ARTICHOKE, BROAD BEAN AND RICE SALAD

ARTICHOKE , BROAD BEAN
AND  RICE SALAD

 

Artichoke season is coming , this is glad news of spring for me. The fresh artichoke season is short in Turkey. It can be frozen but I think the taste is not the same.  

 The health benefit of artichoke are many, especially for liver. The antioxidant capacity of artichoke is one of the highest in vegetables.

 In Turkish Cuisine the leaves of the artichoke are broken, only  the  heart is eaten. The remaining concave -shaped heart is filled with meat  orchicken  , ( vegetarian variety )  rice or  fresh  broad beans  or carrot and peas.

 This dish can be served as a starter  or salad and also warm or cold.

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

 

6 artichoke hearts

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

200 g fresh broad beans,

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp. sugar

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups  short-grain  rice

3 tbsp. olive oil , extra

3 cups, liquid of meal plus hot water

2 tbsp. dill, chopped

 

 

 

  From my local market-Yesilkoy Pazarı

 

Soak rice into salted hot water 30 minutes. Drain and rinse well.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan add onion, stir until soft. Pour 1 cup of water. Add lemon juice, salt and sugar bring to boil add artichoke hearts and broad beans. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or both are tender. Take of artichoke hearts and beans  keep the liquid. Cut heart into 6 pieces.

Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a pan add rice stir 5 minutes and measure the liquid ,complete 3 cups adding hot water. Pour into pan. Bring to boil, simmer 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Add artichoke heart pieces, broad beans, leave to cool. Add chopped dill. Mix gently with fork. Serve warm or cold.

 

 

 

RICE WITH PINE KERNEL AND CURRANTS

RICE WITH PINE KERNEL
        AND CURRANTS

Rice pilaf is a very common dish  in Turkish Cuisine. There are cold and hot variations. It  serves with meat or chicken dish.
This recipe is a very good combination of  rice, pine kernel, currants and spices. Roasted turkey stuffed with this spicy rice is traditional  meal at New Year Eve dinner in Turkey. Usually chestnut and chicken livers are added. I will give this recipe another time.


INGREDIENTS
2 cups short grain rice
1 tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, grated
2 tbsp. pine kernel
2 tbsp. currants
1 tsp allspices
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups chicken stock

Place rice in a bowl, cover with hot water and add 1tsp salt. Soak 30 minutes. Then drain and wash several times, drain
Heat the butter or oil in a pan , add grated onion and pine kernel. Stir and fry until onion and pine kernel turn brown. Now add the rice, stir and sauté the rice 3-4 minutes. Add allspices, cinnamon, pepper and salt. Stir 2 minutes more. Pour hot chicken stock , bring to boil. Cover tightly, turn heat very low and cook 20-25 minutes, until rice is tender. Let the rice rest covered for 5 minutes before to serve.

SYRIAN RICE

                   SYRIAN RICE

 

 

 

 





 

 I learned this recipe from my dear friend who passed away a year ago. I missed her and our conversations about food. This recipe is for her memory.

  She had told me that  she also  learned it from a Syrian friend. When I search  for Syrian rice pilaf I have found  many different  recipes which is called Makloubeh- means upside down. All of them are cooked with fried eggplant and cooked on  the stove and spicy. 

My recipe is  different from them; using raw eggplant and cooking in the oven. I can  guarantee that the taste is so good. 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

6 medium onions, sliced and sauteed

500g ground-minced beef

1 onion , chopped

6 tomatoes, sliced

3 medium size eggplant- aubergine, sliced

1 1/2 cup rice

 1 1/2 pint chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

 

Soak rice in salty water 30 minutes, drain , wash under running water and drain again.

 Soak eggplant in salty and 1 teaspoon flour added water 15 minutes, wash well and slices.

 Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan, fry sliced onion until lightly brown. Slice tomatoes.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan add ground beef, cook until brown, add chopped onion, continue to stir further 10 minutes. 

For to prepare: 

In a dip casserole lay the ingredients. Start first with 1/3 of onion then 1/3 ground beef, then 1/2 of rice then 1/3 of sliced eggplant and sliced tomatoes. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Last layer must be tomato.

Pour hot chicken stock over very slowly . Bake about 180C-375F for 30-35 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Let rice set 10 minutes, run a spatula around the edge of the rice. Then place a serving dish upside down over the casserole.       

 

 

 

RICE WITH ALMOND -PILAF

                                                      RICE WITH ALMOND


                                                                        

 

 

 

 

Pilaf is a dish which  rice is  cooked in stock or broth. History of Turkish pilaf  goes back to Ottoman Empire time. Since then pilaf has been cooked by the same technique . Turkish pilaf is simmered rice, not steamed. For good quality pilaf ,rice mustn't stuck together.
 Pilaf has an important place in ceremonial meals and every days cooking in Turkey. It can be severed as a main dish or a side dish. 

Pilaf is enriched by the addition of meat, chicken, seafood , vegetables, nuts, pulses or pasta. Turkish rice is short grain rice. 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups short grain  rice
1 cup blanched almonds
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt


PREPARATION
Put the rice in a bowl add 1 teaspoon salt, 4 cups hot water. Soak rice for 30 minutes. Wash several times until all starch is gone. Drain well.
Heat vegetable oil in a pan add almonds, stir until lightly brown.  Add rice stir until dry. Add  hot water, chicken stock and salt. Bring to boil. Cover with lid. Turn heat very low. Cook 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Off heat add butter, and stir. Let pilaf rest 10 minutes before serve.