Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Ayla Algar, the Mellon Lecturer in Turkish at the University of California, Berkeley, was born and raised in Turkey and visits there often. She has written for the San Francisco Chronicle and is the author of The Complete Book of Turkish Cooking, published in England. Her academic background and her lively and articulate interest in the culinary arts of her native land make her extraordinarily well qualified to write on this venerable and delicious cuisine.

Von der hinteren Coverseite

Turkish food is one of the world's great cuisines. Its taste and depth place it with French and Chinese; its simplicity and healthfulness rank it number one. Turkish-born Ayla Algar offers 175 recipes for this vibrant and tasty food, presented against the rich and fascinating backdrop of Turkish history and culture. Tempting recipes for kebabs, pilafs, meze (appetizers), dolmas (those delicious stuffed vegetables or vine leaves), soups, fish, manti and other pasta dishes, lamb, poultry, yogurt, bread, and traditional sweets such as baklava are introduced here to American cooks in accessible form. With its emphasis on grains, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, and other healthful foods, Turkish cooking puts a new spin on familiar ingredients and offers culinary adventure coupled with satisfying and delicious meals.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Classical Turkish Cooking

Quill

Lemony Chicken and Okra

(Pilicli Bamya)

4 Servings

One small chicken, about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds, cut into serving pieces
Black peppercorns
1 1/2 pounds okra
1/2 cup wine vinegar
Salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced
3 tender long green peppers left whole, or 2 other semi-hot peppers, tops and seeds removed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 small sprigs thyme
3 sprigs oregano
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Put the chicken back and neck in a pan with 2 cups water and a few peppercorns and simmer 45 minutes. Strain and reserve stock.

Pare around the conical tops of the okra. Place in a bowl with the vinegar, sprinkle with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy pan large enough to accommodate the chicken and okra. Cook the onions until limp. Remove from the pan and sauté the chicken pieces until golden on all sides, about 4 minutes,

Place the cooked onions, okra, tomatoes, and green peppers over the chicken pieces. Sprinkle all with some salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes. Place the herb sprigs over the top, add 1 1/2 cups reserved chicken stock and the lemon juice; cover and simmer 40 or 50 minutes, or until okra is tender. Adjust to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Chick-pea Salad with
Garlic-Cumin Vinaigrette

(Nohut Salatasi)

4 Servings

1 cup dried chick-peas, soaked overnight, or 2 1/2 cups drained canned chick-peas
1 1/2 cups finely diced red onion

Drain chick-peas and cook in water to cover until tender, about 2 hours or a little longer. Plunge them into cold water, then rub them between fingers to remove the skins. Rinse and drain. Toss in a bowl with onions.

Garlic-Cumin
Vinaigrette

About 6 tablespoons fine olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed (page 286)
1 red jalapeño, minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped mixed herbs: cilantro, thyme, mint, tarragon, parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely crushed cumin seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the vinaigrette, whisk olive oil with garlic, jalapeño, herbs, vinegar or lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour over the salad and mix thoroughly. Adjust with salt and vinegar, let stand 30 minutes or longer, and serve at room temperature.

Excerpted from Classical Turkish Cookingby Algar, Ayla Copyright © 2004 by Ayla Algar. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.