I love Turkish food, I love Istanbul, and I love Özlem Warren’s recipes. (And do check out her Simit and Baked Cauliflower with Red Onions, Feta and Dill.) Her latest book thus scores the hat trick for me, though I can’t think of a cook who wouldn’t be happy to have this beaming brightly from their kitchen. There is so much rich variety within these pages, that I fear it won’t be easy to give an idea of the full range just by listing some of the wonderful dishes this lovely book contains, but I shall certainly do my best! There’s the Soğanlı Menemen, or Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, Peppers and Onions; Acuka, or Spiced Walnut and Red Pepper Dip; Borekas/Borekitas, bulging little pastries with Potato and Cheese (Patatesli Peynirli Borekitas); Sautéed Chilli Peppers with Garlicky Yogurt (Atom); Sultan’s Lamb Stew Over Smoked Aubergine and Bechamel Sauce (Hünkar Beğendi); Chicken with Dried Apricots, Grapes and Almonds (Mahmudiyye); Mantı and Cheat’s Mantı, dumplings and pasta respectively, with aromatic minced meat and yogurt; a Fragrant Pilaf with Mussels, Currants and Pine Nuts (Midyeli İç Pilav); Turkish-Style Rice Pilaf with Orzo (Arpa Şehriyeli Pilav); Buttery Semolina Halva (İrmik Helvası); and the fascinating Noah’s Pudding, a sweet pottage of beans, barley, dried fruit and nuts (Aşure) which “may well be the oldest dessert in the world”. I’m sure by now you get the delicious drift! The recipe I’m excited to be sharing with you today is the Beetroot with Olives, Toasted Hazelnuts and Pul Biber Oil or, more, properly, Zeytinli, Findıklı, Pul Biber Soslu Pancar.
İstanbul: Delicious Recipes from the Heart of the City by Özlem Warren (Quadrille, £28).
Photography by Sam A Harris.
