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Tag Archives | cookery book

Fish kebabs with lemon, pepper, red onions and bay leaves

By on April 22, 2015 in Seafood 17
Healthy, delicious fish kebabs in olive oil, lemon juice and red pepper flakes marinade.

Healthy, delicious fish kebabs in olive oil, lemon juice and red pepper flakes marinade.

This is such an easy and tasty fish kebab; you can use any firm fleshed fish like cod lion, tuna or salmon. Meaty swordfish, kilic baligi, is traditionally used at home and its firm, chunky flesh really works well in the kebabs. I like to roast extra vegetables by the side to complement the fish kebabs; with some boiled potatoes aside, these fish kebabs make a delicious, impressive meal for entertaining.

Signed copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table book, available to order at this link

This and many other delicious, healthy Turkish recipes are included in my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland,  Signed copies are now 30 % Off for a limited period at this link. It is delivered worldwide including the US.

Brush the left over marinade of olive oil, lemon juice and red pepper flakes over the skewers.

Brush the left over marinade of olive oil, lemon juice and red pepper flakes over the skewers.

It is worth marinating the fish prior cooking; a simple marinade of olive oil, refreshing lemon juice with a little spicy kick from red pepper flakes flavor the fish kebabs beautifully. I baked my fish kebabs in the oven. You can alternatively cook them over preheated barbecue, oven grill or hot griddle for 6 – 8 minutes, until they are cooked through and lightly browned.

Lovely Fish Kebab image from Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book by Sian Irvine Photography

I hope you enjoy these tasty fish kebabs, Afiyet Olsun,
Ozlem

5.0 from 3 reviews
Fish kebabs with lemon, pepper, red onions and bay leaves
 
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This is such and easy and tasty fish kebab; a simple marinade of olive oil, refreshing lemon juice with a little spicy kick from red pepper flakes flavor the fish kebabs beautifully. I like to roast extra vegetables by the side to complement the fish kebabs; with some boiled potatoes aside, these fish kebabs make a delicious, impressive meal for entertaining.
Author:
Recipe type: Turkish style fish kebabs - Seafood
Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 350 gr/ 12 oz. skinned, boneless cod lion (or any firm fleshed fish), cut into bite size chunks
  • 1 red onion, quartered and coarsely sliced
  • 2 red pointy (or bell) peppers, deseeded and coarsely sliced
  • 1 lemon, cut into small wedges
  • 5 – 6 fresh bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp. / 30 ml olive oil (for roasting the vegetables)
  • For the marinade:
  • 30 ml / 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 – 2 teaspoon Turkish red pepper flakes or chili flakes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
  1. Soak wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes before using.
  2. Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F
  3. Cut the skinned, boneless cod lion (or your choice of firm fleshed fish) into bite size (about 3 cm/1.2” in.) chunks.
  4. Place the fish in a bowl and stir in the olive oil, lemon juice and red pepper flakes. Season the fish with salt and ground black pepper. Gently coat the chunks of the fish with this marinade.
  5. Cover the bowl and set aside for 15 minutes to marinate and for the fish to absorb the flavors.
  6. Place the chopped red onion, red pointy (or bell) pepper and green pepper slices on a baking tray. Drizzle 2 tbsp. olive oil over them. Season with salt, ground black pepper and mix well.
  7. Thread the fish on to the skewers, alternating with a wedge of lemon, red onion slice, red and green pepper slices. Thread one or two bay leaves into each skewer. Brush the kebabs with any leftover marinade.
  8. Place the skewers at one side of your baking tray. Spread the remaining chopped vegetables next to the fish kebab skewers. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
  9. Serve the fish kebabs hot with roasted vegetables and a wedge of lemon by the side. Boiled or roasted potatoes also complement the fish kebabs well.
Notes
Soak wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes before using.

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Tray bake filo pastry with ground meat and onions; Kiymali Borek

By on May 20, 2014 in Appetizers and Mezes, Savory Pastries 32
Turkish tray bake pastry with ground meat and onions; Kiymali tepsi boregi

Turkish tray bake pastry with ground meat and onions; Kiymali tepsi boregi

My parents are visiting from Istanbul; it’s been over three years since they were last here, it really is wonderful to have them in England. Regular visitors of this blog knows that my parents’ love of Turkish food and passion for sharing others have been a major influence on us and hence the share of delicious Turkish cuisine in my blog. You can imagine how excited I am about spending time with parents, cooking together with my mother, gathering  with friends and family to share.

Spread the ground meat & onion mixture over the yufka or filo pastry sheets

Spread the ground meat & onion mixture over the yufka or filo pastry sheets

My mother brought some wonderful yufka, Turkish fresh, paper thin sheets of pastry – a real luxury as I can’t get them here in England. We made this easy and delicious tray bake with ground meat and onions; kiymali tepsi boregi. Another delicious borek you can easily make at home using filo pastry sheets if yufka is not available.

This lovely recipe and over 90 authentic recipes are included at Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book. Signed hardback copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table is 30 % off via GBPublishing at this link, until  end July 3rd 2020. It is delivered worldwide, including the USA. The offer has been our way of helping out food lovers with home cooking, especially during the Covid 19 lock down. Many thanks for all your kind words and sharing your delicious creations with us. Signed copies will still continue at this link.

My best wishes,

Ozlem

4.7 from 3 reviews
Tray bake filo pastry with ground meat and onions; Kiymali Borek
 
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An easy and delicious kiymali borek, Turkish savory pastry with ground meat and onions filling. Yufka, Turkish fresh pastry sheets are used traditionally, but filo pastry sheets also work very well. You can serve as an appetizer or as a morning or afternoon snack with tea.
Author:
Recipe type: Boreks, Turkish Savory Pastries
Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
  • 3 sheets of yufka Or 12 sheets of filo pastry (each sheet 48cmx25cm), thawed
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 400 gr/ 14 oz. ground beef or lamb (or a mixture)
  • 2 eggs
  • 8 fl. oz. /1 cup whole or semi skimmed milk + extra 2 tbsp. milk for the top of the pastry
  • 4 fl. oz./ ½ cup water
  • 45ml / 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a wide, heavy pan and stir in the chopped onions. Sauté over medium heat for 3-4 minutes to soften them up.
  2. Stir in the ground meat to the onion mixture and sauté for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
  3. Beat 1 egg and 1 egg white (save the remaining 1 egg yolk in a small bowl for later) and mix with 1 cup of milk and ½ cup of water.
  4. Grease a baking tray with 1 tbsp. olive oil and spread 1 sheet of yufka (with excess of yufka hanging out of tray) or 2 sheets of filo pastry on top of one another.
  5. Spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry.
  6. Lay the next sheet of yufka or 2 more sheets of filo pastry. Again, Spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry.
  7. If using filo pastry, lay two more sheets. Again, Spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry.
  8. Spread the ground meat and onion mixture evenly over the pastry.
  9. Lay the last layer of yufka sheet over the filling and tuck in and fold the excess sides of yufka sheet over the filling as a layer.
  10. If using filo pastry sheets, spread the ground meat and onion filling over the 6th sheet, after spreading the egg, milk and water mixture.
  11. Place 2 more sheets of filo pastry over the filling and continue to spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry. Lay the 10th filo sheet spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry. Then lay the last two sheets of filo pastry.
  12. Mix 2 tbsp. milk with the remaining egg yolk and remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil (if you have any milk & egg and water mixture left, you can add this mixture too). Spread this mixture over the last sheet of yufka or filo pastry.
  13. Bake in the pre-heated oven (180C/350F) for 20- 25 minutes, until the top of the pastry turns to golden to light brown.
  14. Once cooked, cover with a baking paper to keep moist and cool for 10 minutes. Slice in squares and serve warm.
Notes
If using frozen filo pastry, thaw overnight in the fridge or bring to room temperature 2 hours before using. If you’re using fresh filo pastry kept in the fridge (as in the UK), bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using. Keep the filo pastry covered with a damp cloth as you are working. This will help to avoid it getting too dry or less manageable.
 

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Spinach and cheese filled filo pastry triangles; Muska Boregi

By on March 24, 2014 in Appetizers and Mezes, Savory Pastries, Turkish Breakfast, Turkish Cooking Classes 28
Spinach and feta cheese filo triangles, Muska Boregi

Spinach and feta cheese filo triangles, Muska Boregi

We recently made these delicious cheese & spinach filo triangles, muska  boregi as we call in Turkish, at my recent Turkish cookery class. They were a huge hit and participants pleasantly surprised how easy & delicious they were. Indeed, these scrumptious triangles are a winner from children to adults. They are actually easier than you think; here are step by step visual instructions to make the stuffed filo triangles:

 

Fold the end of the strip over the filling diagonally so that it forms a triangle

Fold the end of the strip over the filling diagonally so that it forms a triangle

 Continue folding the strip in triangles until you get a small, triangular stuffed pastry

Continue folding the strip in triangles until you get a small, triangular stuffed pastry

 Seal the pastry all around with the water then brush them with egg&olive oil mixture

Boreks, stuffed pastries are hugely popular in Turkish cuisine; we Turks love them for breakfast  as an appetizer or a mid-day snack; there really is not a bad time for a borek! Yufka, the wonderful thin sheets of fresh pastry is used traditionally to make boreks at home, though they are hard to find (and not as good) abroad. (If you can get fresh yufka especially in Turkey, you can use only one sheet at a time, as yufka is more moist  and manageable. You may just want to keep your yufka stripes a little longer). I use the filo pastry sheets for this recipe and it works well. If frozen, you need to defrost the filo sheets overnight in the fridge and or leave at room temperature 2 hour before using. If you are using the fresh filo sheets kept in the fridge as in the supermarkets in the UK, you need to leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. As for the cheese filling, if you can get the delicious, moist Turkish white cheese, beyaz peynir, that is a perfect fit here; I love Pinar Foods UK‘s white cheese, beyaz peynir.  I find feta drier than the Turkish equivalent. Therefore, I add a little grated mozzarella to bring some creaminess and balance the flavors, especially if feta is used.

Shepherd's Salad with tangy sumac, delicious & refreshing

Here’s also my YouTube video for these delicious filo triangles:

The trick with filo sheets is that they can dry out very quickly; if you keep the sheets under a slightly damp towel that helps to manage filo greatly. I hope you enjoy these delicious triangles; why not serving these delicious triangles with the refreshing Shepherd’s Salad with Sumac? They complement each other very well.

There are over 90 wholesome, easy, delicious Turkish recipes at my blog here as well as at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table  to inspire you. Signed hardback copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table are now 25 % Off at this link and delivered worldwide including the US.

I am also delighted to share with you that we also designed this special Ozlem’s Turkish Table apron, just in time for the holiday gift giving season. It is special to my heart, as it is made in Turkey, with my hometown Antakya’s celebrated daphne leaves in the hand embroidered design – this lovely apron would make a wonderful gift for the festive season, you can get yours at this link. Delivered worldwide including the US. We also have a special offer for Ozlem’s Turkish Table readers;  for a limited time, to  you can get a  signed copy of Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book bundled with this apron at a special price of £27.99. This special offer ends on 21th November 2020 (including), if you like to get yours here is the link. Delivered worldwide including the US.

Spinach & feta filled filo triangles, Muska Boregi

Spinach & feta filled filo triangles, Muska Boregi

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 5 reviews
Spinach and cheese filled filo pastry triangles; Muska Boregi
 
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These popular Turkish savory pastries, Muska Boregi or Spinach and Cheese Filo Triangles, are delicious and easy; a real crowd pleaser. I hope you enjoy them, Afiyet Olsun!
Author:
Recipe type: Turkish Savory Pastries, Borek
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 150 gr / 7 oz spinach leaves
  • 150 gr/ 7 oz feta cheese, mashed with a fork
  • 100 gr / app. 4 oz shredded mozzarella
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons mild olive oil
  • Bowl of 8 fl. oz/ 1 cup water to seal the pastry
  • 12 sheets of filo pastry (each sheet 48cmx25cm)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180c/350 F/gas mark 4
  2. Remove the stalks of the spinach, wash and chop roughly.
  3. Mix together in a bowl with the feta cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, shredded mozzarella and two of the beaten eggs; the filling is ready.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix 1 egg and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  5. Grease a rectangular baking dish with a little olive oil.
  6. Lay the pastry sheets on a clean surface and cut into 10cmx25cm stripes.
  7. Stack the stripes on top of another and cover with a damp towel so that they won’t dry out.
  8. Keep a bowl of water near you.
  9. Lay two stripes of filo sheets at top of one another.
  10. Place 1 tablespoon of the spinach mixture at one end of the filo pastry strip.
  11. Fold the end of the strip over the filling diagonally so that it forms a triangle.
  12. Continue folding the strip in triangles until you get a small, triangular stuffed pastry.
  13. Seal the pastry all around with the water; water really helps to keep filo sheets intact here. Repeat with remaining filo until you have used all of the filling.
  14. Place the stuffed triangle pastries on the greased baking dish and brush them with the egg & olive oil mixture.
  15. Bake the triangles in the oven for about 20 – 25 minutes, until they are is golden brown. Serve hot as an appetizer or as part of a mezze spread.This dish can be successfully reheated.
Notes
1) If you would like to cut back on the amount of the eggs, you can decrease them in the spinach and feta filling. 2) This filo triangles freeze wonderfully. Once cooled, put them in a freezer bag and seal. When you’d like to reheat (at 180 C/ 350 F for about 15 minutes), put them in a greased baking tray and sprinkle the top with a little milk and water mixture to give some moisture
 

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