Quince with Olive Oil

 Ingredients

• 2 Quinces
• 5-6 small or 1 big potato
• 6-8 shallots
• 2 carrots
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• 3-5 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• lemon juice
• Salt
• Sugar (optional)
• Water
• Dill to decorate

Preparation

Cut quinces in half and keep them in lemon water about 30 minutes. Then boil water, some sugar and the seeds of the quinces in a pot. After it boils put quinces in it and cook until they get soft and change colour. In a pan roast garlic and shallots with olive oil, then add chopped carrots and stir fry couple of minutes. If you have small potatoes, put them whole, if not chop them and add to the pan, lastly add peas and stir fry couple of more minutes. Add salt, lemon juice and 1/2 cup of water. Cook until vegetables get soft. 

Take quinces in a wide pot and add vegetable mix on top of them, add remaining water, cover, and cook about about 10 minutes. Serve with fresh dill. Enjoy!

Cacik (Tzatziki)

Cacik, also known as tzatziki, is a dish of seasoned, strained or diluted yogurt, eaten throughout the former Ottoman Countries.The ultimate source of the word cacık is uncertain. It is possibly a loanword from the Armenian cacıg, meaning cucumber.

This recipe is for 5 people.

Ingredients

• Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cucumber
• Fresh dill
• Fresh mint
• 2 teaspoons dry mint
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 cloves of garlic

Preparation

Grate cucumber, chop fresh dill and mint and mince garlic.
Take a large bowl add yogurt first, then cucumber and mix them. Add garlic, fresh dill and mint and mix again. Then add dry mint, oregano and salt. After you mix them all, take it to the bowl that you will be serving and spill olive oil evenly on the surface and sprinkle some more dry mint.You can decorate with fresh mint as well.
Enjoy!

Rice Paper Rolls

Recently I changed my diet and try to stay away from bread and pastries.However, I don't find it fulfilling to eat some spreads like hummus without bread. Thankfully I have discovered rice papers and wanted to share my first recipe with them.

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sunflower/vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar (preferably red wine vinegar)
• 1 dessertspoon hummus
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the Filling

• 1 chicken breast
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 fresh ginger
• 2 green onions
• 7-8 medium mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon sunflower/vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin

For Rolling

• 7-8 rice papers
• 1/2 tablespoon Greek yogurt (optional)
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation

Put all ingredients for the sauce except hummus in a small bowl and mix them. Then add hummus and mix it with other ingredients well. 

Heat oil in  a large pan and add chopped chicken, green onions, garlic, ginger, black pepper and cumin and roast them until chickens turn into brown. Then add sliced mushrooms and cook them until mushrooms get smaller in size.
Lastly add the sauce and simmer it like 15-20 minutes until the sauce is all sucked. 

Take a large plate and put boiling water in it. Soak one rice paper in it like 10 seconds and take it back, make sure it is soft enough to make a roll. Put rice paper on the counter, take some of the filling and spread on the bottom part. To roll it in a proper way, first close the bottom part then sides and start rolling.

Put the rolls on a baking pan. If you want it crispy, you can apply some yogurt on it. But you need to dilute it with some water first, otherwise there will be some lumps.Also you can sprinkle some sesame seeds on the rolls for decoration.
Bake it in 400 F preheated oven about 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Steamed Clams

This was the first time I have steamed clams, so I tried to do it in three ways; simple one with no sauce, with garlic sauce and with pasta.

Note: This recipe is for 3 people as appetizer

Ingredients

• 2 dozens (24) of clams
• 1/2 cup of sea salt

For simple steam

• Hot water
• Olive oil
• Thyme

For garlic sauce

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Thyme
• Parsley

For the pasta

• 1 cup of pasta
• 1/2 cup of pasta sauce (preferably tomato)
• Rosemary
• Sea salt

Preparation

Take a large bowl and put some cold water in it, then add sea salt. Put all clams into it and wait couple of hours and take them out. If any of them is opened throw them away. 

Boil water in a steamer and after it boils put some olive oil and thyme in water and put 10 clams on the steamer and close the lid. Wait until all clams are opened. If any of them is not opened, get rid of it. Take opened clams in a plate and serve them with lemon.

To prepare sauced clams, take a pot and put some olive oil in it. Add chopped garlic and thyme after oil is heated, cook them couple of minutes then add white wine (I have used red wine, because I did not have white one) and boil couple of minutes. Then put 10 clams into it and close the lid. When they start to open add butter and steam them until all of them is opened. Take them in a bowl and sprinkle chopped parsley over them.

Lastly to prepare the pasta, boil some water in a pot and add pasta. Boil pasta about ten minutes then add tomato sauce, sea salt and rosemary and boil couple of minutes more. Then add the last 4 clams in it, close the lid and wait until all of them is opened. Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

I want to thank to my brother for sharing this recipe. This is an easy appetizer.

Note: This recipe is for two people.

Ingredients

• 10 medium sized mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon red flare pepper
• 1 dessertspoon olive oil
• 1 dessertspoon butter (optional)
• 1/4 cup of grated mozzarella
• Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Take of the bottom parts from mushrooms and lay them over on a glass pan. 

Then in a small cup mix yogurt, olive oil and all spices.

Put 2 to 4 teaspoons of yogurt mixture inside mushrooms depending on their size. If you want you can add a little piece of butter on top of them.

Bake mushrooms in 400 F preheated oven about 15 minutes.

Then add mozzarella and parmesan on top of them, bring to broil and bake another two minutes.

Enjoy!

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Leeks

Most people do not like leeks, but if you cook correctly it will turn into a delicious food.

Note: This recipe is for two people.

Ingredients

• 2 leeks
• 1 carrot
• 1/4 cup of rice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Olive oil
• 1 cup of water

Preparation

Cut leaks and carrot in small round shape and put them in water about 5 minutes.

Then take them into a large pot add some olive oil and cook until they get smaller in size. See the picture.

Wash the rice and add it to the pot. Wait couple of minutes and add hot water and tomato paste. Cook about 20 minutes, and add a teaspoon of salt. Serve with lemon and keep it in a glass pan. Enjoy!

Cheese balls

I took this recipe from a lovely American lady who lives in Netherlands. It is quite easy and fancy appetizer for your guests.

Ingredients

• 1 pack (8 oz) of cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup of blue cheese
• 1/2 cup of crushed walnuts
• Parsley

Preparation

Put all cheese in a large bowl and start kneading until you have a dough.

Add 1/3 of crushed walnuts and knead again. 

Make small balls from the dough. 

Roll balls on chopped parsley first and then crushed walnuts. They are ready to serve. 

Enjoy!

Lentil Balls

Today's recipe is an appetizer consumed usually during the afternoon tea in Turkey. There are also different variations in Indian cuisine.

Note: This recipe is for 5-6 people 

Ingredients

• 2 cups of red lentil
• 1 cup of Bulgar wheat
• 1 tablespoon tomato/red pepper paste (I used both)
• 4 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon butter or vegetable/canola oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon red flare pepper
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• Parsley
• 1 small onion
• 3 green onions 

Preparation

Take a pot and put lentils in it, add water and boil them on medium heat. After they boil, lower the heat. After lentils absorb almost all water add Bulgar wheat, turn off the heat, close the lid and wait about 15 minutes, until they are combined.

In the mean time chop onions in small pieces, take a pan, put butter or oil on it and add onions. Roast them until they cooked well, add tomato/red pepper paste and cook couple of minutes more. 

Take a large bowl put lentil and wheat mixture in it, add onion mixture and smash it with your hand. Be careful it will be very hot. After all the mixture become red, add salt, pepper and cumin and knead. Lastly add chopped parsley and green onion and knead one more time (I did not add green onion, cause I did not have, but it will taste better if you add).

Give them and oval shape with your hand.

You can serve them with lemon and lettuce. Enjoy!

Potato Balls

Ingredients

• 4 medium sized potatoes
• 2 cups of Greek or plain yogurt (it is better with Greek)
• 1/8 cup of olive oil
• 3-4 garlic
• Salt
• Red flare pepper
• Dry mint
• Oregano

Preparation

Boil potatoes and take them to a large bowl after peeling. Crush them with a potato musher or with your hand. Add some salt and oregano and make little balls from this mixture. Put balls into a glass pan.

Put yogurt in a bowl and add minced garlic. If you use Greek yogurt, add some water, but not too much. Pour yogurt mixture on top of the potatoes. 

Lastly, place a pan on a medium heat and put olive oil on it. When oil is heated add dry mint and red flare pepper and take it from heat immediately. 

Pour oil on top of yogurt. 

Green Beans

Today I want to share a green bean appetizer recipe with olive oil.

Ingredients

• 1 lb green beans (I bought from farmers market)
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tomato
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 3/4 cup of hot water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper
• Fresh dill/parsley for decoration

Preparation

First get rid of the edges of green beans, then cut them into two or three pieces depending on the size. I also cut the bigger ones vertically, as they are cooked better in that way. 

Chop onions and fry them in olive oil until they change color.

Then add the beans and sugar, close the lid and cook them on low heat until beans change color. This part is important, because if you boil them before cooking first, they will not be cooked well.

Add tomato, hot water, black pepper and tomato paste and cook them together for another 15 minutes. If you think you have added enough tomato, you may not use tomato paste. Add salt at the very end.

Because this is an appetizer cooked with olive oil, you would prefer to eat it cold and keep in a glass bowl. You can decorate with fresh dill or parsley.

Hummus and Shakshouka

I will share two recipes from Middle East. Hummus is an ancient food which is common in Middle East, Turkey, North Africa and Morocco. In recent years it became popular in Western cultures as well.

Shakshouka is an appetizer which is common in Tunisia, Libya, Algeria and Morocco. It includes eggs in original recipe, but I do not prefer using it. This version of shakshuka is more similar to French dish Ratatouille.

Note: This recipe is for 2 to 3 servings.

Ingredients

For the Hummus

• 2 cups of boiled chickpeas 
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 1 dessertspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red flare pepper
• Parsley to decorate

For the Shakshouka

• 1 eggplant
• 1 potato
• 1 squash
• 1 tomato
• 3 small bell or jalapeno peppers
• Vegetable or sunflower oil
• Salt

Preparation

To make hummus I have used canned chickpeas, but I normally prefer dry chickpeas. If you will use dry chickpeas, you need to keep them in water for one and then boil for 30 minutes to one hour.
Put chickpeas, garlic and cumin into a food processor and crush them until it is soft.

Take it to a large bowl and add olive oil and tahini, and mix. Lastly add salt and pepper and decorate it with parsley or fresh dill.

To make the shakshouka chop all vegetables in small pieces like cubes. 

Put oil in a pan and fry them in this order; potato, squash, eggplants, peppers and tomato. After frying, take them on a paper towel and wait 5 minutes to drain the excess oil. 

Put all of them in a case, in this order; eggplants, squash and potato, peppers and tomato.

You can serve it with yogurt if you want.

Enjoy!