Cacık (Turkish Yogurt with Cucumber and Garlic)

Whether consumed as a cold soup, a meze, or a condiment atop rice or bulgur, cacık adds a hint of brightness to any meal.  This very popular Turkish dish combines plain yogurt, salt, crushed garlic and cucumber.  Thinned with a bit of water and/or ice, it is generally served very cold. Beyond that, there are many cacık variations.  Here is mine -- which I daresay is the bomb!

I start with really good plain, full-fat yogurt.  Nowadays, good quality plain "Greek-style" yogurt is easy to find.  That was not always the case.  Chobani is quite good, as is Fage, and The Greek Gods, but my husband Asaf and I have sworn by Alta Dena for decades, and it remains an excellent choice despite all the competitive and trendy brands that have recently emerged in the marketplace.

As for the cucumbers, it's best to use organic because some of the skin is consumed.  My first choice is always the old fashioned pickling cucumber, followed by English hothouse.  My contempt for Persian cucumbers is certainly no secret on my blog (I find them sweet and often rubbery), but they are a popular choice for Middle Eastern salads, and my husband thinks they are fine in cacık. (We have just agreed to disagree on this point.)

The other essential ingredients for delicious cacık include fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and really fresh mint leaves.

I start by measuring out 1 cup of yogurt and 1/4 cup of cold water, which I stir or whisk together until creamy.  To that I add 1 large or 2 small cloves of crushed garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt.  At this point I taste and adjust the seasonings and consistency by adding more of whatever might be needed (yogurt, water, salt, and/or garlic).  I prepare it so that the texture is just slightly thicker than desired, as I will be adding some ice cubes to the cacık later -- to make it really cold -- and I like to factor in the melting ice effect.

Next I partially peel 1 pickling cucumber (or 1/2 English hothouse cucumber) in stripes, and then I thinly slice and dice the cucumber, into very, very small pieces, like so.

I also slice 8-10 fresh mint leaves into very thin ribbons (chiffonade), just like this.

Then I stir the cucumber into the yogurt mixture and top it with the fresh mint, a nice drizzle of really good olive oil, and a couple of grinds of freshly ground black pepper.  Finally, I plunge 2 ice cubes into the bowl and let it sit a good 15 minutes before serving, so the flavors fully develop.

Ingredients/Recipe:

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup of cold drinking water

1 large or 2 small cloves of fresh garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (more or less to taste)

1 pickling cucumber or 1/2 English hothouse cucumber, partially peeled and diced very small

8-10 fresh mint leaves cut into ribbons

About 1 tablespoon of very good extra virgin olive oil

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the first 4 ingredients, and then taste and readjust by adding more yogurt, water, garlic or salt, until the flavor and consistency are to your liking.  The mixture should be creamy, and just slightly thicker than desired.  Next, stir in the diced cucumber and top with mint, olive oil, and black pepper.  Plunge in two ice cubes and let everything rest for at least 15 minutes before serving so the flavors develop.  The ice cubes will keep it cold.

Colorful Carrots

One of my go-to side dishes when I'm pressed for time, I have been making this very simple and lovely carrot dish for years.  A delicious and nutritious family favorite, many a hand has been slapped while reaching in to grab a carrot before dinner is served.

I start with about 6 medium sized carrots, which I clean and trim.  If the carrots are organic, I don't peel them, and if they are not, I do.  I love using these colorful "high pigment" carrot varieties for that wow factor, but more often than not I end up using basic orange carrots, and the result is still very eye-catching.

Next, I slice the carrots into uniform sized sticks, as shown.  (I just love the deep purple ones with the cream colored interior!)

After that, I boil the carrots in salted water until they are just fork tender.  For me, this half raw, half cooked preparation represents a satisfactory trade-off, as the longer the carrots cook, the sweeter they will taste, but their nutrition value will also be compromised.

In the meantime I prepare my toppings.  They include a large clove of minced garlic, one fresh purple or green onion sliced very thin (including some of the green stems), a handful of Italian flat leaf parsley chopped well, 2 tablespoons of very good extra virgin olive oil, and the juice from half a lemon.

When the carrots are perfectly tender, I drain them and immediately plunk them into a bath of ice water to arrest the cooking.

Then I line the carrots up in a serving dish, toss in the olive oil and lemon, garlic, onion, and parsley, sprinkle in some Kosher salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper, and serve.

Baby Bella's Bursting with Bulgur and Perfectly Plated

This earthy and rustic vegan mushroom dish features baby portobello mushrooms coated with olive oil, garlic, and Mediterranean spices, roasted for 25 minutes, and then stuffed with a lively mixture of bulgur, green olives, mint, parsley, onion and roasted almonds.  The rich ingredients, and the contrasting textures and flavors, make for an amazing and satisfying bite of food.

I start by cleaning and removing the stems from about 10 baby portobello mushrooms.  Then, with a sharp knife, I score the top of each mushroom with crisscross scores, taking care not to cut in so deep that the mushrooms break.

Next, I preheat my oven to 400 degrees and assemble the ingredients needed for a quick and simple chermoula sauce.  They include 1 large clove of crushed garlic, 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground coriander, ground red pepper, and paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/4 cup of very good olive oil, and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.  I combine and whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl to form a smooth marinade.

Then I carefully spoon and brush the chermoula sauce all over the top and bottom of each of the mushrooms, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (top side up), and roast the portobellos for about 25 minutes.

While the mushrooms are roasting I prepare the bulgur filling.  First I measure out 1/2 cup of fine bulgur (bulgur No. 1) into a bowl, cover the bulgur with 1/2 cup of boiling water, add in a tablespoon of olive oil, stir once, cover the bowl tightly, and let it rest until all the water is absorbed -- about 15 minutes.

In the meantime I prepare the ingredients to fold into the bulgur.  They include 1 thinly sliced green onion (including the green stems), 1/4 cup each of sliced tangy green olives, finely chopped mint, and finely chopped flat leaf parsley, and about 15 roasted almonds, coarsely chopped.   After the bulgur has absorbed all the liquid, I fluff it with a fork and add in some salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.  Then I stir in the olives, herbs and almonds, add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and sprinkle in a hint red pepper for a little heat (optional).  Then I taste the bulgur and adjust the seasonings as needed.

When the mushrooms are done cooking,  I let them rest for a bit and then I stuff them with as much of the bulgur mixture as they can hold (saving any leftover bulgur for another day's lunch). The mushrooms are now ready to plate and serve.

And in this gorgeous plate that my friend Francesco designed, I found the perfect canvas for my beautiful stuffed mushrooms! 

Puréed Roasted Beets with Toasted Hazelnuts and Blue Cheese

I adapted this delicious vegetarian roasted beet recipe from my favorite new cookbook Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, and I promise you the luxurious texture and amazing flavor of this appetizer will woo even the most ardent beet-hater.  

I start by washing and trimming 3 medium sized beets, reserving the tender leaves for salad.  Next I roast the beets, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for about an hour.  The beets are ready when you can easily insert a knife or fork into the center.  Roasting the beets, as opposed to boiling them, is essential for this recipe because the beets need that rich and gooey texture that roasting imparts. During the last 15 minutes of cooking I put about 10 hazelnuts into the hot oven and toast them off as well.  They will be used later in the garnish.

When the beets are cool enough to handle, I remove the outer skin and cut each into 6 or 8 smaller pieces.  In addition, I peel and crush 2 cloves of garlic and measure out 1/2 cup of really good plain Greek yogurt.
 

I put the roasted beets, crushed garlic, and just a pinch of Kosher salt into a blender or food processor and blend to break up the beets.  Then I add in the yogurt and continue blending until the consistency is smooth and velvety.

Then I transfer the beet purée to a bowl and drizzle in 1 tablespoon of good olive oil, some fresh ground black pepper, and a bit more salt if needed.

Just before serving I prepare the garnish of toasted hazelnuts coarsely crushed, 1 scallion sliced very, very thin at an angle, and a rounded tablespoon of crumbled blue cheese (you can substitute feta cheese if you like).

I carefully transfer the beet purée to a flat serving dish, and with a small spoon or the tip of a knife I weave in just a tiny bit of plain yogurt, which adds a nice color contrast.  I drizzle the top with another tablespoon of olive oil and a bit more fresh ground black pepper, and I scatter the garnish across the top.

It's delicious served on top of warm thin sourdough bread slices.  Even the kids loved it!