Fish Friday...Isn't It?

Well it's my Friday...and an extra long weekend.

Usually by this time of year, the overnight temperatures are cooler and we're just waiting for them to tell us there is a risk of frost in low lying areas...and then I have to decide what to do about my tomato plants.

I'd drag the pots inside since they are just on the deck, but I'm scared to death a large family of earwigs would come along for the ride.

Both plants are doing well, and the cherry tomato plant is just loaded. I may let them ripen all at once and share them in the form of a side salad.




But today it's fish...not tomatoes. Again in Turkey I found a recipe for blacked halibut.

I have myself convinced I don't like halibut, so I made the dish with haddock.

Out of my comfort zone on this one, since one of the ingredients was cumin.

I'm sure this will be a favourite of a lot of people, but not me.

I will eat it if served to me, but probably not make it again.

Although I love the smell of the cumin, didn't particularly like it on the fish.



Blackened Haddock

4 pieces haddock
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 clove garlic, minced fine
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
2 Tbsp canola oil for frying.


Dry the fish on a paper towel.








Combine all the ingredients, except the oil, and rub over the fish.













Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high.

Add the fish and reduce the temperature to medium.

Fry on both sides until fish is done, 4 or 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.



Serve with lemon wedges and a side salad.
(Shelley)

Bazlama -- Turkish Flat Bread

I really enjoyed making this -- it was a lot of fun and I think the possibilities are endless.  Whoops, I'm getting ahead of myself.  It's probably pretty obvious that I like flat breads and pancakes, well, bread of any kind really, so it was a Turkish Flat bread - bazlama - that first caught my eye.

Because this recipe is a cross between unleavened bread and a more western yeast loaf, it seems like it will be very flexible and have many uses.  The ingredients are simple, but the texture and taste are a treat for the mouth.  The instructions here are for making it in the fairly traditional way, but I can imagine the dough being used for pizza crust, dinner rolls, or even a casserole's top crust. 

All the Bazlama recipes I found called for Mediterranean yoghurt, but I forgot to pick some up, so I used sour cream instead.  I'm pleased with the results though.
(Ros)

Bazlama
1 cup Warm Water
1 tbsp Instant Yeast
3 cups Flour (plus one cup more for kneading)
1/2 cup Yoghurt (or Sour Cream)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 tsp White Sugar
2 tsp Salt

• Add the yeast to the warm water and set aside to let the yeast activate.  If the yeast is good, it should only need 10 or 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the yoghurt and the flour.  I used my hands to mix it in until the dough was damp and crumbly.
•  Next add the sugar, salt, and oil. Stir and/or knead this into the dough.  I think I just used my hands to mix it at this stage too.
• Once the yeast has started to foam nicely, add the yeast/water mixture to the dough and knead it in.  The dough may be quite sticky by now, so additional flour might be needed.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it has a smooth texture like in the picture below.

 

The dough should be easy to handle and not very sticky.  Pretty easy to roll out with a rolling pin as well.

•  Form the dough into a ball, cover it, and let it rise for about an hour or so.
• Once it has risen nicely, divide the dough into six or so pieces -- depending on what size you would like.
• Roll out one of the pieces with a rolling pin until it is fairly thin, but still easy to handle.
• Heat a good sized frying pan to a medium-low heat.  A bit of canola oil to help the cooking is optional, depending on personal taste.  Many recipes call for it to be cooked in butter, but I find the butter burns to easily, so I prefer the oil.
• Place the rolled out dough into the pan and cook until done on each side.  It took me between 5 and 8 minutes per side, depending on the size and thickness.
• Repeat until all pieces are cooked.
• For a couple of the pieces, I tried a stuffed version.  The fillings I used were cheese in one and friend onions in another.  Spread the filling over half of the dough circle and then fold the dough in half like an empanada or a calazone.  The cooking instructions are pretty much the same, but they take a little bit longer because of the extra layers.

Cooking the Bazlama stuffed with fried onions.

My first attempt -- I learned that for the second attempt, I needed to use the rolling pin.

BBQ Yogurt Marinated Chicken (Yogurt Marineli Barbeku Tavuk)

There's been another incident in my kitchen...I really don't do these things on purpose...and I'm not a ditz in the kitchen. I actually consider myself a very good cook...but sometimes...

Maybe I need to wear reading glasses...oh wait...I do!

So on to the recipe...wait for it...the punchline is coming.

We're still in Turkey, and I have a whole list of recipes I want to try. I do believe there's another get together coming up so I'll be on the hunt for something to experiment with.

This latest recipe I tried was for chicken marinated in yogurt and grilled on the BBQ.

I've used plain Greek yogurt before to cook a chicken breast in the oven, and it is so good. Moist and tender...yum. No reason to think this wouldn't be similar.

Well then...I think the yogurt I bought may not have been my usual kind. Don't you hate when the grocery stores move things around for no apparent reason.

So as I was putting the yogurt in a dish, I licked the spoon. No sense wasting that great yogurt.

I had to look at the label again because I swear it tasted sweet. Nope...didn't say fruit on the bottom...

I took the yogurt out again after supper...I was going to sneak a little Greek yogurt in a dish and add a little honey. I noticed a faint pink colour...I just made grilled chicken marinated in Cherry Cheesecake Greek Yogurt.

The recipe...

Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken

1 cup PLAIN Greek Yogurt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp rosemary
1 Tbsp thyme
salt to taste
pepper

4 chicken breasts or thighs






Mix all the ingredients together and add the chicken.

Coat well and marinate refrigerated 2 - 4 hours.












Grill until done.

If using bone in skin on, watch closely as the dripping may cause the chicken to burn.


If I do make these again, I will microwave to partially cook prior to putting them on the BBQ.

Am I really missing where it says Cherry Cheesecake?

I don't know what it is about Greek yogurt, but it is wonderful as a marinade, especially on chicken.
(Shelley)

Orange Biscuits (Portakalli Biskuvi)

During one of the BBQs while I was on vacation, we were chatting about this BLOG, and how much fun we (I think I can speak for Ross too) are having researching the cuisine of the country and hunting for recipes.

There are so many recipes I've come across that look interesting but for one reason or another could not, or chose not to make.

One such recipe I was telling everyone about was for a six layer cake from the Czech Republic.

The next BBQ I was asked if I would make the dessert...

The day dawned raining buckets. The heat and humidity in the kitchen the highest it had been all summer, so I changed to menu and made something I was familiar with.

I still owe them the six layer cake from the Czech Republic!

Wanting to prepare something that related to the BLOG, and found a recipe from Turkey for sandwich cookies, and the website said "These can be found in all Turkish bakeries...". Traditional and authentic...well I hope so. Sometimes we are at the mercy of what we find online.

The cookies were a hit, and I know someone has been wanting this recipe. Sorry it's taken me a week...it's been a busy first week back to work!





Orange Biscuits
Makes approx 18 - 24 cookies

Dough
125gm butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 orange zest
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour













Orange Butter Cream
2 Tbsp butter, room temperature
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp orange zest (I used lemon since I forgot to buy an additional orange)
1 Tbsp orange juice







For the dough...
Blend together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on low, add the egg yolk and orange zest.

Slowly add the flour kneading by hand until dough just comes together and flour is incorporated.

Roll out to long round, about 2 inches diameter, and wrap in wax paper or parchment. Refrigerate at least an hour.

Slice rounds into 1/4 inch discs and place on a cooke sheet lined with parchment.

(Dough may also be refrigerated, and then rolled with a rolling pin, using a cookie cutter to make the rounds)

Bake in a 375F pre-heated oven for about 12 minutes. Watch closely after 10 minutes as cookies will brown quickly. (I tested this)

Remove to wire racks immediately to cool.

For the Cream Filling...

Whisk the butter and slowly add the icing sugar. Add orange zest and orange juice. Add additional icing sugar if necessary.

Spread half the biscuits with the cream filling on the underside, and top with another biscuit.

Top side on both halves should be facing out.











GENTLY press together and run your fingers around edge to smooth out the cream filling.

Lick fingers...wash and hands and repeat...
(Shelley)

Salmon Patties (Somon Baligi Koftesi)

Perusing the pages and pages online of Turkish cuisine, it's become very clear that it is similar to other Mediterranean countries, and the food is very healthy - with the exception of the desserts...

But ingredients used are somewhat daunting and my lack of food adventure threatens to kick in.

A lot of what the recipe calls for are not redly available where I get my groceries, so I guess it's time to scope out a few specialty shops.

Unlike Tampa, Halifax does not have the vast selection to chose from, but I have made it a goal, I will visit at least one specialty shop in the next seven days.

OK Siri you're on, don't let me down...

One of the recipes I found and looked interesting, was salmon patties. My Mum used to make us salmon loaf for supper from time to time, and haven't had it in ages. Although the loaf was baked, and full of carbs with the breadcrumbs, the taste would be similar.

Rather than using tin, I had a small piece of salmon in the freezer which I thawed, and poached it in water.





Turkish Salmon Patties

1 1/2 cups salmon (can be tinned)
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 small onion, finely chopped (I used a small shallot)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped (I used chives from my garden)
2 Tbsp fresh parsley (your choice of type)
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Salt to taste
2 - 3 Tbsp olive oil for frying





Remove any bones from the salmon and flake apart with a fork.

Add the egg to a bowl, and lightly beat. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.



Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan on Medium heat.

Drop salmon mixture in by spoonfuls allowing it to flatten out.











Fry until egg is set, and flip to brown the other side. Three or four minutes per side.

The Turkish recipe I followed used salmon more the colour of BC salmon, and only browned one side.

I flipped mine to ensure the onion and celery were somewhat cooked and not still crisp.











Serve as appetizers or as a main course with a side salad.


Thanks to Ross for finding the Shepherd's Salad, this is what I prepared with the salmon patties. Instead of kale, I had romaine lettuce I needed to use up.
(Shelley)

Shepherd's Salad

It's pretty obvious that I love a salad.  It wasn't always that way though and I'm not sure when I really began to enjoy them, but it's a fairly recent occurrence.  There is something about the freshness and crispiness that makes me happy.

Needless to say that when I came across the Turkish Shepherd's Salad, I knew I had to make it.  Most recipes call for fresh parsley, but I didn't have any.  To compensate, I took some fresh kale and chopped it very finely.  This salad is becoming one of my favourites -- it's both simple and satisfying.  As usual, the amounts are kind of general and should be altered at will.
(Ross)

Shepherd's Salad

1 Small Red Onion
1 English Cucumber
1 Large Tomato
1 Small Green Pepper
1 cup Fresh Kale
Sea Salt
Fresh Black Pepper
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Juice from 1 Lemon
1/2 cup Crumbled Feta

• Chop the onion quite finely and place in a good sized bowl.
• Chop the cucumber and tomato into bite sized pieces and add them to the onion.
• Cut up the green pepper into smallish pieces, then add it to the mix.
• Chop the kale very finely and put it in with everything.
• In a small dish or glass, combine the salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice and whisk it very well.
• Pour the lemon and oil dressing on to the salad, then sprinkle the feta over the top.
• Toss to mix and coat evenly.
• Either serve right away or refrigerate for an hour.

Black-Eyed Pilav

Variations of this dish are popular in many countries over the world.  In Turkey, it's called Pilav.  The rice is gently sauteed in oil or butter until it is golden, then it is cooked in water on either the stovetop or in the oven.  Meat, veggies, or fruit are often added during the cooking, although it's often served plain as well.

My intention was to make the Nohutlu Pilav -- Rice with Chickpeas.  I was positive I had a can of chickpeas in my pantry.  Absolutely positive.  So sure that when I went to the store to buy the other ingredients I needed, I didn't bother to pick up a can of them.  Note to self:  Always double check to make sure the necessary ingredients are actually in the pantry.

There was however, a can of black eyed peas, so I used them instead.

 Black-Eyed Pilav

3 tbsp Canola Oil
1 Good Sized Yellow Onion
3/4 cup of Rice
1 1/2 cups of Broth (I used vegetable)
2 tsp Coarse Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 can Black Eyed Peas (rinsed and drained)

•  Heat the oil in a sturdy, good sized pot.  The pot will need to have a tight fitting lid.
• Add the onion and cook until it starts to brown.
• Add the rice and cook until the rice becomes a nice golden colour.
• Add the broth and bring to a boil.
• Add the salt and pepper then put the cover on the pot.
• Once it is boiling, turn down the heat to low and let it simmer.  You will need to stir it once or twice to make sure it isn't stuck to the bottom of the pot and burning.  But don't stir it more than a couple of times.
• Check the rice after 10 minutes and add the black eyed peas.
• It will probably need a few more minutes to cook.  It total, it took mine about 15 minutes of cooking after I added the broth.
• Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

The Breakfast Mistake

Second day back at work and I'm feeling that "vacation hangover". I know I should get up when the alarm goes...but close my eyes for another few minutes. A few minutes turns into thirty and my plans to get an early start will have to wait another day.

There was a list of "to-dos" for this vacation and I accomplished one. Oh well.






But I did have a road trip, lots of family and friends get togethers and BBQs, saw new places and met new people.













It was a busy couple weeks.









Not only am I back to work, I've put myself back on the wagon in the healthy eating department.

Sunday night, with good intentions, I was going to set up the slow cooker and make my overnight oatmeal.

...and I forgot.

I've never cooked steel cut oats on the stove before, but decided to give it a shot. After all...how hard can it be. Much the same as cooking rice one would think.

I measured it out, four parts water to one part oats. Added a little salt, set the timer so I wouldn't forget about it and burn the bottom of the pot.

Smells different cooking it on the stove. Not sure why that would be.

...and it looks different.

I scrape it into a bowl, add a little sugar and some fruit.

At this point I've decided I'll cook it in the slow cooker from now on because it tastes different too...I don't think I like my oatmeal this way.

As I'm cleaning up the kitchen, I put the jar of oatmeal back in the pantry and notice I have another jar of oats. I don't remember having two...good thing everything is labelled.

The jokes on me...or maybe not...I just had quinoa with brown sugar and strawberries...and it's less Weight Watcher points than the oatmeal. Maybe it was a good way to start the week!
(Shelley)

Exotic Istanbul!

Although Ankara is the capital city, the coastal city, and largest city of Istanbul is what comes to mind when I think of Turkey.

We're off to virtually explore the cuisine in this interesting country!

A small portion is in Europe, and the largest portion of Turkey is in Asia. Istanbul is a transcontinental city, with it's commercial and historic centre in Europe.

The country is bordered by eight countries, and the largest seas being the Aegean, Black, and Mediterranean.

The culture is very diverse, and culinary traditions have survived for over a thousand years. The cuisine is largely influenced by the Ottoman Empire founded in 1299 and dissolved after WW1.

Turkish cuisine varies in different regions of the country, and it will be interesting to see the recipes chosen between Ross and myself. Although we have similar tastes, as I've said before, he is much more adventurous when it comes to food.

So now with my vacation behind me, I'm back to the old grind on Monday. We're both ready to see what unique recipes we will discover.

Stay tuned...

Na zdravi!

Cheers!

When I saw that the first Pilsner type brewery was in Bohemia, I immediately checked out out local bottle shop to investigate whether or not we imported Czech beer.

And the answer was...Yes...two kinds. Planning began for a beer tasting.

Now originally I was going to have them all to myself...being on vacation and all, but I am not up on my imported beers. If it's hot out and I'm off, most beer tastes fantastic!

But a little research first...

The Pilsner beer is named after the city in Bohemia, Plzen, where the style of beer was first produced.

The Pilsner type that I was able to buy was Pilsner Urquell which has been brewed in the Czech Republic since 1842. It was the world's first brewed golden beer, and the recipe has never changed.

The other beer I was able to buy was Czechvar. It has been brewed since 1895.

According to Wikipedia...the Czech republic has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world. Stands to reason that the beer would taste good.

The Pilsner Urquell I found had a bitter after taste. This was agreed upon by my other two tasters. We all agreed we would try it again.

The other, Czechvar, was somewhat sweet with no after taste. Again, we all agreed that this beer was the favoured. Goes to the top of my list for now of imported beer.

Good thing I have another can in the fridge!

The Dumpling Challenge

So Shelley challenged me to try the dumplings.  It's taken me two nights, but I've come up with something pretty good.  Is it low fat?  No.  Is it low carb?  No.  Is it yummy?  You bet your bippy it is!

My sweet tooth has been in over-drive for the last week.  Partially because last week was so hectic and I didn't eat properly, partially because I was craving something comforting.  Nothing says comfort to me like gooey, rich, and sweet.  I remember my mother making caramel dumplings once or twice when I was young, and so I thought a nice brown sugar sauce would turn this dumpling recipe into a fantastic dessert.

To make the dumplings, I followed Shelley's recipe but added about 1 tsp of Cloves and 2 tsp of Powdered Ginger to the first cup of flour.  I also divided the dough into 8 small dumplings instead of 3 larger ones -- this way, there was no need to worry about slicing them.  Other than that, I just followed the instructions. 

I did only boil two at a time so that I could vent them easily when they came out of the boiling water.

For the sauce,

• Melt 1 stick of butter or margarine in a medium sized pot over low heat.
• Add about 2 cups of Dark Brown Sugar to the melted butter and mix it into the melted butter.
• Turn up the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil.  
• Let it boil for two or three minutes (it will still be sugary), then add about 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract.  Mix this in.
• Also at this time, add half a cup of raisins.
• Bring this back to a boil and add 1 cup of Milk, stirring until it boils again.  Let this boil for about two minutes so that it is still syrupy but not sugary.
• Pour the warm sauce over one of the warm dumplings and serve right away.

I used vanilla flavoured soy milk instead of regular milk in the dumpling batter and found that it worked quite well.

You Poor Old Dumpling

I know...I'm slacking. Have to take a couple days of vacation to do absolutely nothing.

Another childhood memory is of my mother making dumplings.

My mother didn't often swear...but those poor dumplings heard a lot of "dammits".

I think she finally gave up making them since I don't remember any in her later years. Not sure who liked them actually. Certainly not something I would have ever thought I'd be trying. And her dumplings were small round lumps, added to the top of a pot of stew.





So...what goes with goulash?












I had thought after the first attempt I would try them again...I haven't.  I'm not a fan of soggy bread...but I'm not used to failure in the kitchen.

It's also not the proper weather for a hot facial standing over a pot of boiling water...watching the timer and turning after exactly seven minutes.

That's not to say I won't try them again. I might. My idea of a carb to go with the goulash which I loved, would be a nice crusty loaf of French bread, smothered in butter, and dipped in the juices.

My success rate with the dumpling attempt was 33%. I'll blame this on the humidity as well.

Czech Style Dumplings

3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup whole milk
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast

Mix together 1 cup flour with 1 cup milk and 1 tsp yeast. Stir and set aside for 60 minutes.

Mix in the eggs, and the remaining flour. Knead until smooth, about 5 or 6 minutes.

Set aside and let rise 30 minutes.


Meanwhile, fill a large pot 3/4 with water.  Add a tsp of water and bring to a boil.

Roll dumplings out to whatever desired size. Recipe called for two rolls. I made three small dumplings.




Drop the dumplings in the boiling water, and set timer for 7 minutes.

Roll the dumplings over, and cook another 8 minutes.











Remove and immediately pierce several times to let out steam.

Unfortunately I didn't move quick enough...










...and I baked the rest.

Next attempt will be when the weather cools or the humidity drops.

Ross's turn to try...he has A/C.

(Shelley)

Kale Slaw

It may be a holiday for Shelley, but I had to work today.  On top of that, I've over-committed to events and people in my personal life.  This week is going to be very hectic.  It's after 11 pm and I've just returned from doing volunteer work at community theatre run by some friends of mine.  This is on top of a busy day at the office. 

Luckily I made some slaw yesterday.  It's based on the Czech Cucumber Salad, but I've made some alterations.  Coleslaw dressing is usually a bit sweeter, so I added more sugar.  I have been trying to eat more kale -- it's so healthy, that it's a shame not to eat it -- but the problem with kale though is that it can be kind of tough sometimes.  I figured chopping it up in a coleslaw would make a good addition to the shredded cabbage.  I was very pleased with the results and especially happy that it will keep for a day or two in the fridge, taking at least one worry off my mind -- 'What am I going to eat?'

Kale Slaw
4 cups Shredded Cabbage
6 to 8 Leaves of Fresh Kale
1/2 Large Sweet Onion
2 large tbsp Dijon Mustard
3/4 cup White Vinegar
4 tbsp White Sugar
1/4 cup Canola Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste

• Place the cabbage in a large bowl.
• Remove the spines from the kale leaves discard. Chop the remaining leafy part into slaw sized bits.  Add this to the cabbage.
• Slice the onion quite thinly and then all to the kale/cabbage mixture.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and sugar.  Taste and adjust the amounts as needed.
• Add the oil to the dressing and whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
• Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss to evenly coat the cabbage mixture.
• Store in the fridge for at least one hour before eating.

Removing the leaf from the stem.

August 3...National Watermelon Day

Stay tuned..I'm doing a little research!

August Long Weekend

Right in the middle of the summer heat and prime vacation time is the August long weekend. It's called many things across the country, but in Halifax - Dartmouth it's Natal Day!

The official name is Alexander Keith's Natal Day, in recognition of the local brewer and politician who lived in the 19th century.

Whatever the reason, and whatever the name, we look forward to this weekend, which for many of us is the start of our vacation.

I guess in honour of Alexander Keith, I should be having a brewski, but opted for something a little different.

Watermelon Rum Long Weekend Cocktail
1 1/2 oz white rum (that's an East Coast measure)
Watermelon chunks
Club soda

Whizz both rum and watermelon in a blender and add ice. Top with club soda.

For those who might like it a little sweeter, add aTbsp of honey or a Tbsp or two of simple syrup.

Sit back and enjoy your long weekend.

Check out our Facebook page for some non-alcoholic ideas.
(Shelley)