Tag Archives | southern Turkish cuisine

Ozlem’s Turkish Table Cookery Book – available for Pre-order Now!

By Ozlem Warren on November 8, 2017 in Ozlem’s Turkish Table Cookery Book 21

Merhaba dear All;

My cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table; Recipes from My Homeland – front cover

With huge excitement to let you know that my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland, is now available for pre-order at this link!

You can now pre-order your copy at this link with 10 % Pre-Order Special discount. To redeem this discount, please enter the promo code Pre-Order Special when it says “Enter a promo code” on the left side of your shopping cart. If you are interested, I would be grateful if you can kindly pre-order, as it will help me to determine the number of books to print, my sincere thanks to you in advance. I can hardly wait for my book to reach to you and I do hope to meet you at one of the many book events we will be doing.

You can now pre-order my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table not only with Paypal (direct or debit/credit card via Paypal) but also directly with your Debit or Credit Card , as well as Paying Offline, with a Bank transfer, to the account specified at this link. Please kindly enter the promo code Pre-Order Special when it says “Enter a promo code” on the left side of your shopping cart to get your 10% discount. If paying Offline, please kindly include the Ref: GBPShop-your last name.

Pre-orders will have the first priority of distribution worldwide in early March, prior the release of the book in early April 2018.

This book has been my dream in making; through my Turkish cookery classes and recipes I have shared with you in my blog, I have been writing this book for over 10 years. My sincere thanks goes to my family for all their support and GB Publishing for believing in me and all the wonderful team at GB Publishing and everyone, who worked hard to make it happen. Special thanks goes to dear Sian Irvine Photography for the amazing images she captured throughout the book.

This book is my tribute to the diverse, scrumptious Turkish cuisine and it is a celebration of my southern Turkish roots with regional recipes especially from my home town of Antakya, which is now a UNESCO approved World City of Gastronomy, I am very proud to see. My cooking has, and continues to be, inspired by this magical land and its people. Let me take you on a Turkish culinary journey with my book – to learn, taste and enjoy for yourself the delicious foods of my homeland and along the way I hope you will feel the warmth and generous spirit of our Turkish culture.

Ozlem’s Turkish Table; Recipes from My Homeland is a compilation of my favourite classic Turkish recipes as well as regional specialities from southern Turkey, with their exhilarating aromas, smells and colours. They have been lovingly prepared and passed down to me from my mother and grandmother. I share the recipes in this book with you in the hope that you will cook, enjoy and in turn, invite others to your own table to share a Turkish meal together.

Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland cookery book – back cover

As you see at the back cover of my book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table (please disregard the text on the back cover, as it is work in progress), this book covers the diverse, wholesome Turkish cuisine. From hot & cold mezes (dips, salads, pastries) to vegetables cooked in olive oil, bulgur, legume and grain based dishes to southern Turkish specialities, meat, poultry, fish and desserts, there are scrumptious recipes to wet your apetite. All recipes are well tested with easy to follow instructions, with plenty of choices for vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan diets. Living abroad, I know how important it is to access ingredients; Turkish cuisine is based on seasonal produce, flavored with artful use of herbs, spices, olive oil (as well as natural condiments like pomegranate molasses, which is widely available now and I have a recipe for it in my book) and my book showcases that. Wherever needed, I offer alternatives and substitution.

A beautiful still life shot from my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, with my family photos

This book is also a love letter to my homeland and a special tribute to my parents, Gulcin and Orhan and my grandparents, for instilling the love of good food and importance of sharing, generosity and hospitality to us; pillars of Turkish culture. There are personal stories and black and white family photos in the book, which are very dear to me and special to share with you all.

Another special touch from the book for me is the prominent cookery author, dear Ghillie Basan‘s foreword in the book. Ghillie’s wonderful Turkish cookery books and workshops have been a huge inspiration for me and she has been a role model; I am honored to have her beautiful words in my book.

Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book can be pre-ordered through this link and will be shipped worldwide. Pre-orders will have the first priority and will be distributed as of late February/early March 2018. General release day of the book will be April 2018.

Introducing Ozlem’s Turkish Table at Riverhouse Barn Book Fair

I hope my book introduces you to the many foods of Turkey and especially southern Turkish cuisine. May it inspire you to create, cook, and experiment, but most of all – enjoy the magnificent cuisine of my beautiful homeland, Turkey.

Afiyet Olsun ve Cok Tesekkurler,

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.