June 26 | Turkey

Three weeks ago, I was confident this edition of Around the World in Quarantine would be Australia. However, I quickly realized there was more research I needed to do in order to host Australia in the way I would like. As I began to look into what I could replace Australia with, I realized we hadn’t tried any West Asian countries. Last year, I thrifted two handpainted plates that were made in Turkey. It stuck in my mind that Turkey would be good for the future, and here was the perfect opportunity.

Color Scheme: Red and White

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Menu

First Course: Stuffed Eggplant in Olive Oil, Yogurt and Cucumber Salad, Olives, and Turkish Sweet Roasted Chickpeas

We began dinner with a few meze plates. These are small plates similar to tapas. In the center of the table, you see the stuffed eggplant in olive oil. I found this recipe in A Turkish Cookbook by Arto der Haroutunian. I began by cooking a mixture of onions, garlic, bell peppers and spices. The recipe instructed me to fry the eggplant, but I chose to air-fry mine instead. I then stuffed the onion and bell pepper mixture into the eggplant and cooked in the oven for an hour. It was absolutely delicious!

The yogurt and cucumber salad recipe was also in the cookbook. It’s very similar to tzaziki sauce. I’m a huge fan of tzaziki, so I was excited to try this recipe. The main difference I noticed between the two is the yogurt and cucumber salad didn’t call for lemon juice or dill. Nonetheless, it paired well with the entree.

The Turkish sweet roasted chickpeas were a delight. Though I thought they might be sweeter, they were well seasoned, and we were constantly popping them throughout dinner.

Second Course: Turkish Shephard Salad

This salad was very simple, but the dressing was amazing. At its core, it’s a lemon vinaigrette, but the pomegranate molasses took it to another level. It paired perfectly with the acidity of the lemon.

Third Course: Fish Kebabs with Tomato Pilav and Watermelon and Feta Salad

For the main entree, I chose to keep it simple with a fish kebabs and tomato pilav. Both of these recipes were also from A Turkish Cookbook by Arto der Haroutunian. For the fish kebabs, I used halibut and let it marinated in a yogurt-based marinade. I was a bit apprehensive about how this would turn out, but the marinade gave such rich flavor to the halibut. The tomato pilav recipe was pretty straightforward, and also full of flavor.

In my research, I found that kebabs are often paired with a watermelon and feta salad in the summer. With watermelons being in season, I had to add it to the menu, and it was a great addition. It was a nice sweet and salty side dish.

Fourth Course: Revani Cake

To end the night, we enjoyed revani cake. While it looks like a simple cake from this angle, it is full of lemony syrup goodness. Once this cake is made, you pour the lemon syrup over it, and let the cake absorb the syrup. Interestingly enough, it’s not overly sweet, but just enough to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Beverages: Narito

I know someone is going to read this and wonder why I don’t have any Raki. It’s because it was out of stock in our county. And if I haven’t learned anything in the last 15 months, I’ve learned how to pivot. This Turkish-inspired recipe I found was my pivot of the day. It features all things pomegranate, a staple in Turkish cuisine. The tartness of the pomegranates really shows up in this cocktail. I was say it was a very nice substitute.

Final Reflection:

There were so many amazing Turkish recipes to choose from, and I really wish I had more time for research. Even with the short timeline, we still enjoyed it. The highlight of the meal for us was the fish kebabs. We may revisit this one in the future to give it the love it truly deserves.

Next up, the finale on July 9!