We love Turkey; the Turkish people and, of course, the superb Turkish food. 
We’ve had many wonderfully enjoyable trips to Turkey over the years.
Friends of ours, who had a yacht based in Turkey for many summers, told us that they effectively became vegetarian when there. There are so many fabulous vegetables available, and at prices just a smidgeon of what we have to pay in the UK, it makes sense to enjoy them and not have to worry about storing meat or fish.
When I found Sebze, by Özlem Warren, I was excited to share it with you.
‘Sebze’ translates as vegetables in Turkish and this cookbook is a bountiful collection of scrumptious, practical and varied vegetarian recipes celebrating Turkey and her food.
Inspired by thousands of years of rich and diverse culinary heritage, the dishes in Sebze invite you to embrace the vibrancy and simplicity of Turkey’s cuisine. Dishes such as Stuffed Flatbreads, Menemen, Baked Fig and Feta, Meze and Baklava, with recipes that are easy, seasonal and sustainable – not to mention utterly delicious.
About the Author
Özlem Warren is a respected teacher of Turkish food, who has taught at cooking schools in the US, as well as Kent and Divertimenti Cookery Schools in the UK.
In 2019, she published Özlem’s Turkish Table, which won the 2020 Gourmand Award in Food Heritage. @ozlems_turkish_table.
She’s a passionate and skilled advocate for her national cuisine, and shows us how to make meals that we want to – and can – cook.
Sebze is the perfect introduction to Turkish food for the home cook. It’s published by Hardie Grant at £28 for a beautifully illustrated hardback book, with photography by Sam Harris.
Try some of these recipes and you’ll want to buy the book:
Çılbır (Turkish-Style Poached Eggs in Garlicky Yoghurt)
Serves 2. GF
“This is one of my favourite ways to enjoy eggs. It was part of Ottoman palace banquets and a favourite of Mehmed the Conqueror. At home, Çılbır is generally enjoyed as a hot meze; I also like serving it as part of a leisurely weekend breakfast, lunch or a light mid-week supper – a versatile dish.”
1 large garlic clove
sea salt, to taste
400 g (14 oz/12⁄3 cups) strained yoghurt
2 tablespoons apple cider, grape or white wine vinegar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons pul biber orred pepper flakes
TO SERVE
1 teaspoon finely chopped dill or parsley
flatbreads or crusty bread
Prepare the garlicky yoghurt about 30 minutes before poaching the eggs, to bring to room temperature. Finely chop the garlic and sprinkle over a pinch of salt. Using the flat side of the knife, gently squash the garlic to turn it into a fine paste. In a small bowl, beat the yoghurt with the garlic, then spoon onto two serving plates, creating a round thick layer to provide a nest for the poached egg.
Fill a small pan with hot water, add a pinch of salt and the vinegar (this will help to seal the egg whites) and bring to the boil. Stir the water to create a whirlpool and crack in the first egg.
As the egg spins and the white sets around the yolk, stir the water ready for the next one. Poach each egg for 2–3 minutes so that the yolk remains soft.
While the eggs are poaching, quickly pour in the olive oil into a small pan and stir in the pul biber. Stir to gently infuse the oil for 30 seconds over a low–medium heat, then remove from the heat.
Lift the poached eggs out of the
water with a slotted spoon and place them on a couple of sturdy paper towels to absorb any excess moisture, then gently place them on the garlic yoghurt. Drizzle the infused olive oil over the poached eggs and season with salt to taste. Scatter with chopped dill or parsley and serve immediately with bread, if you like.
Nar Ekşili, Cevizli Pancar (Beetroot with Walnuts and Pomegranate Molasses)
Serves 4. GF V
880 g (1 lb 15 oz) beetroot (beets)
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper, to taste
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (nar ekşisi, see page 220 for homemade)
45 g (13⁄4 oz/1⁄3 cup) walnuts, chopped
handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
“We love beetroot (beets), or pancar as we call it in Turkish, and this baked beetroot with pomegranate molasses and walnuts is one of my favourite recipes in this book. Baking the beets brings out their natural sweetness and tastes fantastic combined with the tangy pomegranate molasses (nar ekşisi) and crunchy walnuts.”
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/ 400°F/gas 6.
Trim and peel the beetroot and slice into quarters lengthways. Slice each quarter into even bite-size chunks (about 1 cm/1/2 in). Place on a large baking tray, drizzle over the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine well (your hands will be stained but it’s worth it to infuse the flavours – you can rub sliced lemon over your hands to get rid of the worst of the stain). Spread in one layer and bake for 30 minutes, turning them around halfway.
Remove the tray from the oven and stir in the chopped garlic. Bake for a further 6–7 minutes until the beets are cooked and starting to caramelise at the edges, taking care not to burn the garlic. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
Transfer the beets to a serving bowl, drizzle over the pomegranate molasses and combine well. Add the chopped walnuts and parsley, and mix well. Decorate with pomegranate seeds just before serving.
Prepare ahead: This dish keeps well in the refrigerator for two to three days and leftovers can be enjoyed in multiple ways. If pressed for time, you can use ready- cooked beets, too, although you won’t get the sweetness that baking them brings.
Otlu Tava Böreği (Easy, Herby Pan Börek)
Serves 4
4 tablespoons olive oil, for greasing
7 filo pastry sheets (270 g/10 oz; 48 x 25 cm/19 x 10 in), thawed if frozen
FOR THE FILLING
200 g (7 oz) beyaz peynir or feta, drained and crumbled (or grated cheese of your choice)
4 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (leaves and stems)
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper, to taste
FOR BRUSHING
1 medium egg, beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
70 ml (21⁄2 fl oz/5 tablespoons) full-fat milk
55 ml (2 fl oz/1⁄4 cup) water
The idea for this delicious börek is to use up ingredients to hand – leftover bits of cheese (grated mild Cheddar works well) or any fresh greens, such as spinach or herbs; my mum would make it using her leftover yufka (our fresh filo sheets). In the Aegean region, local greens such as nettle and sorrel are used, too. Cooking the börek in a pan is easy and saves time and energy.
Place all the filling ingredients in a large bowl. With clean hands, season and give it a good mix.
In a small bowl, beat together the ingredients for brushing with a fork.
Brush the base and sides of a 24 cm (91/2 in) non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Place the filo sheets on a clean, dry surface and cover with a couple of damp paper towels. Cut the sheets to fit into your pan with about 1.5 cm (2⁄3 in) overhang. Place a sheet in the pan and brush with a tablespoon of the egg glaze. Layer in another sheet and brush as before. Tear three of the filo sheets into pieces and layer about half of them on top of the pastry base, brushing liberally with the glaze (about 4 tablespoons), making sure it covers all the cracks in the sheets as this will keep pastry moist and intact. Spread the filling evenly over the pastry base, leaving 1 cm (1/2 in) around the edges clear.
Top with the remaining torn pastry sheets and brush liberally with the glaze. Finally, place the two remaining large pastry sheets over the top and brush with the remaining glaze, tucking the edges in to seal the börek.
Cook over a low–medium heat for 8–10 minutes until the bottom is golden and crispy. Brush a large flat plate with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the plate over the pan and carefully flip the börek over onto the plate. Brush the pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gently slide the uncooked side of the börek onto the pan and cook for another 7–8 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate to cool for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges to serve.
