Turkey: Recipes and Cuisine
Turkey lies at an ancient crossroads of many cultures and empires — Persian, Greek, Roman, Arab, British. The Anatolian peninsula was the center of its own Ottoman Empire for the best part of 600 years. All these influences come together in Turkish cuisine, which is both Mediterranean and Central Asian in nature. Numerous small dishes and salads, called mezes, are eaten individually as snacks or in numbers as a nutritious meal. Grilled meats and fish lend their smoky flavors to the Turkish table. Olive oil is used lavishly. Yogurt is put to work as a condiment, in sauces, and even as a base for soups. Strong Turkish coffee goes well with honey-sweetened pastries.
Turkish Recipes
Adas Salatası
(Turkish lentil salad)
Healthy lentil salads are popular all around the Mediterranean. Adas salatasi is a simple one from Turkey that is seasoned with a lemon vinaigrette and garnished with tomatoes, eggs, olives and cheese. Read more »
Çerkez Tavugu
(Turkish Circassian chicken with walnut sauce)
Circassian chicken is a Turkish dish of Georgian origin (walnuts are a signature ingredient of Georgian cuisine). Cerkez tavugu is best served warm or at room temperature, and it tastes even better the next day. Makes a great buffet or appetizer dish to spread on toast rounds. Read more »
Döner Kebab
(German Turkish spiced meat sandwich; see Shawarma recipe)
Ezme Salatası
(Turkish tomato and cucumber salad; see Horiatiki Salata variations)
İmam Bayıldı
(Turkish stuffed eggplant braised in olive oil)
This eggplant dish is one of the most famous dishes of Turkish cuisine. İmam bayıldı means "the imam fainted." Legends abound as to how it got this name. Some say he fainted at the extravagant use of olive oil. Others say he swooned at its delightful flavor. Both will seem just as likely when you try this excellent recipe. Read more »
Muhammara
(Middle Eastern spicy roasted pepper dip)
Muhummara is popular condiment and dip in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria. Serve muhummara with grilled meats, fish and kebabs, or as a spread or dip for bread or pita. In western Turkey it is called acuka. Other spellings are moohummara or muhammarah. Read more »
Nar Ekşisi
(Turkish pomegranate molasses; see Rob e-Anar recipe)
Patates Salatası
(Turkish potato salad)
The Turks supply us with a quick, easy and healthy alternative mayonnaise-based potato salads. Patates salatasi makes an excellent addition to a table of Turkish mezze. The paprika gives this salad a beautiful color. Read more »
Patlican Salatası
(Turkish eggplant salad; see Baba Ghanoush recipe notes)
Yoğurt
(Turkish cultured milk)
Yogurt is the main dairy product in the diets of peoples stretching in a wide arc from North Africa through the Mediterranean, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Caucasus on into the Indian subcontinent. It is a favored form of milk for many cultures as it is easily digested, is a good source of protein, holds well and has probiotic qualities. Read more »
Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasülye
(Turkish green beans and tomatoes; see Fassolakia recipe)
