ETLİ KARA LAHANA SARMASI

STUFFED COLLARD GREENS WITH GROUND BEEF

As I mentioned in the previous post, I tried stuffed collard greens for the first time. I really liked it so did my family.
This dish is very popular in the north part of Turkey so it is very traditional too.


Ingredients:

• Large leaves of 3 bunch collard greens ( 29 leaves)
• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 1 cup of rice
• 2 tbsp of extra fine bulgur
  
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 medium size of onion
• 1 fresh green pepper
• 6 cloves of garlic 
•  juice of 2 lemon
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Wash the leaves several times to remove grit. Remove the center stalks from the leaves. Cut the large leaves into three triangular parts. Cut the smaller leaves into two equal parts.
Fill a large pot halfway with water. Turn the heat on high, bring it to the boil.  Place the first half of leaves' pieces in the pot, wait for 1 minutes and take them out. Repeat this step for the second half of it. Place all of them on a large plate and set a side.
Meanwhile, take onion, green pepper, and garlic into the bowl of food processor and process it until finely chopped. Take them in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients ( rice, bulgur, beef, tomato paste, red pepper paste, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt) into the mixing bowl and mix it until well combined.
 

Take one piece of leaves. Place one tbsp of filling on the larger side of it and fold the sides inside and roll it. Repeat this step for all off the pieces.
Place all the rolls horizontally, side-by-side in a large pot. Add boiling water into the pot slowly, just to cover the rolls. Take the pot over medium heat and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to low as soon as it starts to bubble. Cover the lid and simmer for one hour or until the rolls are tender. Serve it warm with salad, plain yogurt or cacik. 

KIYMALI KARA LAHANA

COLLARD GREENS WITH GROUND BEEF

I bought three bunches of collard greens to make stuffed collard greens. However the inner leaves looked too small to roll. Then I decided to use those younger leaves for another recipe. I tried this recipe with a whole bunch of collard greens before but this one tastes totally different and delicious.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• young leaves of 3 bunch of collard greens
• 1/3 lb of ground beef
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1/2 of large onion ( chopped )
• 4 garlic cloves ( chopped )
• 1/2 tbsp of red pepper paste
• a pinch of black pepper
• salt

Strip leaves from stems. Wash them several times to remove grit. Drain and chop them. 

Meanwhile, cook beef with 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic to the pot and stir. Cover lid and let them cook for 5 minutes. Add pepper paste and black pepper to the pot and turn the heat down to low. Add chopped collard greens to the pot and stir. Cover the lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and add salt.

ZEYTİNYAĞLI YAPRAK SARMASI

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH OLIVE OIL

My family has their own vineyard. We were collecting our own grape leaves  and boil them first in order to make this recipe when I was living in Turkey. 

   For me, this is the best vegetarian/vegan dish ever. I can have this dish for  every single meal, even as a snack with my afternoon tea.

It took me almost one hour to roll all the leaves. It is better to have someone with you to reduce the time you spent rolling them.

Ingredients:

• a jar of canned grape leaves ( 2 lb )
• 2 cups of uncooked rice
• 1/2 bunch of green onion ( chopped )
• 1 large size of onion ( chopped )
• 10 cloves of garlic ( chopped )
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 2 lemon's juice
• 1 tbsp of salt
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 cup of boiling water

Take olive oil, chopped onion, garlic and green onion in a large pot over medium heat. Stir and saute it for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and red pepper paste in it and stir for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of boiling water into the pot and stir. Bring it to the boil and add rice in it. Cover the lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer until rice absorb all of the water. ( Rice will cook halfway. ) Turn the heat off and add pomegranate paste, salt, black pepper, lemon juice in it and stir. Set a side.
Take the jar of  grape leaves and drain its juice. Wash the leaves and drain the excess water.

 Take one of leaves on a flat surface. Place one tbsp of filling on the upper side of it and fold the sides inside and roll it. Repeat this step for all off the leaves.
Place all the rolls horizontally, side-by-side in a large pot. Add boiling water into the pot slowly, just to cover the rolls. Take the pot over medium heat and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to low as soon as it starts to bubble. Cover the lid and simmer for one hour or until the rolls are tender. Serve it warm or cold. 
We had it as a dinner with cacik.
Enjoy...

MAHLEPLİ POĞAÇA

POGACAS WITH MAHALEB

Mahaleb smells heavenly. I used mahaleb in this recipe before and there are a few other recipes with this spice which I will post them soon. You can find mahaleb either in Mediterranean stores or from online Turkish stores.

Makes 24 pogacas.

Ingredients:

• white of 1 egg
  
• 3/4 up of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of plain yogurt
  
• 1/3 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tbsp of ground mahaleb
  
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tbsp of granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp of vinegar
• 3 cups of all purpose flour (approx )
  

Filling:

• cream cheese

Glaze:

• yolk of 1 egg

In a big mixing bowl, take egg white and whisk. Add vegetable oil, yogurt, baking soda, ground mahaleb, vinegar, sugar, salt and mix. Add flour slowly and knead. Continue adding flour until the dough reaches soft consistency.
Take a small piece of dough ( about the size of a walnut ) and make it flat with your palms. Place 1 tsp of cream cheese in the middle of the dough and close it up. Place a parchment paper on a baking tray an put the pogacas on the tray. Brush all of the pogacas with egg yolk.
Preheat the oven 350F and bake until pogacas are golden brown.

FISTIKLI & PEYNİRLİ KÜNEFE

KUNEFE WITH CHEESE & PISTACHIO

Ingredients:

• 1 pound shredded fillo dough
• 1 stick of butter ( melted)
• 3 tbsp of whole pistachios

Filling:

• 1 cup finely chopped pistachio
• mixture of 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese+1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese  ( or 1 cup of Turkish sweet cheese )

Syrup:

• 3 cups of granulated sugar
• 2 cups of water
• juice of 1/4 lemon

For the syrup; take 3 cups of sugar, and 2 cups of water in a medium pot. Bring it to the boil over medium heat. Boil for 7-8 minutes. Add juice of 1/4 lemon into the pot and boil for another 5 minutes. Turn the heat off. Set a side.

 Take kataifi from the freezer and break it into small pieces in a mixing bowl immediately. Let it thaw for ten minutes. Then add melted butter  and whole  pistachios in it and mix it evenly. In a 13-inch round tray, take the first half of kataifi and press and spread the cheese mixture and on top of cheese, spread chopped pistachio  all over the first half of kataifi,then spread the second half of kataifi all over the filling and gently press.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for about 50  minutes or until nicely brown. Take the kunefe out of the oven and spoon cold syrup over it immediately .

Cut kunefe into square shapes. Serve warm.