All posts tagged: winter

Brussels sprout kimchi

Fermented Goodies: Brussels Sprouts, Mustard Greens Kimchi

Better late and never! The latest freezing temperature, I hope, will do some justice to this post. But then again, there isn’t a right time for fermentation obsession, is there? I took advantage of the cold weather with drizzles and gutsy wind, I busied myself with much delayed winter chores. But before I begin, I send out my apology for not being able to do the annual kimchi workshop, nor any Korean food events this winter. But I certainly will this year! I hope that you still made your favourite kimchi to store away for months to come. On my part, so caught up between two jobs, I was getting anxious that I might not be able to make any kimchi myself. The bigger issue than time, though, was not finding Napa cabbages in Canakkale! As a desperate resort to stock some fermented goodies, I made kimchi with Brussels sprouts and mustard greens, called ‘hardal otu‘ in Turkish. There are three things that give me a sense of security, and they are Kimchi/Cheese/Wine. Neither a man …

pumpkin tortellini

Pumpkin Leek Tortellini with Duck Ragu

Finally comes the duck story… And I’m afraid yet delighted that you’ll hear more duck stories this winter. How come? Well, I’m spreading the duck spirits around me and so many people are eager to eat more of the delicacy. Leading up to the last day of my sejour at the winery, I was thinking hard everyday about the duck: how and when to cook it.  Sensing the accumulated anticipation of almost two months, I decided to get the task over and done with. Originally, it was destined for Duck a l’Orange, but I incorporated a Chinese Peking Duck method by adding more herbs and oriental spices such as star anise and cinnamon, and also by drying out the skin for crispiness. The warm aromas had the effect of stimulating a holiday mood as well. After resting in the fridge overnight, rubbed with salt and spices, it was ready for the oven the next morning. Despite some unexpected events, I managed to cook it for as long as 2.5 hours. The tough parts, the wings …

stuffed quince

Lamb-Stuffed Quince – A Turkish Persian Twist

Right after I got back from Korea, I got sick with a cold, which didn’t surprise me, considering how burnt out I felt during the trip. I drank tons of quince tea, honey tea, pear and ginger molasses to ease a coughing fit. As soon as I felt I’d got over it, I found myself standing at the kitchen bench with a desire to cook up something nice and nourishing. In autumn and winter, quinces are everywhere and Turkish people even eat them raw. Yeah, I know you’re wincing saying TART! But you know what? Apparently, there are different varieties and the Turkish variety isn’t that tart, as they were known as golden apple and enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Persians. So do I eat them raw? Yes, I do in Turkey but I’ve never done it in anywhere else. Koreans eat them for medicinal reasons and my mum makes a huge batch of quince preserves like in the picture every year as  they’re good for cold symptoms. Many Turkish cooks use the quince in different dishes, …