Easing into autumn cooking
7 recipes to keep you going as the weather cools, but we still have some remnants of the summer bounty.
Hey, there!
It’s been a long hot summer in Istanbul, but the seasons are finally changing. The nights are cooler, so I’ve brought out the thicker blankets. The air conditioner can finally rest (for the most part) and trousers are once again an option when getting dressed. Before long, it’ll be time to dig up the sweaters at the back of the cupboard as well.
We haven’t fully let go of summer yet, though. Tomatoes are still in season, for example, though not for much longer. We’re in that short window where I can still pair the summer vegetables with the oven, which is out of the question on the 35°C (95°F) days which we endure all summer.
I’m not sure how conditions are where you are, but I thought this was a good idea to send you a few recipes that I find myself returning to these days. Hope you find something you’d like to try.
With very best wishes from Istanbul 🧿
Vidar
Clockwise from top left:
Tray börek with feta cheese & parsley. A true everyday classic that’s super easy to make. Like lasagne without all the faff. Mine’s in the oven within 10 minutes of deciding to make it. If you haven’t made it before, you’ll probably need 15 or 20 – but you get the idea.
Turkish shepherd salad (Çoban salatası). The perfect accompaniment to börek for as long as tomatoes are still good. After that, substitute a good green salad.
Karnıyarik (Turkish stuffed aubergine with meat). It’s been a while since I made this, but now that the oven’s back on, it’s happening! Serve with Turkish rice.
Turkish tray kebab (Tepsi kebabı). A specialty of Turkey’s Hatay region, this is a spectacular way of making Turkish kebab in the oven. Serve with pide bread.
From the paying subscriber archive
Since the paying subscriber archive now contains a good number of recipes, I thought I’d use this space to bring up some timely recipes from there as well:
Paying subscribers get 3 bonus recipes per month, and have access to the full archive of 40+ bonus recipes. The following recipes require a paid subscription to access.
🔜 Coming Friday for paying subscribers:
Beetroot and lentil salad with tahini
The earthy flavours of beetroot, lentils and tahini mingle in the most beautiful way. I didn’t expect much when I made this the first time, but the flavours are spectacular.
This will be a bonus recipe for paying subscribers.
Merhabe, Vidar…there is a wonderful autumn dish that is fairly regional and perhaps not well known, dograma. If you aren’t familiar with it, I am happy to share my recipe which came from my mother-in-law. It is basically a stew with eggplant, tomatoes, kusbasi meat, onions, garlic, chickpeas, lemon, mint. Let me know ..
Helen Akinc