Searching4Zen

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  • Black Olive Cake (Zeytinli Kek)

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    Ingredients 2 cups of chopped and pitted black olives (I was going low with my delicious Turkish olives, so I used canned olives) 3/4 cup sun flower, canola, or olive oil 1 cup plain yogurt 2 cups of flour 3 eggs 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint or 1 1/2 tbsp dried mint flakes 1 bunch […]

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  • Gnocchi Gratin with Gorgonzola Dolce

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    Ingredients 1 pound russet potatoes 1 large egg 1 large egg yolk 6 ounces Parmesan, finely grated, divided 1 cup all-purpose flour plus more 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 cup heavy cream 1 sprig rosemary 1 1/4′-thick slice fresh ginger 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, […]

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  • Patates Salatasi – Turkish Potato Salad

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    Ingredients Olive oil — 1/2 cup Paprika — 1 tablespoon Ground cumin — 1 teaspoon Scallions, chopped — 1 bunch Garlic, minced — 2 to 3 cloves Waxy potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into thin slices — 2 pounds Lemons, juice only — 1 or 2 Salt and pepper — to taste Parsley, chopped — […]

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  • Baklava With Pistachios And Walnuts – Fistikli Ve Cevizli Baklava

    1 1/2 hours
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    Ingredients 230 gr/ 8oz / 1 cup melted unsalted butter 440 gr/1 lb. 2 packs of filo pastry sheets – total 24 sheets – 375 gr/ 13 oz. walnuts and unsalted pistachios, finely chopped 10 ml / 2 tsp ground cinnamon For the syrup 450 gr/ 2 ¼ cups sugar 420 ml/ 14 fl. oz. […]

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  • Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers (Zeytinyağlı Biber Dolma)

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    Ingredients 2 lb small green bell peppers (approximately 18-20 peppers) 2 cups white rice 4 medium size onions, finely chopped (you can use a food processor) 3 tomatoes, grated 1 tomato (this one is for covering the tops of bell peppers after stuffing) 1/3 cup pine nuts 1/3 cup currants 1 tbsp all spice 1 […]

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  • Grilled Duck Breast With Charred Greens, Grapes, And Celery

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    Mellow duck, crisped skin, a garlicky, pine nut emulsion, juicy grapes, and the textures of burnt greens and crisp celery: This is a dish that hits almost every pleasure center in my brain. These duck breasts (and the following sausage coil) serve as a bridge in this chapter, leading us away from the straightforward grilling […]

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  • Garlic And Pine Nut Emulsion

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    Smoked salt is the chef-y ingredient du jour, and normally I am skeptical of such things. But in this creamy sauce of milk-soaked pine nuts blended with garlic, the seasoning lends a hit of depth and aroma. Of course, if you’d rather not make a trip to the fancy food store for it, sea salt […]

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  • Charred Greens With Green Grapes And Celery

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    I love duck best in the fall, so I’m quick to work another autumnal favorite, grapes, into this meal. Though tart green grapes are specified, any variety would work here. I like Concords, for example. This side is really more of a savory-sweet-tart garnish that cuts through the gamy meat. To make it more robust, […]

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  • Potato-Fennel Gratin

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    I love to make potato gratin and fennel gratin, so I decided to combine the two. If you make this in an old French gratin dish, it looks wonderful and can go from the oven to the table with style. This gratin can be cooked days ahead and reheated at 350 degrees for about 30 […]

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  • Margarita

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    Ingredients 1 1/2 ounces tequila 1/2 ounce triple sec (Cointreau is recommended) 1 ounce fresh lime juice Lime wedge for garnish Salt to rim the glass Instructions Salt the rim of a chilled margarita glass. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into the prepared glass with or without […]

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