Turkish Coffee

First let me say that I do not like black coffee usually, but for some reason the dark rich flavour of Turkish coffee goes down so well, that I don't mind the lack of cream (although, you know I found a way around that too!!) Turkish coffee is simple to make as well, and there are some fun, non traditional variations too. So, being me, I am going to share those with you today.

There are a few things you need to make sure you have in order to do Turkish coffee properly and if you don't live in Turkey or a country where making Turkish coffee is a standard affair, you may have to find a Turkish store or a Middle Eastern market to get you the supplies you need. You need a Turkish coffee pot (like the one pictured above), a teeny cup (also up there) and Turkish ground coffee, it's ground to a powder consistency and there is something different in the way that it is roasted.

To make the coffee you need to measure out one teeny cup of water into the pot, 1 teaspoon of coffee and the equivalent of 1 sugar cube (you can, of course, add more or less sugar as you like). All of those ingredients go into the pot, it goes on the heat and let it boil. It does bubble up and over, so don't leave the room, stay close and take it off the heat once it starts to rise up. Then pour it all into your teeny cup and you have Turkish coffee... easy, right?!

Variations:

My lovely Turkish friend, Nilay, told me that sometimes she likes hers made with milk and not water. I tried it and it's a little like a super rich latte. Fantastic! (I told you that I got around the lack of cream issue) She also told me that sometimes they substitute Nutella for the sugar. I tried that this morning and it was like a dark chocolate, nutty mocha. Absolutely delicious!!

Happy Eating, or coffee making/drinking as the case may be!!!

Mmmmm... PIZZA!!!

So today in all my Saturday laziness, I decided to get kitchen creative. I decided to use up the last of my shrimp, some veggies given to me by traveling friends and some frozen pizza shells... what did I make? THE BEST SHRIMP PIZZA EVER!! And because I am who I am, I am going to share that recipe with you. And it is ridiculously EASY!

Here is what you need:

1 cup, thawed deveined and peeled shrimp
1/2 red bell pepper
2 mushrooms finely chopped.
1/4 cup hellim cheese (it's middle eastren cheese that is super salty, not super melty but super yummy... it gives a salty, buttery taste to stuff. It also goes by the name of haloumi)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp sumac spice
pepper to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice
a handful of baby arugla leaves
1 frozen pizza shell with a light coating of tomato sauce.

First things first: chop up your veggies!!

Next, you will want to saute that shrimp in a pan with the littlest bit of olive oil. You will be tossing in the spices and lemon juice with the shrimp.

Then put some of the cheese on your pizza shell and begin to stack your veggies on top. Then on goes that shrimp and the rest of the cheese.

Pop it all into a hot oven and when the cheese is bubbly and the pizza crust looks toasted, take it out and let it cool for a minute before slicing and enjoying!

Happy Eating!

Shrimp Fritters

These were a favourite of KJ's when we were dating and they have seemed to be a big hit no matter who I make them for. Here in Turkey they took on a slightly different flavour that was really great. I will share with you the three ways that I like to make them and then you can create them all and choose or you can make your own variation!! (oh... and all measurements are approximate because I don't own measuring cups here in Turkey and I've always been a just kind of wing it girl)

Thai Style Shrimp Fritters:

2 cups finely chopped fresh, raw shrimp (you can also use thawed frozen shrimp... make sure the shells and veins are all off)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed red chilis
4 eggs

Mix all of that together and drop by spoonfuls into hot oil either in a pan or if you have a deep fryer, then use that. And then dip is sweet chili sauce when eating... it's magical.


My Style Shrimp Fritters:

2 cups finely chopped fresh, raw shrimp (you can also use thawed frozen shrimp... make sure the shells and veins are all off)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp dill (fresh is best)
1 or 2 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed or minced
4 eggs

Mix all of that together and drop by spoonfuls into hot oil either in a pan or if you have a deep fryer, then use that.

Turkish Shrimp Fritters:

2 cups finely chopped fresh, raw shrimp (you can also use thawed frozen shrimp... make sure the shells and veins are all off)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup mozzarella and/or hellim cheese
2 tbsp sumac
3 or 4 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed or minced
1 tbsp hot crushed red pepper
1 tbsp cumin
4 eggs

Mix all of that together and drop by spoonfuls into hot oil either in a pan or if you have a deep fryer, then use that. Dip in a nice tzatziki sauce if you have it (it's just plain yogurt, dill or mint, and cucumbers shredded up... so you can make your own)


If at any time you feel your dough is too watery, just add flour until it is a gooey, sticky texture. If you feel it is too dry, drop another egg in the mix.

Happy Eating!!!

Leftovers Can Be Yummy

Generally speaking the only leftovers I like tend to be either from a restaurant or involving garlic and pasta sauce. But in an effort to be more mindful and less wasteful, I am trying to find ways to make leftovers appealing.
On Monday, I had made a roast chicken and then on Tuesday, I made those bad boys! I took some of the chicken meat, shredded it up and put it on a whole wheat tortilla with some mozzarella cheese and a little tobasco sauce to heat things up. Once it was all snugly wrapped in the tortilla, I put it in the oven, lightly brushed it with olive oil. The outside was crispy, deliciousness and the inside was gooey, spicy and just plain tasty. I used a little mayo for a dipping sauce, but you could also use a tzatziki too, I did the next time I made it and it was even better!!!

Oh yea... it was all done with one pot (or pyrex as the case may be).

Happy Eating!

One pot/baking dish.

I think I should rename my blog... really. I love trying to make as few dishes as possible (mostly because I don't have a lot of dishes at my place in Turkey, and the sink is ridiculously small and I just hate to do the dishes). So anyway, the other day I decided to do something a little more involved but kept it to one dish in the oven. It was a simple roast chicken with veggies. But what made it so good was that I used loads of white wine to cook the chicken in. I first chopped and loaded the veggies into the pyrex container and then I laid my little chicken down. I poured wine into the cavity of the bird and then over the top. I added salt, pepper, garlic and thyme and then covered it and toss it all into the oven at 350. The wine really gave a great flavour to the bird and kept it moist. It also gave a nice tang to the veggies and if you wanted, you could have used the juice in the pan to make a lovely gravy (just a thought).

ah... technology

Due to circumstances beyond my control (my computer fried and I am now using the school computer when I can), I haven't been able to update. I have 2 new dishes to tell you about and once I get free time and this computer at home with me... I will update. Please be on the look out for 2 posts in the new future... both have to do with chicken and both are one pot wonders (perhaps I should change the name of my blog... hm...)
Thanks for your patience!!!