Tag Archives | ozlemsturkishtable

Chicken, vegetables and bean stew – Sebzeli tavuklu türlü

By Ozlem Warren on June 7, 2023 in Casseroles and Stews 0

This chicken, vegetables and bean stew is a delicious and easy all in one pot, versatile meal. I used courgettes, peppers, chard in mine, though you can use other vegetables in hand – aubergines, runner beans, kale or spinach would be lovely here too. Türlü is our traditional stew, where vegetables and sometimes meat are cooked together over stove top or baked, with spices, tomato and sometimes pepper paste (though optional, biber salcasi, Turkish pepper paste add oodles of flavour; if you prefer a milder flavour, you can substitute with an additional tablespoon of double concentrated tomato paste). I always keep good quality precooked dried beans and chickpeas in my pantry and add to my stew and casseroles – they not only add extra layer of flavour and wholesomeness but make your stew go further too. You can prepare this stew ahead and it freezes well. Simply omit meat for vegetarian option and replace with more beans or perhaps small chunks of potatoes.

You can serve this delicious Türlü with Cucumber and yoghurt Cacik dip and Bulgur pilaf with caramalised onions from Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book; signed copies available here.

Chicken, vegetables and bean stew – Sebzeli tavuklu türlü

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Chicken and vegetable stew

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 6

Ingredients

700g skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into 6x4cm chunks
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 medium courgettes, trimmed and sliced into 1cm width circles
3 pointy or 2 red bell peppers, deseeded, cut into 2cm chunks
100g chard or kale, cut into 2cm slices
2tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
1tbsp Turkish red pepper paste, biber salcasi (optional)
200g chopped tomato in can
400g/ 1 can of pre-cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1tsp pul biber
4tbsp olive oil
350ml water
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Pour 2 tbsp olive oil over a wide pan and stir in the chicken, tomato paste, pepper paste, cumin and pul biber. Season with salt and ground black pepper and combine the chicken pieces with the pastes and seasoning. Sauté over high heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring continuously, which helps seal the juices and lightly browns the chicken. Then place the chicken on a plate and leave the remaining marinade in the pan.
Pour in the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil into the pan and stir in the onions, courgette and peppers. Sauté over high heat for 8 minutes, combining with the lovely marinade left in the pan, stirring often. The vegetables will soften and shrink in size at the end of this period. Stir in the chard and 150ml of the water and cook further 3 minutes, stirring often.
Stir the chicken back into the pan, along with the chopped tomato and the remaining 200ml water, season and combine well. Cover, bring to the boil then turn the heat to low and simmer for 35 minutes.
Stir in the rinsed cooked beans, combine well. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve warm with Cacik dip of yoghurt with cucumbers and with rice or bulgur pilaf aside.
Afiyet Olsun.

Home Style Beyti Kebab

By Ozlem Warren on June 22, 2022 in Roasts and Kebaps 0

Beyti Kebab is one of the much loved traditional Turkish kebabs in Turkey- succulent Beyti kofte, rolled over thin wrap, served with a delicious tomato sauce and garlicky yoghurt on top. It is easy to make Beyti Kebab at your home and so delicious. Traditionally minced/ground lamb is used, though you can use half and half minced beef and lamb as I do here or just minced/ground beef if you prefer (10% fat is recommended). You can use Turkish fresh yufka sheets, lavash style thin flat breads if you can find. If not, thin, fresh flour tortilla works well too as an option.

We had some roasted peppers aside too. The garlicky yoghurt is a must here as it complements the Beyti rolls with tomato sauce so beautifully. You can serve with a refreshing green salad aside, such as Shepherd’s salad with sumac. I hope you enjoy our home style version of Beyti kebab, a lovely meal to savour with family and friends.

Why not also try my Pistachio lamb kebabs with roasted veg, Fistikli kebap, also at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table (signed copies are available here and delivered worldwide) – another perfect dish for the summer or bring sunny vibes.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Home Style Beyti Kebab

Beyti Kebab is one of the much loved traditional Turkish kebabs at home - succulent Beyti kofte, rolled over thin wrap, served with a delicious tomato sauce and garlicky yoghurt on top. It is easy to make Beyti Kebab at home and so delicious. Traditionally minced/ground lamb is used, though you can use half and half minced beef and lamb as I do here or just minced/ground beef if you prefer (10% fat is recommended). You can use Turkish fresh yufka sheets, lavash style thin flat breads if you can find. If not, thin, fresh flour tortilla works well too as an option.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Kebabs

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

For the Beyti kofte rolls:
750g/1lb 10 oz minced/ground beef, lamb or a combination (10% fat)
1 medium onion, grated
1 medium egg, beaten
2 slices of stale bread (crusts removed)
Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
5ml/1tsp ground cumin
½ tsp (or more!) pul biber or red pepper flakes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Small bowl of water with a drizzle of oil - to shape the kofte rolls -
For the tomato sauce:
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
30ml/2tbsp olive oil
30g/2tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
90ml/3fl oz water
5ml/1tsp pul biber
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garlic yoghurt:
350g/12oz whole milk or strained yoghurt
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Sea salt to taste
4 thin, fresh flour tortilla (25cm in diameter), lavash bread or yufka to wrap the Beyti kofte
Optional:
140g/5oz small green peppers (Turkish pointy sivri biber or Padron peppers work well)
15ml/1tbsp olive oil
Sea salt to taste

Instructions

First prepare the Beyti kofte. Soak 2 slices of stale bread (hard crusts removed) in a small bowl with warm water and squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Combine the kofte ingredients in a large mixing bowl, except the meat. Using your hands, combine them well for a minute (this ensures a smooth blend of the ingredients and soften the onions. Parsley is not traditionally included but we like the freshness of the herb here; please save a little for decorating the plate when serving). Stir in the ground/minced meat and again combine well with your hands. If you have time, cover with cling film and let the mixture rest and settle in the fridge for 30 minute – this helps the mixture to firm up and hold together better when cooked-.
Preheat fan oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Also take the yoghurt out of the fridge to bring to room temperature.
Have a small bowl of water with a drizzle of olive oil and the Beyti kofte mixture near you. Dampen your hand in the oily water (that helps shaping the kofte) and take about a medium orange size kofte mixture in your hands. Roll into a log about 13 cm long. Place on a tray with baking paper and gently pat to flatten a little – kofte roll will be about 5cm wide. Repeat this with the rest of the kofte mixture and place them side by side, with about 2cm space between them. You will have 8 long Beyti kofte rolls. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Place the small green peppers on a small baking dish and drizzle with 1tbsp olive oil. Season with sea salt and combine well with your hands. Put this also in the preheated fan oven at 180C to bake for 18-20 minutes (it works well if you put them in the oven after the first 10 minutes of Beyti kofte baking so that they both finish baking the same time).
While they are baking, prepare your garlic yoghurt sauce. Combine the chopped garlic with the yoghurt, season with sea salt to taste. Leave aside at room temperature.
Once kofte is baked, take out of the oven; also take the peppers out of the oven. Turn the oven temperature down to 160C fan. Place the kofte rolls on a large flat plate. Gently place and pat the tortilla wraps or yufka over the kofte tray, for the wrap/yufka to soak up the delicious juices of kofte.
Place the wrap on a clean, dry surface. Place 2 Beyti kofte rolls end to end to make one long roll, at the edge near you. Roll into tight log. Cut the log into 4 equal pieces, about 5.5cm long. Have a clean baking paper on the baking tray and place these Beyti rolls seam side down. Repeat this for the remaining kofte rolls, using the wraps.
Brush the top of the rolls with a little olive oil (about 1 tbsp. enough for all) and place in the oven to warm up and get a little crispy, for 5 - 6 minutes. Also return the baked peppers back to the oven to warm up, for 2-3 minutes.
While they are baking, make your tomato sauce. Pour in 2tbsp olive oil over a small sauté pan and stir in the chopped garlic. Sauté for just over a minute on medium to high heat. Stir in the tomato paste and pul biber and combine well. Then pour in the water, season with sea salt and ground black pepper and simmer on a medium to low heat for 1-2 minutes. If appears to be on thick side, dilute with one or two tablespoons of water. Turn the heat off.
Now ensemble your Beyti kebab. Arrange the Beyti rolls in a circle on a serving plate and place the garlic yoghurt in the middle. Drizzle tomato sauce over the Beyti rolls and decorate with the roasted peppers around the plate. Decorate with the remaining chopped parsley and serve immediately.

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.