The Hungry Turk

Red-delicious

For a change the picture comes before the story in this post, simply because the picture is the story. I really don’t need to say much, except that you’d better hurry if you want to try out this delicious berry-blasting pie before the summer is over!

The Berry-Blaster

6 cups strawberries, halved (or quartered if too big)
2 cups raspberries
3 tablespoons corn starch, sifted
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon sugar (if desired)
2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
Pinch of cinnamon powder
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of ginger powder


Heat your oven at 350°F (180°C). Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan (or in the microwave oven). To make graham cracker crumbs, place about 36 Graham crackers in a large freezer bag, seal and roll with a rolling pin until finely crushed. Mix the crumbs, melted butter and the spices in a medium bowl. Using your hands press the Graham cracker mixture into a 9in. (23cm) pie plate (don’t forget the sides). Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C). Let cool down.

In the meantime place the strawberries in a food processor and whiz until they turn into a smooth puree. Transfer the strawberry puree into a medium size saucepan. Add corn starch, sugar (if desired but not necessary) and 1 tablespoon butter and cook over medium heat until the mixture starts thickening, about 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool down a little.

Place the raspberries on top of the crust and pour over the strawberry mixture. Let it cool down completely at room temperature and then refrigerate. You can serve this pie with cream, thick yogurt, or quark (as pictured here), which is a type of fresh cheese.

Note: For those who prefer a plain tasting crust, you can use bread crumbs instead of Graham cracker crumbs and take out all the spices. However, you will have to add about 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

And God Created Corn (And Quinoa)

I’m The Hungry Turk, and I am addicted to quinoa.

I can’t do without it. Its intriguing looks, its fluffy texture and its versatile flavour keeps me asking for more. Now, this post is supposed to be all about corn (and it is really) but I do have to put some emphasis on this mystery seed. I know that there are quite a few of you who are still skeptical about it but when cooked properly, this little Andean gem is delightful (and extremely nutritious), I promise.

So corn. Yes. When I was growing up in Turkey grilled corn sold by street vendors was a treat that my dad and I would go bananas for (we still do). My grandfather also used to boil them at home time to time and I would nibble on those rather coarse kernels with great pleasure. But corn has never been part of the culinary culture that surrounded me. Until recently, that is.

As I landed in North America three years ago, I realised that corn pulled a few more strings here than it did in Turkey. First of all, there is a lot of it! And when in season (now), corn is dirt cheap. So much so that these days I find myself eating corn everyday and trying to figure out what do make out of those stalks  that are still stacked on the kitchen counter. Also, corn in North America is sweet. Very sweet and tender. A few days ago I was telling my mom how I cooked my corn: “just drop them in boiling water, cover, turn off the heat and set aside for 10 minutes”. She couldn’t believe it. The corn I know from Turkey is, how shall I put it, rather stubborn and requires a long cooking time. I didn’t quite dare telling her that I had seen recipes that called for uncooked fresh corn.

So here is to quinoa and corn, my two new BFF.

Quinoa Salad with Corn and Loads of Other Things

I got the inspiration for this recipe from Gourmet Magazine’s encyclopedic cookbook. However, I had a slight grocery list mishap and forgot to get half of the ingredients that were required by the recipe. At the end, my salad turned out to be very different from the one in the book, except for the basic combination of quinoa, corn and cumin.

Serves 2 as a main dish


1 cup mixed coloured quinoa, rinsed thoroughly under cold water
2 ears corn, shucked
3 scallions, thinly chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 large pieces of canned roasted red peppers, rinced and diced
4 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
⅓ cup (hulled) sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ fennel seeds
¼ pound (about 125gr.) feta cheese, crumbled
Juice of 1½ limes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to season

Place quinoa in a large pot of salted boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes drain it in a sieve and rinse under cold running water. In the same pot, bring a few inches of water to a boil. Set the sieve with quinoa over the pot and covered it with a kitchen towel (or paper towel) and a lid. Steam quinoa until fluffy and dry (about 10 to 15 minutes). Transfer to into a bowl and let cool down.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add corn. Cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Set aside for 10 minutes. Transfer corn to a cutting board and cut off the kernels (your knife should be at a 45° angle).

While your corn is cooking, mix all the seeds (including the sunflower seeds) and roast  at 400° degrees for 10 minutes.

Assemble your salad by mixing together all the ingredients in a large bowl (including the corn kernels and quinoa), and seasoning with lime juice, olive oil and black pepper. Mix well and serve.

The Most Versatile Potato Salad

There is a reason why potato is the perfect answer to the following absurd job interview question: “If you were to be a vegetable, what would you be?” A potato of course! What else is more versatile? And until like the onion, which also tends to multitask, the potato won’t make anyone at the office cry…

And it gets better. This Most Versatile Potato Salad accompanies pretty much everything from fish to chicken to red meat. It has no mayonnaise in it and once your potatoes are boiled it takes about five minutes to put together. What else do you want?

Oh I should also mention that this is a true Hungry Turk family recipe, so please cherish it, love it and pass it on! I have seen my grandfather make it, I have seen my mom make it and I am looking forward to pass the recipe onto the next generations!

The Most Versatile Potato Salad

Serves 6 as a side

 

5 large yellow-fleshed potatoes

½ bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped

½ bunch fresh dill, chopped

4 scallions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons paprika (and more according to taste)

Juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt to season

Wash and poke the potatoes a few times. Place them in a large pot of cold salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. While your potatoes are cooking, prepare all your herbs.

Peel the potatoes while still hot. Be careful not to burn yourself but don’t let the potatoes get cold either (do not boil the potatoes peeled). Using a knife, roughly puree the potatoes and add the olive oil. You want “crumbled” potatoes not a silky puree consistency. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and more paprika according to taste and serve lukewarm. The salad is also good served cold.

Note: Be generous with the amounts of herbs you use, they really make the difference.