Turkey

Menu:

Shaksuka
Domatesli Pilav (Tomato Pilaf)
Sis Kebabi (Shish Kebab)
Baklava
Turkish Delight
Apple Tea

When I think of Turkish food I think mezes, pilaf, kebabs, and of course Baklava. So that's what we did.

I chose a dish called Shaksuka as our meze, or side dish, because eggplant is a major player in Turkish food. Fried vegetables like potatoes, eggplant and peppers are common in mezes - this one had it all. It can be served cold but we all preferred it warm.

Tomatoes are another key ingredient so I made Domatesli Pilav (Tomato Pilaf) to accompany our Sis Kebabi (Shish Kebab). To replace meat on the kebabs I modified my favorite seitan recipe, incorporating Turkish seasonings into the dough and broth, to give it an authentic taste. I think too many ingredients in the dough made it a bit challenging to work with. It was much crumblier than usual and a little messy looking, but it was packed with flavor.

Baklava is one of my all-time favorite desserts. It always seemed too complicated to make but it's actually much easier than it looks - and it turned out awesome. A little patience and a lot of layering and you're done. We finished with a store-bought rosewater Turkish Delight and Apple Tea that a friend brought me back from Turkey. Overall a simple and lovely meal.

Shaksuka

1 medium sized eggplant, peeled and diced
1 large potato, diced
1 cubanelle pepper, diced
1/3 cup sunflower oil (I used grapeseed)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 gloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
3 medium sized tomatoes, peeled and diced

1. Soak the eggplant in salted water for 20 minutes.
2. Blanch, peel and dice tomatoes while the eggplant soaks.
3. Squeeze the eggplant to remove excess water.
4. Toss eggplant, potato and peppers in grapeseed oil.
5. Pan fry until cooked through. (I roasted them in the oven).
6. Saute garlic and salt in olive oil in a large pan on medium heat.
7. Add tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes.
8. Stir in fried vegetables and heat for another 3 minutes.
9. Serve at room temperature.
(adapted from Binnur'sTurkishCookbook)

Domatesli Pilav (Tomato Pilaf)
1 cup rice, washed and drained
1 tomato, diced small
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt to taste
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cups vegetable stock

1. In a medium saucepan, saute olive oil and tomatoes for about 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
2. Add rice and saute for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add vegetable stock salt and sugar.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer.
5. Cover and simmer till the rice absorbs all the water.
6. Remove from heat and let sit with cover for a few minutes.
7. Stir before serving.
(adapted from Hayriye'sTurkishFood&Recipes)



Sis Kebabi (Shish Kebab)

Seitan:

1 cup vital wheat gluten flour

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 cup cold vegan beef broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, grated

1-2 tbsp onion, grated

Black pepper

Thyme

Broth:

8 cups water plus 3 vegan beef bouillon cubes

Onion, remaining from seitan mixture, diced

1/4 cups soy sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp Olive oil

Black pepper

Thyme

Kebabs:

1 Green pepper, cut into large pieces

12 Cherry or quartered tomatoes

Olive oil

6 Skewers (soaked in water if using wood skewers)

1. Mix all broth ingredients in a large pot.
2. Mix vital wheat gluten flour and nutritional yeast in a large bowl.
3. Mix remaining seitan ingredients in a separate bowl.
4. Add wet seitan ingredients to dry and stir until mixed.
5. Knead with your hands for about 3 minutes until the dough is elastic.
6. Cut in to 3 equal pieces and knead each piece in your hand to stretch them out.
7. Add seitan to broth pot, cover and bring to a boil.
8. As soon as it boils, reduce to a low simmer.
9. Leave partially covered and simmer for 60 minutes, turning seitan occasionally.
10. Turn off heat and let sit uncovered for 15 minutes.
11. Strain seitan pieces and let cool before cutting into kebab sized chunks.
12. Toss tomato and green peppers in olive oil.
13. Prepare skewers: seitan, green pepper, tomato, seitan, green pepper, tomato, seitan.
14. Grill until heated through and you can see grill marks.
(adapted from the Veganomicon)

Baklava

Syrup:
1 1/4 cup water
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Baklava:
454 g Phyllo Pastry (20 sheets), thawed
1 1/4 cup Earth Balance margarine, melted
1 1/2 ground pistachios (not too fine)
1/3 cup soy creamer

13x9x2 inch baking dish
Pastry brush

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Mix sugar and water in a medium saucepan.
3. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Set aside syrup to cool
6. Cut Phyllo sheets in half so they are 13x9 inches. You should have 40 sheets now.
7. Set aside half of the sheets.
8. Brush the baking dish with melted margarine.
9. Place 2 sheets of Phyllo in the dish. Brush with margarine.
10. Repeat until you have used up the first half of the Phyllo sheets, brushing the final layer with soy creamer instead of margarine.
11. Spread the pistachios evenly on the cream layer.
12. Layer the remaining half of the on top, 2 at a time, with margarine.
13. Brush the final layer with margarine.
14. With a sharp knife, cut into 24 pieces. Cut through to the pistachio layer, but not past it.
15. Bake for 25 minutes.
16. Reduce heat to 325 F and bake for 25 more minutes or until golden brown.
17. Let sit a room temperature for 10 minutes.
18. Cut the squares all the way through to the pan.
19. Pour the syrup evenly along the cut lines. I used a squeeze bottle.
20. Sprinkle extra pistachios on top.
21. Let rest at least 4 hours for the syrup to absorb.
22. Store at room temperature.
(adapted from Binnur'sTurkishCookbook)