Fried Eggplant and Green Peppers
Grilled Eggplant Topped with Yogurt
The Priest Fainted (Imam Bayıldı)
Eggplant Boats with Meat Filling (Karnıyarık)
Spinach with Rice and Garlic-Yogurt Sauce (Borani)
Green Beans in Olive Oil (Beans à la Turka)
Fresh Black-Eyed Peas Braised in Olive Oil
Jerusalem Artichokes with Raisins in Olive Oil (Zeytinyaglı Yerelması)
Celery Roots in Lemon and Egg Sauce (Terbiyeli Kereviz)
Lentils with Quince and Mint (Meksenye)
Fresh Pinto Beans with Cinnamon and Veggies
Vegetables and wild greens are widely used in Turkish cooking, cooked either alone (usually with plenty of olive oil) or with meat to extend the precious protein, resulting in dishes that are both tasty and economical. Vegetables grown in Turkey are uniquely flavorful, especially in the western and southern parts of the country, where the sunny and hot weather is an advantage for vegetable farming. Because of the terroir—the climate and characteristics of the soil—the variety and delectability of Turkish vegetable dishes is hard to surpass.
Many vegetables, fruits, and wine are mentioned in Mahmut from Kaşgar’s Turkish to Arabic dictionary (Divanü Lügati’t-Türk), which he wrote in Baghdad for the Arabs, beginning in 1072. We can understand from the listed Turkish words that Turks ate vegetables like eggplants, carrots (including white carrots), as well as gourds. They also used herbs like wild mint and basil and spices like pepper and cumin; even mastic was known. As the Turkish tribes established nations in other lands with different produce and started to live a more urbanized life, certainly this list became longer. This is confirmed by the list of foods that were served to Mehmet the Conquerer in the fifteenth century, including leeks, cabbages, spinach, pumpkins, and Swiss chard. The palace also was partial to rare vegetables, as shown by the cultivation of asparagus from the sixteenth century on. With the introduction of tomatoes, paprika and other kinds of peppers, and beans, the diversity of Turkish vegetable dishes was further enriched.
Cooking methods for vegetables can be grouped this way: meatless vegetable dishes (including vegetables with olive oil), vegetables cooked with meat, fried vegetables, boiled vegetables, and roasted vegetables.
Down to the oil: This method, the general style of cooking vegetables with olive oil, is to cook the vegetable with onion and (usually) tomato over very low heat until all the liquid evaporates. The long cooking time over low heat dries up the moisture in the vegetable, and both the oil and the vegetable end up with a peerless taste.
Stewed marrow (kalya): Although this term has been used for cooking meat or liver, most likely cut in cubes, today it is used in reference to cooking cubed zucchini and eggplant in olive oil.
Şakşuka: This method of cooking vegetables with olive oil differs from region to region. In Balikesir in northwestern Turkey, green tomatoes are used. In southern towns on the Mediterranean coast, şakşuka is a dish of fried eggplant, pepper, and potato. A tomato and garlic sauce, prepared with the same oil and poured over the fried vegetables, gives the dish a new taste.
Pan-frying (tava): With this method, vegetables such as potato, eggplant, zucchini, carrot, and peppers are fried in a pan and served with yogurt and garlic or with a tomato sauce made with the oil. Vinegar can also be added to this sauce to make it lighter.
Sautéed (kavurma): In this method, with regional variations, vegetables are boiled until al dente and then sautéed in butter or olive oil. (The same term is used for meat dishes.) In the Aegean region, fresh black-eyed peas are often cooked in this manner. In the Black Sea region, a dish made with pickled or dried beans is a sort of sautéed vegetable.
Borani and yoğurtlama: A dish known throughout history, the roots of borani are either an eggplant dish mentioned in Persian cuisine or a beautiful Persian queen. In modern times, however, borani refers to parboiled spinach leaves sautéed with rice or bulgur. Fresh black-eyed peas or green beans are cooked in a similar way, but are called yoğurtlama. Though the names are different, they are both served with garlic and yogurt sauce; however, borani is understood to be made only with spinach. There may be other dishes named borani, like the urfa borani in this book (this page), but it is probable that the creator fancied the name and called it borani regardless of the vegetable featured in the dish.
Nut and garlic sauce (tarator): Boiled vegetables are always served with this sauce, made with olive oil, lemon, and bread (plus ground walnuts or almonds, if desired). In the Aegean region, fresh black-eyed peas or spring greens are often served this way.
RECIPES FOR this rich, creamy dish date back to the nineteenth century, when it was first prepared for a sultan who liked it. Beğendi means “it is liked”—hence the name. Even though I give the recipe for just the eggplant dish here, it is never eaten alone; it is always served with some kind of stewed or grilled meat, chicken, or even fish. Many foreigners like this dish best when it has the consistency of mashed potatoes, but I add more milk because I prefer it more saucelike.
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup (240 ml) warm milk, plus more if reheating
4 to 5 Italian eggplants (2 pounds/910 g total), roasted (but better grilled over a flame), peeled, and chopped
3 tablespoons kasar or other mildly aged cheese, grated (optional; see Note)
Melt the butter, add the flour, and make a roux by stirring constantly over low heat with a wooden spoon until the butter and flour are thoroughly mixed, taking care that the flour does not brown. Remove from the heat and let cool a little. Add the warm milk and stir until smooth. Return to the heat, add the chopped eggplant, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making it almost a puree, until the mixture comes to a boil. If desired, add the cheese, stirring until it melts into the eggplant. Season with salt to taste. Serve hot. You can make this ahead of time, but add some milk and stir often so that it doesn’t burn when you reheat it. Adding milk returns the cold puree to the desired consistency by loosening it up.
Note: I prefer this dish without cheese; others insist that it needs cheese. The taste becomes stronger with cheese, and it may overpower the meat you are serving it with.
Fried Eggplant and Green Peppers
AS SIMPLE as it is, this is a ubiquitous dish, especially in the coastal Mediterranean area and the Aegean region. This is logical, considering the fact that everyone there grows vegetables in their own gardens (or at least used to) and eggplants grow particularly well. Because it’s delicious and quick to put together, everyone in the region makes fried eggplant and green peppers often. In the Aegean, it is called yoğurtlama, which means it has been sauced with yogurt. All you need to serve with this is Shepherd’s Salad (this page) and lots of fresh bread. It is good for summer lunches, but also is served as part of a meze spread.
3 long thin Japanese eggplants
4 or 5 long green frying peppers or green bell peppers, washed, dried, and pierced in several places with the tip of a knife
¼ cup (60 ml) plain Greek yogurt
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed with a pinch of salt with a mortar and pestle
Add the salt to a generous amount of water in a bowl. Peel the eggplants in a zebra pattern (removing only alternating strips of peel), cut in half horizontally, slice the halves lengthwise, and add the slices to the salty water. Let soak for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove from the water and dry thoroughly with a clean cloth or absorbent paper towel. (Omit this step and the eggplant will splatter oil.)
Heat ½ inch (12 mm) of oil in a frying pan over medium heat until hot, but not to the smoking point. Add the eggplant slices one by one (the oil should sizzle when it contacts each slice), fry until both sides are nicely browned, and remove to a serving platter. Add the peppers and cover the pan so the oil doesn’t splatter. Shake the pan every 30 seconds or so. When the splattering dies down, remove the cover and turn the peppers over to fry the other side; this will go faster, as the peppers will already be heated through. (Do not let peppers with thin skins fry for too long; 2 minutes should be enough. Fry fleshy peppers for about 4 minutes.) When the peppers are done, remove them to a platter. Mix together the yogurt and garlic-salt mixture and generously spoon the sauce on top of the vegetables, allowing some vegetables to peek through (see Note). Serve immediately.
Note: You can drizzle a couple tablespoons of the frying oil over the fried vegetables after they are dressed with the yogurt sauce; this is both attractive and flavorful.
Grilled Eggplant Topped with Yogurt
I HAVE slightly modified this traditional recipe, from the town of Ula in southwestern Turkey, by putting the yogurt at the bottom of the dish, adding some dried tomatoes, and enriching it with ground meat. (Ala Nazik is a similar popular dish served in the Gaziantep area.) The rest of the world thinks that dried tomatoes are Italian in origin, but Turks have long used dried tomatoes in many of their dishes. The combination of yogurt and butter in this dish makes it loved by all.
2 cups (480 ml) plain Greek yogurt
1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed with a mortar and pestle
2 pounds (910 g) Italian eggplants, roasted over a gas flame or grilled (see Note)
1 long thin green pepper (preferably hot), sliced into thin rings
1 cup (200 g) diced dried tomatoes
½ pound (225 g) ground beef or lamb
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
½ tablespoon mild red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh or toasted sliced bread for serving
Beat the yogurt, garlic, and salt to taste until smooth, then spoon the mixture into the bottom of a serving dish and let it come to room temperature.
Peel the eggplants while hot (they’re easier to peel that way), then transfer to a strainer and let drain. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the fresh tomatoes, peppers, and dried tomatoes for 3 to 4 minutes, until the juice from the fresh tomatoes is absorbed. Dice the eggplants and add them to the pan. When the eggplants are heated through, spoon the eggplant mixture over the yogurt mixture.
In a pan, melt the butter. Add the ground meat and cook until the butter is aromatic and almost browned. Pour the meat over the eggplant. Sprinkle with the parsley and red pepper flakes, if using, and serve immediately with plenty of slices of fresh or toasted bread.
Note: You may roast the eggplants in an oven, but they will not have the same flavor.
The Priest Fainted (Imam Bayıldı)
LIKE TURKISH delight, I think this dish is representative of Turkish cuisine mostly to non-Turkish people. It seems its popularity is due to foreigners visiting Turkey who liked its taste and were intrigued by its name. There are various stories about this. One is that there was an imam (a man who leads prayers in a mosque) who was rather tight-fisted. When he saw how much olive oil his wife had used in this dish, he fainted on the spot. (Sometimes “imam” is replaced by “priest,” and I’d guess rightly because, due to their heritage, the Greek community uses a lot more olive oil than the Turkish people.) Whether the story is true or not, this dish does use a lot of olive oil. Another popular story is that the imam liked the dish so much that he fainted with delight. This may also be true, as this is indisputably a delicious dish. My addition of pine nuts and currants, which are not traditional, infuses an interesting taste into this dish.
6 medium Italian eggplants (no more than 6 inches/15 cm long)
3 large onions, sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
2 tablespoons dried currants (optional)
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
Peel the eggplants lengthwise in a zebra pattern (removing only alternating strips of peel) and place in 3 to 4 cups (720 to 960 ml) salted cold water. In a large frying pan, cook the onions and pine nuts, if using, in the oil over low heat until caramelized, about 10 minutes; add the currants, if using, and set aside. Remove the eggplants from the water, squeeze out the excess water, and pat dry. Fry in the same oil over medium heat until both sides are nicely browned. (Do not burn the eggplants.) Remove the eggplants from the pan, add the garlic to the pan, and sauté until aromatic. Remove the garlic from the pan and set aside. Add the tomato paste and tomatoes to the pan and sauté. When the liquid has evaporated, remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the tomato mixture with the sugar, parsley, and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange the eggplants in a single layer in an oven-safe baking dish with a lid or aluminum foil to use as a lid. Slice an opening in the eggplants, lengthwise, and fill with half of the fried onion mixture, then divide the tomato mixture among the eggplants. Cover with the rest of the caramelized onions and stick several garlic cloves in each eggplant. Add enough water to just cover the eggplants. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Uncover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the oven and let the dish cool for 1 to 2 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Eggplant Boats with Meat Filling (Karnıyarık)
THIS IS a dish not to be missed at any of the esnaf lokantası (restaurants for working people that serve only lunch). They make the best ones, with a lot of tasty juice to mop up. I am sure some people go there just to eat this. Eggplant boats are easy to prepare but a little time consuming. When you taste what you get in the end, you will know it was well worth all the time it took to make it.
6 long thin Japanese eggplants (8 to 10 inches/20 to 25 cm long), peeled in alternating 1-inch stripes
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ pound (225 g) ground lamb, beef, or a combination
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, and diced, plus 6 slices of tomato
⅓ cup (7 g) minced fresh parsley
2 long green peppers, cored and cut into 6 pieces
3 cups (720 ml) hot water, plus 1 cup (240 ml) more if needed
Fry the eggplants in the oil until all sides are golden. Remove them to paper towels to drain.
Fry the onion in the butter until translucent; add the meat and sauté until cooked through. Add the tomato paste and stir to mix. Add the diced tomatoes and cook until all juices are evaporated, then add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Place the fried eggplants on a shallow, ovenproof pan. Slit them diagonally along the middle to create openings for the meat filling. Evenly divide the meat filling among the eggplants and place a piece of green pepper on top of each, accompanied by a slice of fresh tomato. Gently pour the hot water into the pan so that it almost reaches the filling but does not disturb it. (Most of the water will be absorbed during cooking.) Cover and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Do not let it dry out; add more water while cooking, if needed.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and arrange a rack in the center of the oven.
Uncover the eggplant boats and transfer the pan to the oven. (If the water has diminished, add another cup of hot water before placing the pan in the oven.) Bake for 20 minutes, until the meat filling is a little browned. Serve hot. (This dish may be reheated on the stovetop, so it is fine to cook it ahead of time, then reheat and serve.)
TURKS ROAST eggplants over a flame for many different uses, and each region has its own recipes. Here is one from Denizli, the area in southwest Turkey where my father comes from, in which roasted eggplant is stuffed into pita bread. A dürüm (wrap) is also a very popular way of eating shish kebabs—consider it a nomadic version of the sandwich. When eating at home, everyone makes their own wraps. The meat or filling is put on a special bread that is made like yufka (the thin, round sheet of pastry used for making böreks). These breads are scorched on a hot, concave sheet of iron, called a sac. The breads become hard, which enables them to be kept for a long time, and they are moistened before eating.
2 pounds (910 g) whole Italian eggplant, roasted over a gas flame or on a grill, peeled, and chopped
2 medium onions, diced, or sliced into rings (see Notes)
2 long thin green peppers, roasted, peeled, and diced
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, and diced
3 pita or yufka breads, halved (see Note)
Tulum cheese (see Note, this page), or any other strong-flavored, crumbly cheese (optional)
Pomegranate syrup (see this page)
Mix together the roasted eggplant, onions, roasted peppers, and tomatoes in a bowl. Keep warm, or warm before using. Scoop the vegetable mixture into pitas, add the cheese, if using, and drizzle with pomegranate syrup.
Notes: Cook the onion rings on a panini press, or wrap them in foil and roast them in the oven. This will give them a sweeter taste.
You can substitute toasted regular bread for pita and make a bruschetta instead; it is the same idea.
Spinach with Rice and Garlic-Yogurt Sauce (Borani)
Borani is a classic spinach and yogurt dish with a small amount of rice that was cooked even in the time of Sultan Mehmet the Conquerer, according to kitchen archives from the fifteenth century—although, according to this listing, it was made with just spinach and rice. There was always some rice in this olive oil dish when my mother cooked it too. We also made it with garlic yogurt and burnt butter; it was a winter favorite of our family. Borani, the name of a Persian queen, is also said to be the inspiration for an eggplant dish. This is not unusual: The names and contents of dishes may change over time and among different cultures.
Make sure that the yogurt is at room temperature, but mix in the crushed garlic while the spinach is cooking. Cold yogurt will cool the spinach and the butter sauce too quickly. This dish does not reheat well, so consume it all just after cooking.
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds (680 g) spinach, roots removed, washed thoroughly, drained, dried, and chopped
4 to 5 tablespoons (75 to 90 ml) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
2 cloves garlic and ½ teaspoon salt, crushed with a mortar and pestle
1 tablespoon vegetable or corn oil
½ tablespoon good-quality tomato paste
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (optional)
In a large pot, sauté the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Add the spinach, dried hot peppers, and rice and mix well. Cover and simmer uncovered for a couple of minutes. If necessary, add ⅓ cup (75 ml) water (the spinach usually releases enough water, but the rice may need extra water) and cook until the rice is soft and the liquid is completely absorbed. Spoon into a serving dish.
While the spinach is cooking, stir together the yogurt and garlic-salt mixture. Spoon the sauce onto the spinach. Heat the butter and oil and, when the butter becomes aromatic and nicely browned, stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes, if using. Drizzle the tomato glaze over the yogurt and serve warm.
Green Beans in Olive Oil (Beans à la Turka)
THIS IS a dish to inaugurate summer dining. Even though beans are now available year round, I only cook them in season. Served cooled, this meze is a summer favorite thanks to its light texture. What’s more, it tastes even better after sitting for a few days. Some cooks use sugar in this dish, but to my taste, the beans are much lighter without it.
10 to 12 pearl onions (or 1 large or 2 medium onions, minced), peeled but left whole, stems attached
1 tomato, sliced into rounds, plus 3 medium tomatoes, halved and grated (see Note, this page)
2 pounds (910 g) fresh green beans, strings removed (either whole or snapped)
½ or 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) 1
¼ cups (300 ml) virgin olive oil
Lay the onions and then the tomato slices in the bottom of a large pot. Add one or two layers of beans over the tomatoes. Add the grated tomato on top of the beans. Add the remaining beans, salt to taste, the sugar, if using, and oil. Cover tightly and cook over high heat until steam appears (or until the lid is very hot to the touch). Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Check the beans; if needed, add 1 to 1½ cups (240 to 360 ml) water. Cook for another 10 minutes over medium heat (only a very little liquid should remain in the pot and, toward the end of the cooking time, if you let the bottom scorch a little, it will be even more delicious). Let the beans sit for 2 hours, to cool and absorb the cooking liquid. Pour off and set aside any remaining liquid. Invert the beans onto a serving platter and pour the liquid over the beans. Serve, with or without the onions.
Fresh Black-Eyed Peas Braised in Olive Oil
PEOPLE AROUND Muğla, a city in the sealess part of the Aegean region, use a lot of fresh black-eyed peas in their cooking. Other traditions cook with dried black-eyed peas, but only here have I seen whole fresh beans used, the peas still in their pods. The secret of this distinct dish is the olive oil: the more the better.
2 large tomatoes, seeded and grated (see Note, this page; about 3 cups)
2 long green peppers, preferably hot, or 2 to 3 hot red peppers
1 pound (455 g) very fresh black-eyed peas still in their pods, strings removed, snapped in half
Sauté the onion in the oil in a pot until translucent. Add the tomatoes and peppers, then the black-eyed peas, and season with salt to taste. Cook over very low heat, without adding any water. (If all the liquid is absorbed but the peas are not sufficiently soft, add 1 cup/240 ml hot water and cook over medium heat until the liquid is almost entirely absorbed.) When the bottom of the pot starts to sizzle, remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Jerusalem Artichokes with Raisins in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Yerelması)
THE JERUSALEM artichoke is called “apple of the earth” in Turkish, and rightly so, as it is a tuber that is taken out of the soil. This zeytinyağlı (olive oil) dish is full of flavor. You just have to be careful not to overcook the Jerusalem artichokes so they don’t break apart (which is a not very pleasant sight).
I was served a raw Jerusalem artichoke salad with the same ingredients as below except for the raisins. It’s another delicious way to serve this vegetable: Simply slice the Jerusalem artichoke very thin (use a mandoline), dress with olive oil and lemon juice, and sprinkle with fennel and hazelnuts.
⅓ cup (75 ml) virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1½ pounds (680 g) Jerusalem artichokes, peeled, surfaces smoothed, and cut crosswise into 1-inch rounds
2 tablespoons seedless (Smyrna) raisins, sautéed in 1 tablespoon olive oil (see Note)
2 tablespoons minced wild fennel (see this page; or the green fronds of cultured fennel)
2 tablespoons sliced hazelnuts, preferably roasted
Sauté the onions in the oil in a pot. Add the lemon juice, salt to taste, sugar, if using, the Jerusalem artichokes, and warm water (the water should not cover the vegetables); cook, partially covered, over medium heat until the Jerusalem artichokes are soft and all the liquid is evaporated. (If the Jerusalem artichokes are done before the water has been evaporated, uncover, raise the heat to high, and cook until the water is gone.) Remove from the heat, add the sautéed raisins, cover, and let cool. Garnish with the fennel and hazelnuts and serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: Sautéing the raisins in olive oil gives them shine and extra chewiness.
BECAUSE VEGETABLES cooked in olive oil are traditionally eaten cold, they are generally considered summer dishes. Unlike the summer specialties green beans or cranberry beans, however, leeks and celery root are winter favorites. While celery root is for banquets, leeks are an essential home staple. Leeks look more attractive when cut on the diagonal and taste wonderful served barely warm. Leeks should be thoroughly cooked but still maintain their shape.
2 pounds (910 g) leeks, cut diagonally into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces, washed thoroughly and drained
8 ounces (225 g) carrot (1 large carrot), cut diagonally into ½-inch (12-mm) slices
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¾ cup (180 ml) virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons medium-grain rice
Put the leeks and carrot in a large pot. Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt, and oil. Cover and cook over high heat until steam appears from under the lid. Immediately reduce the heat to low and cook until the leeks are yellow but not quite done. Make a hollow with a spoon in the center of the leeks and pour in the rice and warm water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked but still holds its shape. (Add 3 to 4 tablespoons hot water and cook for 1 or 2 minutes more, if desired.) Serve warm, with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Celery Roots in Lemon and Egg Sauce (Terbiyeli Kereviz)
ALTHOUGH A humble vegetable, celery root braised in olive oil has always been an important dish at modern banquets in the winter, much like braised artichokes typically making an appearance at spring banquets. Here, I share a more humble home-cooked dish that is enjoyed by celery lovers. This dish can be served right out of the pot or rewarmed; either add the terbiye (lemon and egg sauce) just before serving, or reheat the dish over low heat, taking care not to boil it. It is soupy, and when you dip bread in its tangy sauce, it becomes a full meal. It also can be served as part of a meze spread; just make sure it is served warm.
10 shallots, peeled and cut in half
4 celery roots, each with a 2-inch (5-cm) circumference, peeled, cut in half, with a well scooped out in the center of each half (see Note)
1 carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and chopped into ⅓-inch (8-mm-) thick half moons
1 small potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch (12-mm) cubes
½ cup (120 ml) virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
Sauté the shallot halves, celery roots, carrot, and potato in the oil for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the warm water and cook, covered, over medium heat until the vegetables are al dente, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep the vegetables covered (there should be about ¾ to 1 cup/180 to 240 ml cooking water left in the pot). Whisk the lemon juice into the egg until well mixed and add 1 tablespoon of tepid water to dilute. Quickly add the lemon-egg mixture (terbiye) to the vegetables, stirring well to keep it from separating. Season with salt and pepper to taste and give the pot a quick shake to completely mix in the terbiye. Serve warm with a sprinkle of pepper and the parsley.
Note: If you can only find small celery roots, the size of a small apple, buy eight and just chop off the top quarter of each, then make small wells for the filling.
NOW A veritable staple of Turkish cooking, dried beans have become popular only in the last two centuries or so. The arrival of beans and tomatoes from the New World was surely a turning point for Turkish cooks. Those who prefer to stay away from meat may of course cook beans without adding meat, but you really do need either chicken or beef stock to get more flavor. I find beans cooked with chicken broth to be tastier.
If you want this dish to be a thick soup, do not allow all the liquid to boil away. If you want this to be a dinner-plate dish, boil it down more and serve next to rice. The aim is a slightly soupy dish that can be eaten with either a fork or a spoon. When you turn the heat off, the top should glisten like a red sea with just the tops of the beans showing.
2 cups (400 g) dried beans (see Note), soaked overnight in plenty of water, then drained
2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
2 large tomatoes, seeded and grated (see Note, this page)
2 or 3 dried hot red peppers, pierced in one or two places
3 to 4 cups (720 to 960 ml) hot chicken broth, preferably homemade
Put the beans in a pot, cover with water by 2 inches (5 cm), and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the beans are soft but still hold their shape. (If the water is boiling too much, the beans will pop open.) Check the beans quite frequently as there is no way to know beforehand how quickly or slowly they will cook (see Note).
Put the onions, 2 to 3 tablespoons water, the oil, and butter in a pot and sauté over medium heat. When the onions are about to turn golden, add the tomato paste and sauté, stirring constantly, until nicely aromatic but not burned. Add the tomatoes, dried peppers, and salt to taste, cover, and let simmer until all the liquid is evaporated. Add the broth and beans. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat to blend all the flavors. Remove from the heat and let sit for 30 minutes. If necessary, reheat before serving.
Note: When buying beans, make sure they are of the current year’s harvest. Old beans each cook in a different length of time, giving the chef difficulties. Some stay uncooked, while some become mush as they cook!
Lentils with Quince and Mint (Meksenye)
FROM THE highland town of Bolu, this lentil dish will surprise everyone with its unusual mixture of ingredients. Quince alone does not have much taste, though it does have a faint but distinct aroma. In this dish, its contribution is strictly aromatic. Pumpkin chopped into ½-inch (12-mm) dice would be a nice alternative to the quince, adding color and a delicate fragrance. The vanilla and cassia are my additions to this regional dish.
4 tablespoons (60 ml) unsalted butter
1 large quince (see sidebar), diced, soaked in water and lemon juice to prevent browning, or 2 cups (500 g) diced peeled pumpkin
½ cup (95 g) green lentils, soaked in warm water for at least 30 minutes
1 cup (200 g) medium-grain rice, soaked in hot water with ½ tablespoon salt for 30 minutes
⅓ vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out, and cut into pieces
1 (2-inch/5-cm) cassia stick (optional; see this page)
Sauté the onions in the butter and oil until soft and about to turn golden; add the quince or pumpkin and sauté a few minutes more. Drain and add the lentils, rice, and 2½ cups (600 ml) water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat, add the vanilla pod pieces and cassia stick, if using, and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the lentils and rice are soft, about 5 minutes more. If one of the ingredients seem a little uncooked after the specified cooking time is complete, you can always add 1 or 2 tablespoons hot water and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes. (The dish should be somewhat moist.) Remove and discard the cassia stick and vanilla bean, and serve garnished with mint leaves.
Fresh Pinto Beans with Cinnamon and Vegetables
PINTO BEANS are a never-fail dish on the tables of İzmir, the ancient and busy port on the Aegean, a cosmopolitan city where the inhabitants love to enjoy life together with food. The pleasant weather allows a long spring and autumn, and people take advantage of the temperate seasons to eat and drink outdoors along the coastline. Light mezes like wild greens, quick-pickled green peppers, eggplant caviar, and pinto beans are part of the spread, and fish from the Aegean Sea—like gilt-head bream, red sea bream, and red mullet, to name the most popular ones—are served as the main dish after the mezes. There are luxury restaurants along Kordon, the city’s famous coast, but eating at small restaurants in the area used to be a memorable experience, as they were rustic and as fresh and spontaneous as could be.
The pinto beans may turn white if you add lemon while cooking, or take on a darker color if no lemon is added. I prefer them dark and add a squeeze of lemon juice before eating. This dish is good to have on hand when you feel too lazy to cook, because the beans taste just as good—if not better—when they are cold.
2 pounds (910 g) fresh pinto beans
⅓ cup (75 ml) virgin olive oil
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, (optional)
1 teaspoon crushed dried hot red peppers, or 2 to 3 fresh long green chiles
1 cinnamon stick, preferably from Ceylon
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Boil the beans in plenty of water for about 30 minutes, until soft, and drain.
Sauté the onions in the oil until golden, then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds; add the tomatoes and cook until all the liquid is evaporated. Add the carrot, if using, the sugar, lemon juice (if using), hot peppers, and cinnamon stick, and sauté until aromatic. Add the beans and 2 cups (480 ml) water and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat until most of the water boils away. Season with salt to taste, remove from the heat, and let cool. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, garnish with the parsley, and serve.
