Tag Archives | gluten-free

Potato, red onion, pepper and olive bake with cumin and chili flakes

By Ozlem Warren on October 27, 2014 in Appetizers and Mezes, Gluten-free recipes, Vegetables Cooked in Olive Oil 15

Baked potatoes, peppers, red onion and olives with cumin and red pepper flakes

Merhaba to you all; this week, I would like to share this favorite easy, delicious all in one vegetarian course – Spiced potatoes, onions, pepper and olives baked in olive oil. Touch of warm, pungent cumin and spicy Turkish red pepper flakes add a lot of flavor to the vegetables here, especially to the humble potato, transforming their taste to a new level. The sweetness of peppers and red onions also give a lovely contrast to juicy, salty olives and complement one another really well. As always, it is all about using a few good, seasonal ingredients and you have a delicious, wholesome dish in hand in less than 1 hour.

Combine the spices and the seasoning with the vegetables and olives, giving them a good mix, before baking

You can serve this comforting, gluten-free course as a side to grills or as part of a mezze spread. It can be also be a delicious, light main course on its own with the Cacik dip of cucumber, yoghurt with dried mint and some crusty bread aside. You can also bake this dish ahead of time and give it a gentle reheat in the oven just before serving. Try to get good quality olives; Turkish, Italian, Spanish or Greek Kalamata olives all work well and really make a difference.

Turkish cuisine is healthy, delicious and packed full of easy, wholesome vegetarian options like this recipe. I am passionate about my homeland’s scrumptious Turkish cuisine; over 90 authentic Turkish recipes are included at my Gourmand award winner cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland. Signed copies are available at this link and delivered worldwide.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 1 reviews

Potato, red onion, pepper and olive bake with cumin and chili flakes

Hope you enjoy this delicious all in one vegetarian course - Spiced potatoes, onions, pepper and olives baked in olive oil. Touch of warm, pungent cumin and spicy red pepper flakes add a lot of flavor to the vegetables here, especially to the humble potato, transforming their taste to a new level. You can serve this lovely, gluten-free course as a side to grills or as part of a mezze spread.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Vegetables baked in olive oil with spices

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1kg / 2.2 lb. medium potatoes, quartered
2 medium red onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 red bell pepper (or pointy pepper), deseeded, quartered and thinly sliced
12- 14 good quality black olives, pitted and halved
15 ml/ 3 tsp. ground cumin
10 ml / 2 tsp. Turkish red pepper flakes or chili flakes (you can use more for a spicier taste)
30 ml / 2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F
Put the quartered potatoes in a large enough pan with plenty of cold water.
Parboil or partially cook the potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a pan and stir in the sliced red onions and peppers. Sautee for 5 minutes, until they start to soften up, turn the heat off.
Grease the baking tray with a good drizzle (about 2 tbsp.) of olive oil. Combine the parboiled potatoes, sautéed red onions, peppers and the pitted black olives in the tray. Include any remaining olive oil in the pan of the sautéed red onions and peppers to the baking tray.
Stir in the ground cumin and red pepper flakes over the vegetables. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
Using your hands, combine the spices and the seasoning with the vegetables and olives, giving them a good mix.
Bake for 35 minutes at 200 C/ 400 F and serve hot.

Barbunya Pilaki; Borlotti (Cranberry) Beans Cooked with Vegetables

By Ozlem Warren on September 22, 2014 in Appetizers and Mezes, Vegetables Cooked in Olive Oil 31

Barbunya Pilaki; Borlotti (Cranberry) beans cooked with onions, tomatoe and carrots in olive oil

Barbunya Pilaki; Borlotti (Cranberry) beans cooked with onions, tomatoes and carrots in olive oil

Barbunya pilaki, borlotti beans cooked in olive oil with tomatoes, onions and carrots, is my father’s favorite Zeytinyagli, Vegetables cooked in olive oil, Turkish style. Pilaki is a style of Turkish mezze, where vegetables and beans are mainly cooked with onions, garlic, tomato in olive oil, with a little addition of sugar, to balance the flavors. We serve pilaki garnished with herbs and wedges of lemon; the tangy, refreshing lemon juice is really a must here and complements borlotti, barbunya means so well. Turkey’s much loved Barbunya Pilaki is served at room temperature or cold as a mezze or appetizer.

Fresh barbunya beans (in stripy pink) at Besiktas pazari, Istanbul

In Turkey, you can get the fresh barbunya beans (in stripy pink) or borlotti beans in abundance in summer, at the farmers markets, Pazar. It was my dad’s job at my parent’s home in Istanbul to pod them ready to be cooked and whoever is around joins in this therapeutic podding exercise. My dear belated father, Orhan, absolutely loved barbunya Pilaki; his face would lit up even the mention of it.

If you can’t get hold of fresh barbunya beans, try the dried borlotti (or cranberry beans, as they are called in the US) beans, like I have used here. They are easy to cook, wholesome and delicious. Dried or fresh borlotti beans work best in this dish.

Dried barbunya or borlotti or cranberry beans

A variety of kidney beans, borlotti beans are a large plump bean that is pinkish-brown in color with reddish-brown streaks. They are packed with goodness, rich source of cholesterol-lowering fiber and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. If you are using dried beans, they need to be soaked and rehydrated in warm water for at least 8 hours or overnight. If you are pressed with time or can’t get the dried or fresh borlotti beans, try a good quality canned borlotti beans in this recipe; it will still be a nutritious, delicious meal.If you are using canned precooked borlotti beans, rinse the beans and set aside. Cook the vegetables first as per the recipe, for 20 minutes, and then gently combine the cooked beans into the pot and simmer further 10 minutes.

Dried barbunya or borlotti or cranberry beans need to be soaked and rehydrated in warm water for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Traditional Barbunya Pilaki is quite a plain but delicious meal, mainly consisting of the beans, onions and tomatoes. I like adding carrots here, as their sweetness and texture goes well with barbunya. Our family loves Barbunya Pilaki therefore I tend to make a bit batch. It stays well in the fridge for good 3 days and as the flavors settle, tastes even better the next day. You can serve as part of a mezze spread, a delicious vegetarian and vegan course. We also enjoy Barbunya Pilaki next to grilled fish, meat and vegetables. If you choose to serve next to main courses, I suggest serving Barbunya Pilaki warm.

Barbunya Pilaki; borlotti or cranberry beans cooked with onions, tomatoes and carrots in olive oil.

I hope you enjoy this easy, delicious and wholesome Barbunya Pilaki.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

I am passionate about my homeland’s delicious, healthy Turkish cuisine; this recipe and over 90 authentic Turkish recipes are included at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland; Signed hardback copies are now 20 % OFF here, and delivered worldwide.

If you live in the US, Canada or Mexico, you can order a hardback copy with lower delivery rates here.

Afiyet Olsun.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Barbunya Pilaki; Borlotti (Cranberry) Beans Cooked with Vegetables

Barbunya pilaki, borlotti (or cranberry) beans cooked in olive oil with tomatoes, onions and carrots, is a much loved Zeytinyagli, Vegetables cooked in olive oil, Turkish style. Pilaki is a style of Turkish mezze, where vegetables and beans are mainly cooked with onions, garlic, tomato in olive oil, with a little addition of sugar, to balance the flavors. This vegetarian and vegan dish is easy, delicious and packed with goodness. Serve as part of mezze spread or accompany grills.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Vegetables and beans Cooked in Olive oil, Pilaki

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 6

Ingredients

350 gr/12 oz./2 cups dried borlotti beans (or cranberry beans), soaked in warm water overnight
1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, quartered and chopped in small cubes,
400 gr/ 1 can of good quality canned chopped tomatoes
Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
10 ml/ 2 tsp sugar
45ml/3 tbsp. olive oil
16 fl. oz./2 cups water
1 lemon, cut in wedges
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Soak the dried borlotti (or cranberry) beans overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Then drain the beans, rinse and transfer to a pot, filled with plenty of cold water.
Bring the pot to the boil, partially cover the pot and simmer for about 30 – 35 minutes. Make sure the beans become tender, but not soft or mushy, they should still have a bite to them.
Drain and rinse the cooked beans under cold water and set them aside.
Heat the olive oil in the pot and stir in the onions, sauté for 2 – 3 minutes, until they start to soften.
Add the carrots, combine well and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Stir in the canned tomatoes and sugar, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Combine well.
Add the beans to the pot and give it a good mix. Then pour in the water, combine well.
Bring the pot to the boil; then turn the heat to low, cover the pan partially.
Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, until the beans are cooked (but not mushy). Check the seasoning and add a little more salt or ground black pepper if needed.
Serve Barbunya Pilaki at room temperature or cold as part of a mezze spread or appetizer, garnished with chopped parsley and wedges of lemon by the side to squeeze over. If you choose to serve next to main courses, I suggest serving Barbunya Pilaki warm.

Notes

If you are using dried borlotti (or cranberry) beans, they need to be soaked and rehydrated in warm water for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Halloumi Salad with peppers and tomatoes – Hellim Peynirli Salata

By Ozlem Warren on September 8, 2014 in Appetizers and Mezes, Gluten-free recipes, Salads 13

Halloumi Cheese Salad with rocket, peppers, spring onions, tomatoes; a delicious treat.

I love the distinctive taste of the halloumi cheese or hellim peyniri as we call in Turkish, it is such a treat. Originated in Cyprus, halloumi is a semi hard cheese, made from the mixture of goat and sheep’s and sometimes cow milk. As it has a high melting point, it is wonderful when grilled or lightly sautéed; a real treat we enjoyed while we were at the Aegean coast of Turkey.

Halloumi is a popular cheese also in the Middle East, as well as in Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus. It is also good to see its increasing popularity in the UK and the US.

I like serving grilled or cooked halloumi with a plain, crunchy salad; it makes an easy, delicious starter or accompanies main courses well. Halloumi cheese has a distinctive, quite salty and rich taste and pairs well with sweet bell peppers, spring (green) onions and juicy tomatoes. Rocket, watercress, spinach all work well in this salad. A simple dressing of zesty lemon juice, oregano and olive oil is all you need as a dressing. You may also wish to sprinkle some red pepper flakes, Turkish pul biber over, if you fancy a spicy kick. Then close your eyes and imagine yourself at the Aegean or Mediterranean; it does the trick for me and tickles our taste buds every time.

Cook the halloumi 1 -2 minutes each side until nicely browned; serve immediately over the salad.

Tip: The trick with the halloumi cheese is that you need to serve it as soon as it is grilled or cooked; while the cheese is warm and crispy outside and soft and juicy inside. If you wait longer, it will start to get harder and you will start to lose the texture and flavors. Therefore, make sure to get your salad ready first before cooking the halloumi cheese and serve straight.

Gumusluk, over looking Tavsan Adasi, Bodrum – Turkey

I hope you enjoy this easy (and gluten-free) grilled halloumi salad, packed with flavor. And I hope it helps hanging on to that summer feeling, that sunny outlook, no matter the weather.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 1 reviews

Halloumi Salad with peppers and tomatoes – Hellim Peynirli Salata

I hope you enjoy this easy, delicious and gluten - free salad with cooked Halloumi Cheese. Halloumi cheese is packed with flavor and as it has a high melting point, it is wonderful when grilled or lightly sauteed. Enjoy it over this simple salad with juicy tomatoes and sweet peppers. The salad makes a great appetizer or accompanies main courses well.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Healthy and easy Mediterranean Salads with Halloumi Cheese

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 2

Ingredients

110 gr/ 4 oz. halloumi cheese, drained and pat dried with paper towel
110 gr/ 4 oz. rocket, watercress or spinach leaves
½ red bell (or pointy) pepper, ½ yellow or green bell pepper, deseeded, quartered and thinly sliced
2 spring (green) onions, trimmed, washed and finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
15 ml/ 1 tbsp. olive oil (to cook the halloumi cheese)
For dressing:
30ml/ 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (you can use a little less if you prefer)
Juice of ½ lemon
10 ml/ 2 tsp. dried oregano
5 ml / 1 tsp. Turkish red pepper flakes, pul biber or chili flakes (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Crusty bread to serve

Instructions

Place the rocket, spinach leaves or watercress (or a combination) in a large bowl.
Mix in the sliced peppers, chopped spring (green) onions and tomatoes, combine well.
Add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Toss well to combine everything thoroughly. Set aside until the halloumi is ready.
Drain the juices of the halloumi cheese and pat dry gently with a paper towel. Cut the cheese into 6-8 small chunky slices.
Pour in 1 tbsp. olive oil in a heavy pan over high heat.
Once the pan is hot, add the halloumi slices and cook 1 -2 minutes each side until nicely browned.
Place the cooked halloumi over the salad and sprinkle with red pepper flakes or chili flakes if you like.
Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Notes

The trick with the halloumi cheese is that you need to serve it as soon as it is grilled or cooked; while the cheese is warm and crispy outside and soft and juicy inside. If you wait longer, it will start to get harder and you will start to lose the texture and flavors. Therefore, make sure to get your salad ready first before cooking the halloumi cheese and serve straight.