Warm Grilled Tomato Salad (Müncür)
Green Bean Salad with Purslane
Dried Bean Salad with Tahini (Tahinli Piyaz)
Mixed Pickles with Store-Bought Vinegar
Mixed Pickles with Homemade Vinegar
Cold Yogurt and Cucumber Soup (Cacik)
Cold Yogurt and Cucumber Soup (Cacik) with Green Onion
When serving an assortment of meze, or appetizers, Turks typically pair them with a selection of side salads and condiments. Turkish dishes do not contain a lot of ingredients, so they may require supplemental flavors to complement them or whet the appetite. Even raw onion will do. (Our favorite condiment to serve with tarhana soup at home, for example, is onion.) In The Cooks’ Shelter (Melceü’t Tabbahin), the first published book about Turkish cuisine (1844), these accompaniments were aptly called “asides.” Turkish cuisine’s most common side salads are shepherd’s salad in the summer (a juicy combination of fresh seasonal tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, raw onion, and parsley) and leaf lettuce in the winter. These are dressed with olive oil and either lemon juice or vinegar, or in some regions with either pomegranate syrup or sumac. But I have included recipes for other tempting accompaniment salads, from instant pickled peppers to tahini with cumin. Such small asides may very well be part of a meze table, too, providing you serve fresh bread with them.
Onion with parsley: Slice an onion thinly, salt liberally, and knead the salt into the slices to remove the bitterness or strong taste of the onion, then rinse. (Nowadays onions are rather sweet. If so, you may use them without salting and rinsing.) Mince fresh parsley and mix with the onion rings. This is a great accompaniment to fried or grilled food like Albanian-style liver or roasted baby bonito fish, fried kofta, and grilled meats.
Parsley with sumac: Mince fresh parsley and sprinkle with freshly ground dry sumac. This aside goes well with fried meatballs, sardine birds, cornmeal pancakes with anchovies, and fried liver. Minced onion, or especially chopped green onion, can also be added.
Cumin and hot red pepper flakes: These are great seasonings for grilled meats and also go nicely with fried meatballs. They can be used separately or combined to create a single seasoning.
Garlic yogurt: Crush 1 or 2 cloves garlic, add immediately to a small bowl of yogurt, and serve. (If the garlic sits for more than 1 hour, it becomes bitter.) Garlic yogurt is wonderful with cooked greens like spinach and chard, and with stuffed grape leaves. Note: Yogurt, with or without garlic, is a standard side dish for vegetable-filled börek (savory pastry).
Sliced peppers, cucumber, and tomatoes: These vegetables can function as appetizers, eaten raw with a drink before a meal, or they can be served as accompaniments on a meze platter. They are known as söğüş, meaning uncooked vegetables served as salads or side dishes.
Roasted fresh peppers: Roast long green peppers, preferably hot ones, over a gas flame or charcoal, peel as well as possible, and serve with meze or with a main dish. They go well with soups and stews.
Pan-fried green peppers: Prick whole bell peppers once or twice (to ensure that the oil will not splatter) and fry in hot olive oil for a couple of minutes, until softened. Remove from the oil and peel, if desired. Mix minced garlic and the juice of a bitter orange, pour over the peppers, sprinkle with salt, and serve as an aside. Note: Bitter orange juice possesses a unique tartness. If bitter oranges are not available, you can substitute lemon juice mixed with a little white wine vinegar.
Onions and red or white radishes: Slice onions and radishes into very thin rounds or wedges. This is a great accompaniment to tarhana or lentil soups, meat dishes, and bean or chickpeas dishes.
Roasted dried peppers: Fry mild or hot peppers or roast them in an oven or in a charcoal grill; serve whole or cut up. They go nicely with soups and sprinkled over salads.
Pickles: Not that long ago, a Turkish table was never set without a plate of pickles; in fact, they were a staple on the tables of the sultans. Pickling was a respected, specialized craft, but families also made their own homemade pickles. While the practice of pickling at home is gradually dying out, store-bought pickles are still quite popular. None of these, however, compares to the delicious homemade varieties (this page to this page).
SHEPHERD’S SALAD is always found on summertime tables. The juice of fresh seasonal tomatoes is so delicious that simply dipping bread into the juice makes a meal! This salad is best when the vegetables are chopped but not overhandled. Make the salad just before serving, as the onions will give off a heavy odor if left to sit for even a half hour. If you must cut up the rest of the vegetables in advance, you should cut them not more than an hour before and keep them in the refrigerator, preferably covered. Add the onions, salt, lemon juice, and oil, and mix briefly, just before serving. If you want to get more taste out of the tomatoes, you may sprinkle them with salt when you are preparing the salad. Don’t salt the cucumbers, though, or they will wilt and lose their crispness.
2 large ripe but firm tomatoes, peeled, if preferred, and chopped (firm tomatoes will peel easily with a small sharp knife)
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1½ cups/180 g)
1 long mild green chile, such as Anaheim, seeded and chopped
Leaves of 2 to 3 sprigs fresh parsley, minced
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ or 1 lemon (4 to 5 tablespoons/60 to 75 ml; see Note)
Put the tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, onion, and parsley in a shallow dish. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Drizzle with the oil and lemon juice and toss gently. Garnish with olives, if using, and serve.
Note: You may use wine vinegar instead of lemon juice. As lemons are not native to Turkey, most likely they were initially thought of as a delicacy, hence their current popularity as a souring agent.
Warm Grilled Tomato Salad (Müncür)
I WAS INTRODUCED to this dish at the breakfast table of a family from Thrace (the westernmost area of Turkey). A hot and garlicky appetite-teaser, it goes well with eggs and cheese at breakfast and is a nice accompaniment to fish or meat. It is messy to prepare this dish over a gas flame, but you know the saying: “Who loves the rose must put up with its thorns.”
4 long mild green chiles, such as Anaheim
2 cloves garlic, crushed with a mortar and pestle
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Mild red pepper flakes (optional)
Using tongs, cook the tomatoes and peppers directly over a gas flame until the skins of the tomatoes are charred and the peppers are softened (see Note). When cool enough to handle, peel and chop the tomatoes and mince the peppers; combine them in a bowl and add salt to taste. Mix together the garlic and oil, pour over the roasted vegetables, and mix well. If you want it even hotter, sprinkle with red pepper flakes; serve warm.
Note: Alternatively, place the tomatoes and peppers on a sheet of foil in a preheated 400°F (205°C) oven. Roast the peppers for about 10 minutes, according to their size and how soft you want them. Roast the tomatoes for about 15 minutes; when they begin to blacken in places remove from the oven and peel.
AN UNUSUALLY tasty side dish! The recipe was created by Civan Er, a very young chef who has achieved great success with his exciting, experimental use of Turkish spices.
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
10 pickled roasted red peppers, diced (see Note)
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 fresh or dried hot peppers, seeds removed and diced
1 tablespoon cumin, whole or ground (if using whole, toast the seeds briefly first)
5 tablespoons (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Crush together the garlic and a pinch of salt with a mortar and pestle. Mix together the pickled peppers, lemon zest and juice, garlic-salt mixture, hot peppers, mint, coriander, cumin, and oil. Season with salt to taste and serve.
Note: Pickled roasted red peppers are available in cans or jars from stores selling Turkish food. If you cannot find them, roast red peppers over a gas flame or in a preheated 400°F (205°C) oven; when cool enough to handle, peel, rinse, and drain. Add 5 to 6 tablespoons (75 to 90 ml) wine vinegar (see this page) and let marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
THIS SIMPLE salad was a winter favorite in my family and, for me, a nice reminder of my mother. The crispness and faint sweetness of the uncooked cabbage, not at all like the flavor of cooked cabbage, gets substance from the olive oil and is enhanced by the flakes of freshly roasted pepper, which is aromatic in its own special way and makes this a dish that everyone loves. In Athens, I ate the same salad, minus the pepper flakes, sprinkled with feta cheese and dressed with a lot more olive oil. With cheese on top, it was almost a meal on its own! But this salad goes well with any kind of dish—even just rice on kofta.
½ medium white cabbage, thinly sliced, washed, and drained (about 4 cups/280 g)
1 dried red chili pepper, roasted over a gas flame (see Note), for garnish
Crush together the garlic and salt with a mortar and pestle. Whisk the garlic-salt mixture, oil, and lemon juice into a dressing, drizzle it over the cabbage, and mix thoroughly. Wearing gloves, chop the pepper and sprinkle it over the salad. (Do not let the hot pepper touch your skin!) Serve at room temperature.
Note: With tongs, hold the dried pepper over a gas flame for 30 seconds or until slightly roasted. Let it cool; it will become crisp and easy to crush.
Cauliflower Salad, Aegean-Style
Instead of cabbage, use 1 medium head of cauliflower. Break into florets and discard the thick stems. Boil the cauliflower in plenty of water until tender yet still firm, about 5 minutes. Pour the dressing over the cauliflower and garnish with the roasted dried pepper. This is best served warm.
A SIMPLE recipe I created in memory of a Jewish family now living in Tel Aviv. They served this for breakfast over toast and I found it unusual but tasty; the lemon and dill are my addition. You can omit the cucumbers and pour the dressing over thinly sliced red or black radishes, if you prefer. When using black radishes, peel them before slicing.
Pinch of salt, plus more as needed
Juice of ½ lemon, mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
3 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced
½ cup (10 g) chopped fresh dill
Make the dressing: Crush together the garlic and salt with a mortar and pestle. Mix the tahini with ⅓ cup (75 ml) water, then add the lemon juice and garlic-salt mixture.
Mix in the cucumber, taste, and add more salt, if needed. Garnish with the dill and serve.
Green Bean Salad with Purslane
THIS INTERESTING combination of green beans and purslane is from a cookbook written in the mid-nineteenth century, a time when new recipes were being added to the classical cooking of the palace and bourgeoisie. This was mostly due to the influence of prestigious and affluent foreign visitors, including ambassadors and the adventurous rich, who had begun to travel to Istanbul at the end of the Ottoman era. The city had always been a curiosity magnet, but the arrival of the Orient Express and the opening of luxurious hotels like the Pera Palace Hotel made travel to this exotic destination more possible.
1 pound (455 g) green beans, the fresher the better, picked over and strings removed
3 cups (130 g) purslane, woody stems discarded
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
½ onion, thinly sliced
Add the beans to a pot of boiling water and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a bowl and add the purslane. Whisk the oil and lemon juice together until smooth, pour over the beans and purslane, and mix well. Garnish with the dill and onion and serve.
WE MAKE this salad at home, but it is a classic salad in kebab restaurants. Known in Turkey as mashed eggplant, it is always one of the appetizers on offer because the sour taste of the yogurt goes well with both raki and kebabs. This salad can be prepared thick, but I prefer it on the thinner side. It’s a must-have summer dish around the Muğla region, especially in Ula, my mother’s hometown.
2 to 3 Italian eggplants or 4 Japanese eggplants (each about 8 inches/20 cm long), roasted directly over gas or charcoal flame
2 long green peppers, roasted directly over gas or charcoal flame (optional)
1 to 2 cloves garlic and a pinch of salt, crushed with a mortar and pestle
1½ cups (360 ml) plain Greek yogurt
Peel the roasted eggplants while still hot, if possible, because they peel faster. (The best method is to peel with a knife, holding each eggplant by its stem.) Rinse under running water. Skin the roasted peppers, if using, and rinse under running water. Let the vegetables drain and cool for 30 minutes in a colander, then dice. Mix the garlic-salt mixture into the yogurt. Add the eggplant, peppers, if using, and salt to the yogurt mixture and toss to combine. Transfer to a platter, drizzle olive oil on top, and serve.
If you like, you can spread some sweet pekmez (see this page) on top to balance the taste of the yogurt—if it is on the sour side—as is done in nazkhatun, an Anatolian dish that’s also made with eggplant and soured, strained yogurt. Sometimes this dish is also topped with roasted almonds.
THIS SALAD was served to me by Filiz Hösükoğlu, who is an expert in the cooking of Gaziantep. I took the recipe over the phone, and her instructions were so detailed, it was successful the first time I made it. My son loved it and told me that I could serve it to him anytime instead of the purslane salad he loves, so we now have a new family favorite. The crushed ice adds a lot to this salad by making the radishes crunchier. Like most salads from eastern Turkey, this salad is prepared without olive oil, as it is hard to get it where olive trees are not part of the landscape.
2 cups (230 g) diced red radishes
½ cup (10 g) finely chopped fresh mint or tarragon
¾ cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon tomato paste, diluted with 2 tablespoons cold water
3 tablespoons pomegranate syrup (see this page)
3 tablespoons crushed ice (optional)
In a bowl, toss together the radishes, mint or tarragon, parsley, sumac, and garlic. Add the diluted tomato paste, pomegranate syrup, and ice and toss. Season with salt to taste and serve immediately in a chilled bowl.
TRADITIONALLY, PURSLANE was picked and cooked only in select regions of Turkey where wild purslane grew in abundance. Wild purslane grows among cultivated vegetables and is still known in some regions as bostan guzeli (beauty of the vegetable garden). These greens became very popular throughout the land as a salad, however, when cultivated purslane (semizotu) appeared on the market; today it has become an indispensable salad ingredient that’s regularly praised for its health benefits, which has made it even more popular. Cultivated purslane has larger, thicker leaves than the wild variety. Although the leaves are quite bland and not crisp, they take very well to a seasoning of lemon and garlic, and impart a juiciness to salads. Purslane wilts quickly, so use it within a day or two.
6 cups (170 g) purslane, washed well, tough stems and wilted leaves discarded
2 tablespoons crumbly Turkish tulum cheese (see Note, this page) or any rich, ripe crumbly cheese, or grated Parmesan
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed with a mortar and pestle
2 dried hot chile peppers, toasted over a gas flame (see Note, this page), for garnish
Layer the salad ingredients in a salad bowl, starting with the purslane, then the cucumber and green onion, and ending with the cheese. Whisk the oil, lemon juice, and crushed garlic together and pour over the salad just before serving. Toss the salad. Wearing gloves, chop the hot peppers, sprinkle them over the salad, and serve.
IN GAZIANTEP in southeastern Turkey, this is served as an accompaniment to meatballs tartar (Çiğ Köfte), but it can also be used as a salad dressing or an accompaniment to any kind of kofta.
5 to 6 tablespoons (75 to 90 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon mild red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings
Make a paste with the cumin and a generous 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) water. Drizzle in the tahini and lemon juice. (Add in batches to make the emulsification process easier.) Add the red pepper flakes and salt to taste and whisk together until smooth. Mix in the onions and stir until the onions are completely coated with dressing. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve it alongside the kofta of your choice.
Note: Make sure the tahini is as runny as it’s supposed to be. If its oil has separated, stir it until completely reincorporated.
Dried Bean Salad with Tahini (Tahinli Piyaz)
THIS IS a specialty of the Antalya region, located on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. Piyaz is usually made with olive oil, but here they dress it with tahini.
2 cups (400 g) white beans, soaked overnight
1 cup (180 g) Tahini and Onions (this page)
1 cup (20 g) minced fresh parsley
In a pot, combine the beans and 1½ quarts (1.4 L) water (add more water if the water does not cover the beans by at least 1 inch). Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes or until the beans are soft but still firm. Drain and, while the beans are still warm, add the Tahini and Onions, mixing slowly until the beans are thoroughly coated with the dressing. Spoon into a serving dish, garnish with the parsley, and serve.
THIS RECIPE was created by me at sea. We were out on our boat cruising near the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, and I put together what I had on hand. The cookbook author and writer Anya von Bremzen was one of the guests and she liked this salad so much that she submitted it to Food and Wine. The magazine presented this as one of the healthiest dishes in the world, which came as a wonderful surprise.
6 to 7 dried tomatoes, drained of oil, if necessary, and chopped to chickpea size
1 cup (150 g) cooked chickpeas
1 teaspoon ground hot red pepper
2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup (see this page)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 to 15 fresh mint leaves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 to 4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds for garnish
¾ cup (75 g) walnut pieces for garnish
In a deep skillet over medium heat, lightly sauté the dried tomatoes in the oil. Add the bulgur and chickpeas and stir until the bulgur is translucent and the chickpeas are crisp, about 2 minutes. Do not stir as you add the warm water, and salt to taste; cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn the heat down to very low and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, until the bulgur is tender. Add the red pepper, pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, mint, and dill. Stir thoroughly and spoon into a serving dish. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds and walnuts and serve.
Mixed Pickles with Store-Bought Vinegar
IN TURKEY, pickle making is primarily a family tradition. The most popular pickle makers in Istanbul today hail from Bursa. They maintain that, along with the city’s white wine, it is Bursa’s pure water that gives their pickles a unique taste. My taste buds tell me that the ratios of vinegar, salt, and water are as important as the actual ingredients. But when I started to learn pickle making from my greengrocer, Necmi Akbulut, I immediately saw that he doesn’t measure anything. When I asked him how he knew the right quantities, he answered, “By tasting.” I told him that my cookbook wouldn’t come with taste buds, and immediately found some measuring cups and spoons. What follows is the recipe we came up with, right there in his shop.
Makes 1 (3-quart/2.8-L) jar, or 3 (1-quart/960-ml) jars
1½ quarts (1.4 L) filtered or spring water
2 cups (480 ml) white vinegar (see this page)
4 heaping tablespoons (60 g) kosher salt
10 very fresh cucumbers, each pierced with a needle in 4 or 5 places
2 pounds (910 g) cabbage, chopped into egg-size pieces
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
5 to 6 sprigs celery leaves, minced
4 to 5 sprigs fresh fennel or dill fronds
4 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped if large
Make the brine: Put the water, vinegar, and salt in a large bowl or pan.
Make the pickles: In a clean 3-quart (2.8-L) glass jar, pack the cucumbers, cabbage, hot peppers, carrots, and green beans, sprinkling with the parsley, mint, celery leaves, fennel or dill, garlic, and bay leaves at intervals. Press firmly on the vegetables, leaving as little space in the jar as possible. (If necessary, add carrot slices at a diagonal to the other vegetables.) Pour the brine mixture into the jar, add the citric acid, and close the jar tightly. Some liquid may spill out, but this will help ensure that no air enters the jar.
Wipe the outside of the jar with a damp cloth and place the jar in a cool, dark place. When the cucumbers have yellowed, the pickles are ready; about 15 days in hot weather and 20 days in cool weather.
I CAME across this simple dish served as a meze at one of the famous fish restaurants in Dalyan near Çeşme, the resort town of İzmir. As simple as it was, it boosted my appetite because the peppers were hot and, with vinegar added, even more appetizing.
8 to 10 long green peppers (whatever kind you like)
¼ cup (60 ml) white vinegar, preferably homemade (this page)
Crush the garlic and salt together with a mortar and pestle. Roast the peppers directly over a gas flame (see Note, this page). Peel and discard burnt portions. Chop the peppers or leave them whole. Mix the garlic-salt mixture with the vinegar and the oil, if using, and pour over the peppers. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to a day or two.
WITH THEIR color and delicious flavor, pickled beets are a popular addition to any pickle selection.
2 pounds (910 g) beets, washed, trimmed, and peeled
1½ cups (360 ml) white vinegar, preferably homeade (see this page)
2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)
Boil the beets whole for 20 to 30 minutes, until they can be pierced easily with a knife. Drain and let cool, then slice, chop, or cut into wedges, as you prefer. Place the beets in a deep bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, salt, sugar, garlic, and 1 cup (240 ml) water, and pour over the beets. Add the olive oil, if you like. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 day before serving. Stored in the refrigerator, these pickles will keep their flavor for at least 3 weeks, ready to eat whenever you want.
EGGPLANT PICKLES rank among the most popular kinds of pickles in Turkey; they are great with macaroni and cheese, pilafs, and egg dishes. Eggplant is best pickled with the vinegar at full strength (undiluted by water) because the meaty eggplant will keep better in a more acidic solution. Taste-wise, somehow this is not that acidic to the palate.
1½ quarts (1.4 L) white vinegar, preferably homemade (this page)
4 to 5 tablespoons (60 g) kosher salt
4½ pounds (2 kg) small Italian eggplants (no more than 4 inches/10 cm long), stems removed
2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced lengthwise, and cut into 4-inch (10 cm) lengths
5 meaty red paprika peppers, sliced into rounds
10 to 15 cloves garlic, sliced
2 cups (40 g) minced fresh parsley
25 pearl onions, peeled (optional)
10 green tomatoes, thinly sliced
Leaves and tips from 20 celery stalks
Make the brine: Combine the vinegar and salt and stir to dissolve.
Make the stuffed eggplants: Cook the whole eggplants in plenty of boiling water until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a strainer. Place a cutting board on top of the eggplants, weight the board with something heavy (I use a well-washed rock or a brass mortar, but a can of tomatoes would work too), then let the juice drain from the eggplants. Once most of the juice is drained, remove the eggplants from the strainer and slit them open lengthwise.
Stuff each eggplant with some carrots, red pepper, 1 or 2 garlic slices, and about 1 tablespoon parsley. Tie up each of the stuffed eggplants with kitchen twine and place them in a clean 5- to 6-quart (5 L) glass jar, interspersing the onions, if using, and slices of tomato among the eggplants as you fill the jar.
Cover the eggplants with the remaining parsley and the celery leaves and tips, firmly press the vegetables down into the jar (traditionally, a washed stone or piece of wood would be used for this), and then fill the jar to the rim with the brine.
Cover tightly with the lid and store in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator. Give the jar a shake or two every morning to ensure that the brine is getting to all the vegetables. The pickles should be ready to eat in 1 to 1½ weeks. You can store the pickles in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 weeks after opening.
Note: If the mixture foams, add more vinegar. If the eggplants are kept under the vinegar by putting a weight on them, they will keep for at least another 4 weeks in the refrigerator.
WHEN WE Turks think of olives, we think of the Aegean region, which is in the west, bounded by the Aegean Sea, but this recipe is actually from Gaziantep in Turkey’s southeast. Freshly cured olives are definitely required to make it. This side salad can also be served on fresh purslane leaves or slices of bread to create a meze dish similar to bruschetta, or used as a filling for börek with pastırma (Amulet-Shaped Pastırma Pies, this page).
1 pound (455 g) freshly cured green olives (preferably sliced, hammered, or broken), pitted and diced
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 stalks fresh young garlic (if available; see Note, this page), chopped; or 2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)
3 to 4 tablespoons pomegranate syrup (see this page)
Seeds from ½ pomegranate
Mix together the olives, tomatoes, green onions, and garlic. Sprinkle with the oil and pomegranate syrup. Garnish with the walnuts and pomegranate seeds and serve.
GUESTS EAT NOT WHAT THEY HOPED FOR, BUT WHAT THEY ARE OFFERED. — TURKISH PROVERB
Breakfast without olives can never be considered a real breakfast in Turkey. Green or black, there must be at least one type of olive on the table; even better if they have been dressed with some premium (extra-virgin) olive oil and lemon juice or lemon slices. Those who like their food sour will squeeze on some extra lemon juice. Olives also are indispensable for the meze table. In this context, you can sprinkle the olives with any spice you choose, though hot red pepper flakes are the most common addition. Even a sprinkling of ground nuts and a little drizzle of virgin olive oil will transform olives into a new dish.
In Turkey, we generally classify olives into just two groups—by their color, black or green—but there are actually scores of varieties.
One of my favorites is the wrinkle-skinned black olive called sele, named for the shallow baskets the olives are salted and packed in (which allows their bitter juices to drain off). Their skins become puckered from the weight of all the olives pressing in on each other. Before selling, the olives are mixed with a little olive oil so they keep longer. Kuru sele, meaning dry sele, are usually kept for the farmer’s own use as they don’t store well and are only on the market for a short time.
Sele curing can be done at home. All you need is a basket and some kosher salt. The freshly picked olives are placed in the basket and sprinkled with a layer of salt. Hang the basket so that the liquid can drain (if you’re hanging the basket inside, put a plate underneath to catch the drippings). In about two weeks they will have lost their bitter juice. When they are cured to your taste, wash the olives and coat them with olive oil. They are ready to eat!
Olives blackened on the tree, and then picked and dried for one day before being packed into jars with oil are called yaglık or oiled olives. These are ready to eat immediately.
Green olives are called by a variety of names in Turkey, which are typically based on the curing method or the region where they are grown. Green olives slit with a knife to drain the bitter juices are called çizik (“scratched”) or dilme (“sliced”). Olives struck with a mallet are called çekiçte (“with the mallet”), while olives broken with a stone are called kırma (broken). The last two varieties can be eaten four to five days after processing. The broken-skinned olives are sprinkled with salt, put in a muslin bag, and hung for four to five days, until they lose their bitter juice, then washed before consuming.
In all of these methods, the goal of curing is to remove the bitter juices from the olives. In the United States, asking for traditionally cured olives may help you to get one of these types. If you ever have the opportunity to buy freshly picked olives, it is great to cure them at home; their flavor will be more vibrant than already cured store-bought olives.
Mixed Pickles with Homemade Vinegar
THIS IS a good mixture to make from end-of-the-season vegetables. Use whatever kind and mixture of vegetables you wish. An important note: You can judge whether your pickles are pickled correctly and will taste as they should by looking at the peppers. Whether long or bell peppers, they will turn yellow as they mature. Greenish peppers that do not turn yellow in a week or so indicate that the pickling process did not go right.
3 cups (720 ml) filtered or spring water
4 heaping tablespoons (45 g) kosher salt
4½ cups (1 L) white wine vinegar, preferably homemade (this page)
10 to 12 long green peppers, preferably with thick flesh (see Note)
8 to 10 small green or red bell peppers
5 to 7 small cauliflower florets (Ping Pong ball size); or 3 small beets (tennis ball size), peeled and quartered; or 6 to 7 pieces of cabbage, cut to the size of a medium tomato; or 3 to 4 carrots, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces
5 to 7 jalepeños or similar hot chiles
3 cups (300 g) roughly chopped celery stalks and leaves
1½ cups (200 g) garlic cloves, peeled
Make the brine: Combine the vinegar and salt and stir to dissolve.
Wash all the vegetables and let them dry. Pierce the peppers once or twice so they will absorb the vinegar (it makes tastier pickles). Place all the vegetables nicely in a 1½-gallon (5.7-L) plastic or glass lidded jar. After placing a few peppers or vegetables, add the celery leaves and garlic cloves so that they are distributed evenly in the jar. Continue layering in the vegetables with the celery and garlic, packing everything tightly until there is almost no space left. When the jar is packed full, add the brine to the very top.
Immerse the vegetables by pressing on a few large green peppers, making sure the vinegar comes to the top. Secure the cap loosely the first day to allow room for any extra foam that might form and then screw the cap to form a tight seal the following day.
Keep the pickle jar in a dark, cool place for 2 days before moving to a cellar or even the refrigerator. It may take a week to 10 days for the pickles to be ready, but remember they will have a more delicate taste if you wait.
Note: End-of-season peppers are normally used. They have stayed on the plant past their prime and have tougher skins, which makes them better for pickling.
THESE SMALL, tangy pickles with just a bit of spice, are served everywhere in Turkey and throughout the Middle East.
4½ cups (1 L) white or red wine vinegar, preferably homemade (this page)
3 cups (720 ml) spring or filtered water (see Note)
3 heaping tablespoons kosher salt
4 pounds (1.8 kg) gherkin cucumbers, about 2 inches (5 cm) long
2 cups (200 g) roughly chopped celery stalks and leaves
1½ cups (200 g) cloves garlic peeled
3 to 4 hot green or red chile peppers, dry or fresh (optional, although heat adds a good taste)
Make the brine: Combine the vinegar and salt and stir to dissolve.
Pack the gherkins in a ½-gallon (2-L) plastic or glass lidded jar, layering the gherkins with the celery, garlic, and chiles so that they are distributed evenly in the jar.
When the jar is packed full, add the brine to the very top. Secure the cap loosely to allow room for any extra foam that may form and then screw the cap to form a tight seal the following day.
Keep the pickle jar in a dark, cool place for 2 days before moving to a cellar or even the refrigerator. It may take a week to 10 days for the pickles to be ready, but remember the pickles made with white grape vinegar will have a more delicate taste if you wait.
Note: If using red wine vinegar, use 4½ cups (1 L) spring or filtered water.
I WAS so proud of myself the first time I made my own vinegar and used it to make pickles. I had made a nomadic product right in my own home and both the vinegar and the pickles were perfect! The red grape vinegar was outstanding but the yellow vinegar was to die for. Now I understand why the pickles for the sultans had to be made with yellow vinegar: The taste is much more delicate, with a very slight sweetness.
8 pounds (3.6 kg) red or white grapes
Process the grapes in a juicer (don’t mind the small stems). Transfer the must (the remaining pulp, skins, and stems) to a ½-gallon (2-L) plastic or glass jar with a lid. Pour the grape juice over the must and fill the jar completely—there should be no air at the top. Tightly close the jar and move it to a sunny spot. If the sun is strong, the grape juice will ferment (see Note).
After the second or third day, foam will begin to form on the grape must. This foam increases every day. After 4 days, taste the vinegar. If it is not strong enough for your taste, give it another 2 to 3 days in the sun. (You will know that the grapes have given their all and the fermentation has stopped when all of the grape must looks foamy.)
Strain the vinegar through a very fine-mesh sieve into a bottle or jar. Pour a glass of water on the residue to take all of the vinegar left behind and use this water to dilute the vinegar, filling the bottle or jar to the top. Discard the must left behind. Store your vinegar in a cool place to prevent it from becoming more sour.
Note: Since grapes do not ripen before mid-August, depending on where you live and the weather conditions, there may not be enough of the strong sunshine required for fermentation. If so, you can put the jar in a very low (175°F/80°C) oven for the whole day or even overnight. Take care not to let the jar cool from one day to the next by placing it on a wooden surface and covering with a cloth.
Cold Yogurt and Cucumber Soup (Cacik)
WE CAN say that this dish either flavors cucumbers or spices up yogurt. However we describe it, there is nothing like this cold soup on hot summer days. Traditionally served with ice cubes, it is a must for Turkish tables when the weather heats up. Each person is served a bowl of it. In Turkey, dried mint is more popular for sprinkling over the top than fresh.
2 medium cucumbers (7 inches/17 cm long), peeled and minced
1¼ cups (300 ml) plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon wine vinegar (see this page) (optional; add only if the yogurt is not tangy enough)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or mint or 3 teaspoons dried, for garnish
Crush together the garlic and 1 teaspoon of the salt with a mortar and pestle. Sprinkle the cucumbers with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, mix, and let sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This helps the cucumbers release some of their juice. This makes a more tasty cacik, for the soupy yogurt is enhanced by the juice of the cucumbers.
Meanwhile, mix together the yogurt and garlic-salt mixture until well combined. The consistency should be slightly thicker than cream soup; if necessary, add up to 1 cup (240 ml) water to thin the soup. Add the cucumbers and mix well; taste and add the vinegar, if needed. Drizzle with the oil and garnish with the dill or mint. Serve cold. (One or two cubes of ice is usually added on very hot days to keep the cacik as cold as possible. Since it is not too soupy, the addition of ice is welcomed.
Cold Yogurt and Cucumber Soup (Cacik) with Green Onion
THIS EASTERN Anatolian version of cacik is garnished with an abundance of fresh herbs. It can be diluted to make it soupier, according to preference. It pairs well with stews or grilled meats.
1 cup (240 ml) plain Greek yogurt
1 or 2 long green peppers, sliced into rings
1 clove garlic, crushed with a mortar and pestle
Chopped fresh dill for garnish
Chopped fresh mint for garnish
1 tablespoon pekmez (see this page; use only if the yogurt is too sour)
Thoroughly mix together the yogurt, peppers, green onions, and garlic. Spoon into a serving bowl and garnish generously with the dill and mint. Drizzle with pekmez, if using. Serve cold.
