Organic food recipes for traditional Turkish Cuisine

SOUPS

Traditional Turkish Yogurt Soup.
Easy to make, it is a lovely vegetarian, protein-filled soup and is a meal when paired with bread and salad.

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. butter
2 Leeks (just white portions) washed well and thinly sliced
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
4 cups chicken, vegetable, or beef stock
1 cup brown rice
3 cups plain yogurt
2 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint or 2 Tbsp. crushed dry mint
1 tsp. paprika

Directions

In a large heavy saucepan or pot, melt 4 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and saute for 5 minutes. Slowly add the flour, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Next pour in the stock, continuing to stir well. Bring the mixture to to a boil and add the rice. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until rice is tender.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine yogurt and egg yolks. Mix with a fork to blend them well. Gradually stir in several tablespoons of liquid from the hot soup and mix thoroughly to help protect the yogurt/egg mixture from curdling when added to the hot soup.

After the rice is soft, lower the heat and gradually add the yogurt mix into the soup. Let it simmer gently for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In another saucepan, heat the olive oil over low heat and mix in the mint and the paprika. Stir a few times, and then remove from heat. Add the mint/paprika mixture to the soup and stir to combine.

Serve hot.

Yields

Serves 6

Yogurt Sauce (or also a soup)
This is a smooth and creamy sauce that can be served with grilled vegetables, chicken, pork, lamb, beef or seafood. Add some water to the sauce to make a light and refreshing summer time soup.

Ingredients

1 large container yogurt (you can use low or non-fat)
3 tbsp. of chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp. of finely minced garlic
3 small kirby cukes chopped into small pieces (about one cup)
3 tbsp olive oil (optional)
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt to taste.

Directions

Combine all ingredient and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
Add 2 cups cold water to make soup. Adjust salt and vinegar to taste if making soup.
Serve in a gravy boat with a sprig of dill as a garnish. Dip meats or veggies in sauce.
Enjoy!

Yields

4-6 servings of sauce, 6-8 servings of soup

Nutrition Facts

VERY HEALTHY!!

Creamy Carrot Soup
This simple soup is not only easy to make, but it is very low in fat and calories as well.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and chopped
3 cups carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons rice
1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
2/3 tablespoon cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Using a small stock pot, heat olive oil, over a medium-high flame. Once hot, add ginger, onions and garlic, and sauté until onions begin to soften and turn translucent in color. Add carrots, vegetable stock and rice, and simmer for 30 minutes or until carrots break apart easily. Using a blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, and heat over a medium flame. In a small bowl, combine yogurt and cornstarch, and blend until well mixed. Stir this mixture into the soup, being careful not to bring the soup back to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Yields

6 servings

Nutrition Facts

Calories 130; Calories from Fat 45; Total Fat 5g;
Carbohydrates 17g; Protein 4g; Fiber 3g

Broccoli Potato soup
A comforting soup that is a great meal when served with hearty bread.

Ingredients

1 large onion minced finely
1large leek chopped (sliced down the middle and cleaned well and remove toughest green part from outermost leaves)
4-5 fist sized potatoes scrubbed and cubed
2 medium carrots scrubbed and chopped
2 celery stalks minced finely
Florettes from 1 large bunch of broccoli
Stems from 1 large bunch of broccoli, peeled and chopped
1 cup yogurt (fat free works fine)
vegetable broth to cover vegetables
3 TBS butter or oil
1-2 natural boullion cubes
2 tsp dry thyme
1 TBS freeze dried chives(2 tsp fresh)
fresh cracked black pepper(try mixed peppercorns)
sea salt if desired(be aware boullion may have salt)

Directions

Saute vegetables (except broccoli florettes and potatoes)and herbs in butter or oil until they soft. Add potatoes and boullion, and cover with vegetable broth. Simmer until all all veggies are cooked through. Add Broccoli florettes( cut to a desireable size) and cook until bright green and tender. Stir in yogurt and serve. You may puree part or all of this soup if desired. Freezes well before adding yogurt.

Yields

6 dinner sized portions

Cream of Tomato Soup
An easy and delicious low cal creamy soup.

Ingredients

1 can of tomatoes
1 cup of plain yogurt

Directions

Heat tomatoes and slowly mix in yogurt so the live cultures won't be destroyed.

Yields

1 serving

Nutrition Facts

3 points on weight watchers

Curried Broccoli & Cauliflower Soup
Curry and nutmeg give just the right zing to this vegetable puree.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1 lb. Broccoli florets
1 lb. Cauliflower florets
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
5 cups vegetable broth
2 cups Stonyfield Farm lowfat plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté garlic and onions until translucent. Add broccoli and cauliflower florets and about 2 tablespoons of the vegetable broth to generate steam. Place lid on pot, reduce heat to medium, and steam vegetables for about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and remaining broth. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes.

Once cooked, ladle broth and vegetables into a blender and puree until smooth. Return to soup pot, heat over medium heat, and gradually whisk the yogurt and seasonings into the soup. Once combined, do not bring to a boil to prevent the yogurt from curdling. Serve warm.

Yields

6 servings

Nutrition Facts

Calories 130; Calories from Fat 35; Total Fat 4g; Cholesterol 5mg; Total Carbohydrate 19g; Fiber 6g; Protein 9g

Corn Chowder

Ingredients

6 ears fresh corn
2 medium red potatoes, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

First, remove corn kernels from the cobs and reserve. Dice potatoes, onion and red pepper, and reserve. Using a soup pot, saute onions in olive oil until translucent. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes to stock and cook for 8 minutes or until tender. Add corn kernels, red peppers and spices and cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; pour soup through a strainer, reserving vegetables and broth. Place half of the vegetables in a bowl, and gently mix in the yogurt – this will help to temper the yogurt and prevent it separating. Combine the remaining vegetables and broth in a blender, and puree until smooth. Place the pureed vegetables back on a medium fire, and then stir the yogurt and vegetable mixture back to the pot. Serve warm and garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Yields

6 Servings

Nutrition Facts

Calories 240; Calories from Fat 40; Total Fat 4.5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Total Carbohydrates 46g; Protein 9g, Fiber 5g

Creamy Soup
A favorite chilled summer soup, and yogurt helps to cool the palate.

Ingredients

2 cups vegetable juice
2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 cup plain yogurt
3 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 orange pepper, seeded, small diced
1 yellow pepper, seeded, small diced
2 tomatoes, seeded, small diced

Directions

Combine 1 cup of cucumber, scallions, parsley, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse until well chopped. Add vegetable juice and yogurt, pulse until ingredients are well blended, while leaving some texture to the vegetables. Transfer mixture to a large soup bowl. Add peppers, tomatoes and remaining cup of cucumber. Stir well. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serve chilled and topped with a dollop of plain yogurt and fresh parsley. Gazpacho is best if made and served the same day.

Yields

8 servings

Nutrition Facts

Calories 60; Calories from Fat 20; Total Fat 2g;
Cholesterol 0mg; Total Carbohydrates 9g; Protein 3g

Seafood Chowder
This chowder recipe allows you to combine all of your favorite "fruits de mer", or fruits of the sea, for a chowder that is specific to your taste. This chowder does not include cod or other fish, but if you enjoy it, feel free to add it to the recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 lb of each: scallops, clams, shrimp, lobster or crab
3 onions, diced
2 strips of bacon, chopped
4 cups potatoes, cubed
1 stalk celery, diced
1 ear of corn, kernels only
2 cups milk
1 cup lowfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 pound butter
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp savory
1 bay leaf
salt to taste

Directions

Using a stock pot, brown bacon over medium heat until crispy. Once cooked, remove bacon and allow to cool, and crumble. Reserve. Add onions, potatoes, celery, and corn kernels to the stock pot using just enough water to cover. Simmer over a low-medium heat until tender (about 10 -15 minutes). Add seafood and cook until done. Whisk in butter, flour, salt, pepper, bacon, savory, bay leaf, milk and yogurt, being careful not to heat the chowder to a point where it boils, as this can causes the milk to curdle. Garnish with parsley and corn kernels.

Yields

8 servings

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 340; Total fat: 10g,; Saturated fat: 4.5g; Cholesterol: 110mg;
Sodium: 360mg; Carbohydrate: 34g; Fiber: 3g; Protein: 28g

Spring Pea Soup
This is one of the most refreshing and easiest soups to make. It can be prepared from start to finish in less than
15 minutes.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 medium size onion, diced
1 10 ounce bag frozen peas
3 cups of vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 cup plain yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Using a medium size pot, brown onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat. After browning, add frozen peas, bay leaves and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and pour contents into a blender, puree until smooth - although be careful to avoid burning yourself with the hot liquid when turning on the blender. Return the soup to the pot, gently stir in yogurt, salt and pepper. Serve warm and garnish soup with croutons, fresh peas, or pea shoots if available.

Yields

4 servings

Nutrition Facts

None

Creamy Potato Leek Soup
A hearty and delicious soup to warm you up during the cold winter months.

Ingredients

3-4 large Leeks tough outermost leaves removed
4-5 fist-sized potatoes scrubbed
2 medium carrots scrubbed
1 cup plain yogurt (fat free works fine)
Vegetable broth to cover vegetables
3 TBSP butter or oil
1-2 natural boullion cubes
2 tsp dry thyme
1 TBS freeze dried chives(2 tsp fresh)
fresh cracked black pepper(try mixed peppercorns)
sea salt if desired(be aware boullion may have salt)

Directions

Slice leeks down the middle and clean well of sand. Slice thinly. Cut potatoes in cubes. Chop carrots and place in large soup pot along with other vegetables and butter or oil. heat over medium flame and turn vegetables until well coated. Sautee 5 minutes. Cover with vegetable broth along with boullion and herbs,simmer until soft(approx. 20 minutes). remove from heat, stir in yogurt. You may puree part or all of this soup if desired. Enjoy with a crusty whole grain bread lightly toasted.

Yields

6 servings