One of the ways I cope with my wife being in Turkey for her grueling 15 month tour of duty is to try my hand at Turkish recipes from time-to-time.  It helps the family feel somehow connected to her through food, knowing that she can probably purchase many of these recipes in the shops right off base.

It doesn’t hurt that most of the recipes I’ve tried are fabulous. The flavor combinations sometimes seem odd, but the end result are dishes with flavors that can best be described as both ethereal and haunting.  Turkish food so far has been a wonderful and enlightening journey for my family, and one I’m glad we’ve taken together.

This particular dish is my favorite so far. This is no mean feat considering how much I and my family adored both the Havuçlu Haydari and Nane Limon that I’ve written about previously.  This dish just somehow surpasses them.

Tasting this was like discovering the soul of Turkish cooking.  The flavors are simple, but surpassingly complex on the palate.  This is the kind of perfection that Anthony Bourdain says can only come from peasant food.  In this case, I agree. (Do you hear that, Ruhlman?)

The over the top part of Turkish soups is the use of a very thin custard in their making.  This adds a mouth feel unlike anything I have previously eaten.  It is both creamy and sumptuous, yet light enough for an extremely hot summer day.  In fact, I find that I lack the words to properly describe it.  You’ll have to try it to see why, but I assure you it will be worth it.

Do you have a favorite lamb dish?  A favorite dish from another cuisine?  We’d love to hear about them.  Drop a comment and share.

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If you can imagine an incredibly savory pierogi mixed with a wonderful, chewy Mediterranean flatbread, you’ve pretty much captured the flavor and texture of this Turkish staple, Patates Gozleme.  The word gozleme actually comes from the Turkish word “Goz” or “Eye”, and refers to the “Little Eyes” or brown circles that form on the dough as it cooks, but the flavor…

Oh, the flavor!

I’ve actually been putting off sharing this recipe with everyone.  It was the last recipe my wife shared on her visit home from Turkey before she returned and it’s been sort of difficult for me to let it go.  I’ve come to realize that it’s selfish of me to do so.  These are so absolutely to-die-for that they must be shared, so They’re going out on Mother’s day as a tribute to the wonderful lady who made them for all of us.

Seriously. Even if the thought of “dough” and “measuring” scares you, you’ve got to make these.  They’re simple, fairly quick and can easily be filled with anything your heart desires. (But start with the potato!)  There are spinach, meat and cheese variations as well, so don’t be afraid to play around with it.

What’s your favorite flatbread filling?  have you made anything like this before?  let us know in the comments!

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One of the treasures my wife brought with her on her recent visit home was her version of Turkish style mashed potatoes.  While you might not find mashed potatoes something sexy, with the addition of a few ingredients they are.  Oh yes, they are.

While these are generally made with saffron in Turkey, we opted for turmeric.  This was mostly a cost issue, since we’re feeding 5 and turmeric is an awful lot less expensive here in the States than saffron is.

(She bought something that was labeled saffron and brought it with her, but I’m pretty sure that it’s actually sunflower, not the real article.  I blame a shady spice vendor, whom I curse in multiple languages with a foul tongue and reference his lineage and several unclean habits.)

In any case, Turmeric was a wonderful substitution, or it is until such time as I have a lovely stash of saffron lying about.  There is a wonderful earthy flavor, mingled with subtle florals and the strength of onion and garlic to tie everything together.  Some of the ingredients aren’t authentic, but the result is amazing and I think you and your family will absolutely love this dish.

The plating above was done by my lovely wife, and she tells me that this is how these are served at her favorite restaurant in Adana Izmir, optionally with a sauce or pan-drippings from one of the main dishes.  I thought they were gorgeous as-is, so I just shot the plate as it was, though I may go back later and take another run of photos with a sauce, too.

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I’m glad that my wife loves talking with people.  Everywhere we go either she or I is asking a waitress or a cook how they prepared something.  In most cases the cook or chef is happy to oblige.  This dish is a result of my wife’s insatiable curiosity regarding new recipes and her ability to charm the socks of of anyone… Even if that someone happens to be a chef in Izmir, Turkey.

Haydari is a fairly common dish in Turkish Meze.  Generally it’s a mix of yogurt, garlic, mint and olive oil.  I’ve seen some recipes that call for sumac as well.  This one is a slightly less spicy version that uses carrots (Havuçlu) and omits the garlic and dill usually found in the dish.

Just 5 ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep will get you something spectacular, especially if you’ve gone ahead and made a batch of flatbreads to slather this wonderful dip on.  of course, you can always just eat it with a spoon, too.  (I may have eaten most of it that way…  It’s possible.)

This is a dish that you just have to try!  it rivals turkish style yogurt hummus for yum-factor and is just as simple to make, but has a much lighter and fresher flavor.  If you’re looking for the perfect way to get a few carrots on the table.  This is it.

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Some of the highlights of my wife’s recent visit home was that she’s spent quite a bit of her time learning to cook authentic Turkish food. Over the three weeks she was home she got to share some of those recipes with us and now we get to share them with you.

This recipe for flatbread (gozleme) is one that I think every kitchen needs.  It’s simple, versatile and extremely tasty.  These chewy flatbreads are wonderful for enjoying hummus, havuçlu haydari or any other dip that you’re fond of.  They are also wonderful filled with a variety of ingredients, from spinach to meats or potatoes.

Prep time is minimal at around 30 minutes and cooking time is only two or three minutes per flatbread.  Most of this is resting time, so the res of the meal can be prepared while the dough rests, which is always a plus in a busy kitchen.

I’m sure there are other variations on this recipe.  My wife has learned all of her recipes in the Adana region of Turkey, which is heavily influenced by Mediterranean culture, so if you have a different version of this recipe lying about, I’d love to hear about it.  do you have a favorite way to make and use these flatbreads?  What fillings do you use?  leave a comment and let us know.  I’ll be making these a lot in the future, so ideas are welcome!

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My wife is currently visiting for her incredibly overdue mid-tour visit from her post in Turkey and, as is common for homecomings, she came bearing gifts for both myself and for the kids.  For the kids was a wonderful assortment of Turkish memorabilia.  for me she brought the ultimate gift. (Herself of course!) Spices and a Turkish cookbook!

The first thing that jumped out at me was the Turkish version of Hummus, which is made with yogurt instead of tahini, a sesame seed paste.  I just had to whip this recipe out… With my own twist, of course.

The original recipe called for two cloves of crushed garlic, but I’m a massive garlic fan and just had to bump that up to three cloves.  It also called for paprika as a garnish only, but I figured that mixing in some sweet Hungarian paprika would do just as well, and the hummus would retain a lovely light color.

My wife has deemed that this is nearly the exact flavor she’s used to, and I have to take the word of someone who has eaten Turkish style hummus with yogurt every few days for 9 months.  In my opinion, it’s incredible.  The flavor is light and very lemony with a slight kick from the fresh garlic and paprika.  It’s perfect as a dip, as a spread or even straight off a spoon.  If you love hummus, this is a must-try version.

Do you have a great hummus recipe or a different use for hummus than just as a dip?  If so we’d love to hear about it, so leave a comment and let us in on your secrets!

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In case you didn’t know, my wife is currently stationed in Turkey.  While I miss her terribly, I’m thrilled that she not only has the chance to sample some wonderful new foods, but also that she’s willing to share them with us.

The following video was taken at a local restaurant in Adana Turkey.  The gentlemen behind the counter is making Filo dough by hand!

I believe that the borek shown in the video was filled with goats milk cheese and onions and a few spices.  I wish I’d been there to enjoy it with her!

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