All posts tagged: recipe

parmesan okra

Two Delicious Okra Recipes You should try

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Okra aka. lady’s finger. Do you like it or hate it? Hubby wouldn’t even look at it. My encounter with the strange vegetable was in Turkey and I’d had some dishes with it but had never been so keen till I listened to the podcast, Leah Chase: The cook who changed America. Though I’ve never had the Gumbo stew, I can imagine what it’s like and it sounds delicious. Okra, originated in Ethiopia, is found in many dishes in south east countries and many with seafood as in this. There’s a plenty of Indian okra dishes, too, including this one, which looks yummy and healthy. Here in Turkey, it’s called ‘bamya‘, and usually cooked with tomato based stew with or without meat and is, as usual, overcooked. So unless you trick yourself to like it, many people get put off by the slimy texture. The longer it’s cooked, the slimier it gets. So it’s useful in stews and soups as a thickener and I sneaked some chopped okro(plural) into baked beans for English breakfast one morning. And …

octopus

Living the dream: Wine&Art, Octopus Carpaccio&Romesco

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With the solstice and Ramadan behind us, summer is getting into a full swing here. Many people are already on their summer holiday or are busy planning for it. Mr.O and I are also pondering the idea of doing a road trip along the Aegean coast in August to mark our 5 year romance. BUT it all depends on how things will pan out, especially the winery job I’ll be taking from the next month. What? Winery? Yes, you heard me right! I’ll be working in Chateau Kalpak Vineyards from July till the harvest. How about that! I’m so excited! Finally my dream is being realised, and what’s even more exciting is the fact that the winery is very prestigious and my absolute favourite in Turkey. It will be a precious experience and a huge leap before jumping into a WSET Diploma. I won’t give away so much at this point so keep following my journey as I live my dream. To start off, I’ll be assisting with their International Art Festival and Workshop, which will …

Jerusalem Artichoke Leek Soup with Perilla Seeds

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It’s been absolutely cold and snowy for a few days now. I haven’t felt this cold for years! Blocked roads, suspended transportation, closed schools(yipee!), snow storms are wreaking havoc in many parts of the country. Even my new city has seen snow of this level for the first time. The only thing anyone wants to do is to snuggle up inside the house, cuddling a hot cup of tea or sipping wine, listening to the hissing sound of wind and watching the snow dancing wildly. However, even in such a cold weather, one can’t avoid the dog routine and I try to keep it as short as possible. BUT Dusha was running around, oblivious to me getting frozen. Why do dogs love snow so much? “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” “Yahoo!!! It’s so much fun, Anne!” “It’s warmer, too, under the snow!” She digs it up, rolls in it, and runs so wild that she didn’t seem like the same dog. She disappeared out of my sight a few times and came back running, all exhilarated. I would have made a …

Savoury Tangy Rhubarb Lardon Tart / Cremant du Jura

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This post is credited to Cyrille and his mum, and, if I may add one more person, the winemaker of this lovely sparkling wine we drank, which was far more superior than some Champagnes I’d previously drunk. Cyrille had shown me some family recipes and this tart was one of them, which was delicious. We normally think of sweet rhubarb desserts, rhubarb crumble or tart, rhubarb chocolate mousse, etc. and it was a good idea to incorporate sour rhubarb with salty lardons. In fact, rhubarb is a vegetable, not fruit, therefore it shouldn’t be strange to use it in savoury dishes. Many of you probably have stories to tell regarding rhubarb; how much sugar grandma and grandpa would add to make the sour stalks edible. Some love it or hate it at the beginning but before you know it, you’re hooked. Oh, right now I can feel saliva starting to fill up in my mouth just imaging the taste of rhubarb. Rhubarb actually originated in China, in 2700BC, for medicinal purpose. You can read more …

Secrets of Best Beef Bourguignon / Mastering French Cuisine

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Let’s forward time and now I’m back from my gastronomic trip to the Jura and Burgundy. I grumbled about the beef bourguignon we had in Beaune all through the drive back home. I will mention the restaurant and the food in another post when I review my spontaneous visit to Burgundy during my Jura tour. I should have gone to the same place as the last time to eat but as it’s my character, I always want to try something new. The “maybe…” seems to be a problem. I expected the melt-in-the-mouth tenderness and dark, intensely flavoured silky sauce in the beef bourguignon I ate, just like the last time in a more tradition brasserie. So Cyrille suggested I make the real beef bourguignon. You see? By then, my cooking skills had been proved and I was even asked to make a traditional French dish for a French! Isn’t it something I should definitely feel proud of? It’s about experience and confidence. The number one secret of best beef Bourguignon is the choice of wine, …