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Braised Mackerel with Cinnamon

September 6th 2008 14:40

: Turkish Delights: Braised Mackerel with Cinnamon...a recipe

Braised Mackerel
This recipe is adapted from that published by Turabli Efendi in 1864 (see post Cinnamon - the condiment of choice in the late Ottoman era) and was originally called 'Priest's Stew' .
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
6 medium sized mackerel, cut into steaks with bones removed
90ml (3 floz) olive oil
600g (3 large) onions, sliced
1/2 small bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 small fennel, chopped into small pieces
150ml (5 floz) good quality vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

METHOD
1. Heat half oil in large flat-based pan and gently cook onions then set half aside.
2. Sprinkle half parsley and fennel over onions then place mackerel on top.
3. Sprinkle remainder of onions, parsley then fennel.
4. Pour over vinegar, season with salt and pepper.
5. Place over a moderate heat until fish cooked, approximately 20 minutes.
6. Serve with cinnamon sprinkled over the top.

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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Recipes

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Cinnamon - the condiment of choice in the late Ottoman era

September 6th 2008 14:21

: Turkish Delights

Almost every spice stall in the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul will have small bundles of dark reddish brown cylinders of something that is labelled cinnamon. Closer inspection of the aromatic bark will show the learned cook that almost all the product available is in fact cassia. From a distance it looks the same and up close the fragrance is similar, but there are differences that your home spice grinder will tell you about.

Cinnamon was known to the Seljuk kitchens of the 11th - 14th centuries and became part of the rich culinary legacy bequeathed to Ottoman and to a lesser extent Turkish cuisine. The use of the spice continued throughout the centuries to be lost in the latter years of the Empire. As late as the 19th century cinnamon was an important ingredient in dishes and also a condiment added when finishing a dish, much the same as salt and pepper are used these days. In A Manual of Turkish Cookery written in English by Turabi Efendi in 1864, many a recipe calls to, sprinkle a little cinnamon over, and serve. From soups to kebabs, stews and kofte, dolma, pilaf and all manner of desserts cinnamon is mentioned. These days it is rare to see cinnamon used in savoury dishes, with the exception of some fillings for dolma.

Cinnamon or cassia sticks can be kept for 2-3 years in the right conditions, in an airtight container away from heat and humidity. Grinding releases the aromatic scent of the spice and for this reason will not keep well for very long. It is better to buy small amounts of freshly ground spice whenever required rather than store a larger quantity for any length of time. The choice of cinnamon or cassia depends of the purpose for which it is intended and sometime a blend of two will add the sweetness of true cinnamon with the bold aroma of cassia.

Cinnamon complements a number of recipes including cakes, sweet pastries and biscuits, fruit, especially poached or stewed, curries and a range of dishes within older Turkish and Ottoman cuisine such as cold fish stews and soups.

To read a more in depth article go to Tropical Spices 101: Cinnamon and Cassia

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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Kitchen equipment

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Turkish Delights: Ayran...the recipe

August 27th 2008 08:19

: Turkish Delights

Ayran
This is an incredibly refreshing drink on a warm day!
Makes approximately 1 litre
Ingredients
500ml reasonably thick yoghurt (at least 4-5% fat)
500ml water
Salt to taste (maximum 1-2 teaspoons)
Crushed ice
Method
1. Place yoghurt in a large bowl and add water slowly, whisking to ensure a consistently smooth texture. Alternatively blend with a hand food processor.
2. Add salt to taste, chill and serve over ice.

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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Recipes

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Turkish Delights: Reaping the benefits of friendly fermentation - Ayran...the story (LINK)

August 27th 2008 08:01

: Turkish Delights

Turkey is well known for many food, and drinks. Outside the country, Turkish coffee and raki - pronounced rak-uh (or raki as many people say!) are probably the most famous beverages. Within Turkey, ayran might miss out to tea as the nation's favourite but would surely prove a strong competitor. Probably a long way behind but from the same family of fermented beverages is boza and kefir. Whilst ayran is seen mostly as a drink to accompany meals or a refreshing mouthful on a hot summer's day, boza and kefir are surrounded by nutritional benefits and health claims.

Yoghurt, or yogurt as it is also spelt, results from the bacterial fermentation of milk. Whilst its origins are unclear, it is likely that the first cultured milks appeared by accident after random fermentation from wild bacteria living on animal hides. The word itself derives from the Turkish yogurt and traditional transliteration spells yoghurt. But not only did the Turks provide the world with the term for the sour, thickened milk but were probably responsible for introducing it to European cuisines. Suleyman the Magnificent is said to have sent his doctor to cure the apparently incurable stomach ailment suffered by Francis I in France. The cure was of course yoghurt

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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Food stories

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Turkish Delights: Kitchen equipment - Sac (convex griddle) and Oklava (long thin rolling pin)

August 12th 2008 13:06

: Turkish Delights

Equipping your Turkish Kitchen

A Turkish kitchen has many of the same items that sit on benches and in cupboards of kitchens around the world. Pots and pans, knives and chopping boards, baking trays, tea and coffee making equipment. What makes these items different in a Turkish kitchen may be their shape, the material it is made from or simply the way it is used. Some things just cook and taste better when using traditional Turkish cooking equipment

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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Kitchen equipment

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Turkish Delights: Gozleme - Stuffed savoury flat pastry...a recipe

August 12th 2008 11:34

: Turkish Delights

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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Recipes

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Chemistry from the Kitchen: Yeast and Bread

August 2nd 2008 13:00

Yeast and bread
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the single-celled fungi used in brewing and baking. Yeast is the raising agent used in most bread making. It works by metabolising simple carbohydrates (sugar) for energy and producing alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). The heat during cooking or baking bread forces both the CO2 and alcohol out of the final product. Sounds simple, but yeast is a very sensitive microscopic soul. Whilst a little sugar can stimulate its activity, too much will slow it down. Salt and fat also retard its action, but heat is the thing that kills it.

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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Chemistry for cooking

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Turkish Delights: Bazlama - Simple, thick, griddled, flat bread...a recipe

August 2nd 2008 12:21

Bazlama Simple, griddled, thick, flat bread
A thick flat bread found in markets around Anatolia, but also found in some supermarkets in Istanbul
Ingredients
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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Recipes

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Turkish Delights: Turkish Delight...a recipe

July 12th 2008 13:22

Turkish Delight with Almonds
(Makes about 50 pieces)
Ingredients
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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Recipes

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Turkish Delights: Turkish Delight...the story

July 12th 2008 12:58

Confectionery has come along way since it was used to mask the flavour of unpleasant medicine in the 14th century. Turkish delight has come a long way for me since the days of Frys (now Cadburys Frys) blocks of red jelly coated in milk chocolate. The first time I went to the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul I was dazzled by the huge array of Turkish delight and became an almost instant convert.

In Ottoman cuisine sweetmeats made from mixtures of honey or molasses and flour and water have been known since the 16th century. The invention of the world-renowned Turkish delight, lokum, is attributed to a confectioner from north-eastern Turkey, Haci Bekir, who set up shop in Istanbul in the late 1770s. At the time, the Ottomans favourite sweet was the hard boiled candy known as akide. The lokum legend tells of the Sultan crying out for soft candy after he cracks a tooth crunching into a hard-boiled sweet

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Posted By: SHARON CROXFORD - Category: Food history, Food stories

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