in southern Turkish cuisine in mezzes, salads, stuffed vegetables and in bulgur pilaf. Cooked in lemony olive oil sauce, it makes a delicious pairing with cabbage here; all you need is some plain yoghurt aside to enjoy this delicious Bulgurlu Lahana Sarmasi. You can use (1 tbsp.) pomegranate molasses instead of lemon juice in the sauce if you’d like a sharper taste.

My roots go back to ancient Antioch, Antakya and I love sharing Antakya’s delicious, diverse cuisine, along with other healthy, wholesome Turkish recipes, all included at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland. Signed copies available at this link, and now 20 % Off, if you’d like a copy. It is delivered worldwide including the US, Canada and Mexico, with lower delivery rates here. We also have this Ozlem’s Turkish Table apron available now, made in Turkey, with my hometown Antakya’s daphne leaves embroidered in the design, it can make a lovely gift for a foodie. You can order at this link.

I hope you enjoy our family favorite; Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

4.5 from 2 reviews

Rolled Cabbage Leaves with Bulgur filling; Bulgurlu Lahana Sarma

Wholesome grain bulgur pairs with cabbage well and makes a delicious filling with ground meat, spices and onion. I hope you enjoy this Southern Turkish style rolled cabbage leaves with bulgur filling; it is delicious and wholesome. Plain yoghurt by the side complements the cabbage rolls very well. Afiyet Olsun!

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Healthy Mains with bulgur and cabbage

Cuisine: Southern Turkish Cusine

Serves: 6

Ingredients

200 gr/ 7 oz. / 1 cup coarse bulgur
1 large cabbage (which yields about 20 large to medium cabbage leaves)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
225 gr/ 8 oz. ground (minced) beef or lamb
Small bunch of parsley leaves, finely chopped
30 ml / 2 tbsp. olive oil
15 ml / 1 tbsp. dried mint
5 ml/ 1 tsp. cumin
5 ml/ 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the sauce:
4 cloves of garlic, crushed with salt and finely chopped
15 ml / 1 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (or 1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses)
500 ml / 1 pint / 2 cups of water
15 ml / 1 tbsp. tomato paste
Dried mint and red pepper flakes to serve
Plain yoghurt to serve

Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
Trim the bottom root and place the cabbage as whole in the pan with boiling water and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
Remove the cabbage and leave it to cool. Then take a sharp knife and cut the outer leaves from the main stalk. The rest of the leaves will start to peel off without breaking one by one. Peel off about 20 large to medium leaves for rolling and set them aside (Please save the hard stalk or the hard middle part of the cabbage leaves, that is too small or hard to roll; they are delicious in Lahana Kapuska; cabbage cooked with rice, onions, ground meat and spices, which I will also share in the coming weeks).
For the filling; combine the bulgur, chopped onion, parsley, olive oil, dried mint, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Knead well with your hands for a few minutes. Stir in the ground meat and knead for another minute to combine well.
With a sharp knife, carefully trim and make a V shape cut to remove the thickest part of the stalk from the base of each cabbage leaf. Place 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon of the filling (depending on the size of the leaf) in the middle of the leaf. Fold in the sides and then roll the leaf up tightly. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
Place the rolled leaves tightly in a heavy pan with seam side down, do the second layer too and pack tightly.
For the sauce, mix together the water, olive oil, lemon juice (or 1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses), tomato paste and chopped garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Pour this sauce over the rolled cabbage leaves (the water should just about to cover the top of the rolled cabbage leaves). Place a plate on top of the leaves to stop them unraveling during cooking.
Cover the pan and cook on low heat over stove top or burner for 40 – 45 minutes, simmering gently.
Once cabbage rolls are cooked, serve hot, decorated with dried mint and red pepper flakes. Plain yoghurt complements this delicious cabbage rolls with bulgur filling, bulgurlu lahana sarmasi, beautifully. Afiyet Olsun.

Notes

Tip for separating the cabbage leaves; try to get a large cabbage with big, straight leaves. Trim the bottom root and place the cabbage as whole in a large pan with boiling water and simmer for 8 minutes. The leaves will start to peel off without breaking.

Grated Radish Salad with Tahini Sauce; Tahinli Turp Salatasi

By Ozlem Warren on October 19, 2015 in Appetizers and Mezes, Regional Signature Dishes; Mains, Sides and Desserts, Salads 18

Grated radish salad with tahini dressing; Tahinli Turp Salatasi

Juicy, crunchy red radishes – turp, as we call in Turkey- add a lovely, punchy colour and a delightful peppery taste to dips and salads. In southern Turkey, in Adana region as well as in Antakya, we make a delicious, refreshing radish salad with a simple tahini sauce. We serve this Tahinli Turp Salatasi as part of a mezze spread, especially to accompany Oruk or Icli Kofte, our version of the Middle Eastern Kibbeh. The refreshing, peppery flavors of the radish salad complement the rich, nutty Oruk very well.

Delightful and easy to make radish salad with tahini sauce; tahinli turp salatasi

Tahini or Tahin, as we call it in Turkish, is a paste made from sesame seeds; it is a much loved ingredient in southern Turkish cooking as well as in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean. We use tahini in dips like hummus, salads and in baking, as in this tahini bread rolls. Most supermarkets carry tahini these days; make sure to give it a good stir before using it as it tends to separate.

Tahini makes a delicious, healthy dressing at this wonderful radish salad; tahinli turp salatasi

I hope you can give this delicious, nutritious radish salad with tahini a go; so easy to make and packed with flavor. Here I’d like to thank my talented seramic artist cousin, dear Nihal Sarioglu and Zen Ceramics in Istanbul for my beautiful plate, showcasing this lovely radish salad with tahini sauce.

Afiyet Olsun,
Ozlem

5.0 from 4 reviews

Grated Radish Salad with Tahini Sauce; Tahinli Turp Salatasi

Juicy, crunchy red radishes – turp, as we call in Turkey- add a lovely, punchy colour and a delightful peppery taste to dips and salads. In southern Turkey, in Adana region as well as in Antakya, we make a delicious, refreshing radish salad with a simple tahini sauce. We serve this Tahinli Turp Salatasi as part of a mezze spread, especially to accompany Oruk or Icli Kofte, our version of the Middle Eastern Kibbeh. Hope you enjoy it, Afiyet Olsun.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Healthy Turkish Salads with Tahini Sauce

Cuisine: Southern Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 4

Ingredients

200 gr / 7 oz. red radishes, washed and pat dried
1 clove of garlic, crushed with salt and finely chopped
Juice of 1 small lemon
15 ml/ 1 tbsp. tahini, stirred
30 ml/ 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5 ml/ 1 tsp. cumin
5 ml/ 1 tsp. red pepper flakes or chili flakes
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Flat leaf parsley to decorate

Instructions

Clean and pat dry the radishes. Trim off the stem end and tip, keep the skin.
Grate the radishes and place in a bowl. Sprinkle some salt over and let the moisture come out, for 5 minutes.
Using an absorbent kitchen paper towel or clean tea towel, squeeze the grated radishes to get rid of the excess moisture. Later, place them in a serving bowl.
To make the tahini sauce; combine the tahini, chopped garlic, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil in a small container and mix well. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste.
Pour in this sauce over the grated radishes and combine well.
Sprinkle the ground cumin and red pepper flakes over the radish salad with tahini and decorate with flat leaf parsley.
Afiyet Olsun.

Notes

Make sure to give tahini a good stir before using it as it tends to separate.

Stuffed grapevine leaves, aubergine with lentils, Turkish flat breads and More; Let’s create a Turkish Feast; Sunday 13th December, 12 noon – 3.30pm; Divertimenti Cookery School – Hands On –

“An unforgettable evening of Turkish cookery; loved your passion, enthusiasm and clear instructions, many thanks for a great class.”

Turkish cuisine not only reflects a rich historical and cultural heritage, it is also healthy and a feast to all your senses. Kick off the festive season in style and join us for an unforgettable day of scrumptious Turkish food, history and culture at my Turkish Cookery class at Divertimenti Cookery School on Sunday 13th December, 12 noon – 3.30pm. During this Hands On class, you will be amazed to see how easy it is to recreate these delicious courses once you have a go. From courgette fritters with feta and dill, mucver, to stuffed vine leaves, yaprak sarma, from aubergines, lentils and peppers cooked in olive oil to Pide, Turkish flat breads with toppings and stuffed apricots dessert with walnuts, you will have a chance to create and enjoy an authentic, wholesome Turkish feast, great for entertaining.