Oven Shrimp

250 gr shrimp, cooked, de-veined and peeled
1 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in small cubes
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
Crushed pepper
Salt
Pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Saute the onion with butter and salt for about 3-4 minutes in a medium sized pan. Add in the cubanelle peppers and cook for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the smell of garlic comes out. Add diced tomatoes and shrimp. Cook until the tomatoes are softened over a little bit over medium heat.Place the dish in a flat earthenware pot. Season it with pepper and crushed pepper, drizzle olive oil all over it.Set the oven to grill. Place the pot on the top rack and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Serve this classic Turkish hot appetizer in its own pot.

Green Beans with Walnuts

200 gr green beans, washed, trimmed
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup walnuts, ground
1 garlic clove, smashed with salt
1/2 tsp red pepper, ground or crushed
1 pinch coriander
Salt
Pepper

Cut the beans in 2 or 3 pieces depending on how long they are. Boil in salty water until they are softened, then drain. Pour lemon juice and olive oil, and toss.Meanwhile mix the walnut with garlic, red pepper, coriander, salt and pepper. Toss with green beans. Leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.

Spinach Dip

100 gr spinach, washed, drained, pureed in a food processor
1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely ground
1-2 garlic clove, smashed with salt
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
1 medium sized onion, sliced, caramelized with 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with the spoon. Place in a service bowl. Sprinkle the caramelized onion over the top. Serve with toasted pide or bread slices.

Carrot Pate with Black Olives

1 medium zucchini, grated
1 medium carrot, peeled, grated
2 fresh green onions, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
3 tbsp flour
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pinch saltBlack pepper
1 egg
8-10 Turkish black olives, seedless
1/2 cup sunflower oil, for frying

Squeeze the grated zucchini and carrot with your hands to get the water out. Then add all the ingredients above except black olives, with the egg going in last (as it makes the mixture watery quickly). Mix with a wooden spoon.Pour some sunflower oil in a large skillet, about 1 cm deep. When the oil warms up, take a lump of the mixture (a large spoons' worth) in your palm. Put one olive in the middle and give a ball shape. Put in the skillet, lightly press on it. Fry each side until the colour turns to golden brown at medium-high heat. When done, put the pieces on a plate with a paper towel to soak up extra oil.Serve while still warm with Garlic-Yogurt on top of each one. Carrot Patties with Black Olives can also be a great sandwich for lunch:) I highly recommend it.

Turkish Chickpea Dip

1 can chickpeas (540 ml), rinsed, peeled*
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp pine nuts, lightly roasted
2 tbsp currants, soak into the hot water for 20 minutes, drain

Mix the chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt using a food processor until it is smooth. Add the pine nuts and currants, toss them all together with the spoon. Arrange on a service plate and shape with a fork.Serve Turkish Chickpea Dip as an appetizer with small, toasted pide slices.* To peel the chickpeas; Soak them in hot water for about 5-10 minutes. Then gently rub them with the palm of your hands while they are still in the water.

Yogurt Soup

6 cups water
1 cube beef bouillon
1/2 cup rice, washed and drained
2 cups yogurt
1/2 cup milk1 egg yolk
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp dry mint
Salt

In a large pot boil the water, rice, salt and bouillon. Cook on medium high, until the rice is done.Meanwhile in a bowl, mix yogurt, milk, egg yolk and flour. After the rice is cooked, take a few spoons of liquid from the pot and mix into the bowl. Then slowly pour your mixture into the pot while stirring very slowly. Cook for 10 more minutes.Place the butter in a frying pan. When it begins spitting, stir in the mint and pour into your soup.Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Cold Tomato Soup

1 large tomato
1 pinch oregano
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon juice
2 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper for taste
Garnish with parsley

This is an easy one..! Grate the tomato and add in the rest of the ingredients. Mix well with a spoon. This dish is very refreshing.

Red Lentil Soup

1 cup red lentils, washed and drained
1 onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 1/2 cubes beef bouillon
3 cups water

Garnish:
1 tbsp butter
Red pepper
Cayenne pepper

Place all the main ingredients in a medium-sized pot. Cook for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat. Then mix thorougly using a blender. If necessary (too thick), add more hot water. Pour into soup bowls using a ladle.Melt the butter in a small pan and add in the peppers. When it starts bubbling, pour over the soup. Serve Red Lentil Soup while still hot with fresh bread. Add a few drops of lemon juice to taste.

Green Lentil Soup

3/4 cup green lentils, soak in water overnight (don't boil or it will lose vitamins)

1 medium size onion, chopped

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

2-3 cup hot water

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

Garnish:

1 garlic clove, smashed with salt

4-5 tbsp wine vinegar with raspberry juice, or another type of vinegar

Sautee the onion with butter for 4-5 minutes in a medium-sized pot. Then add the flour, stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Pour in the hot water slowly, stirring constantly. Make sure the flour doesn't clump. Add in the washed and drained lentils, salt and cumin. Cook until the lentils are soft on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Taste it along the way and if necessary, add more salt or water. Pour the soup into your soup bowls with a ladle.Mix the garnish ingredients in a small bowl. Pour 1 tbsp of the garnish in each soup bowl. 4-5 servings.

Vegetable Soup

3 cups water + 1 cube chicken bouillon, or 3 cups chicken broth

1 medium carrot, grated

1 medium potato, grated

1 small celery root, grated

2 tbsp red lentil, washed

2 tbsp pearl barley

2 tbsp lemon juice

Salt

Cook the water, barley, lemon juice and salt on medium heat. In the meantime, prepare all the vegetables and lentils. Add them into the pot. Cook until all the ingredients soften. Serve while still hot. Adjust the water amount to your liking, I prefer to use less water.

* This is a vegetarian dish (just use 3 cups of water).

Fish Soup

250 gr small size fish, I use Smelt (frozen, cleaned)

1/2 lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Pepper

3 cups hot water

3 tomatoes, peeled and diced

1 celery stick, cut in bite sizes

2 medium onions, chopped

1 medium potato, cut in bite sizes

Garnish:

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

4-5 slices of French baton bread

Cut off the heads of the fish and de-bone. Place them on a plate and sprinkle lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper on top. Put aside.In a medium sized pot, cook the onion, potato, celery and tomato with water on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add the fish and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn the heat off when the fish are cooked and sprinkle parsley and oregano on top.Place a slice of bread on each plate. Pour one ladle of soup over each. Serve while still hot.But before you serve the soup, check if it needs more salt, pepper or lemon juice to your liking.If you can't find small fish (smelt), you can also use canned fish. Sardines go very well with this soup. Keep in mind that if you use canned fish, add the fish after cook all the vegetables as it won't need extra cooking time.One more tip is to keep the soup a little bit watery so that the bread will absorb the juice.

Tarhana Soup

2-3 tablespoonful tarhana dough (see below)

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp crushed tomato

2-3 cup chicken stock

Crushed red pepper, optional

1 tsp butter

Garnish:

Crumbled feta cheese

Place the tarhana and 1/2 cup water in a pot. Leave it alone for 1-2 hours for tarhana to dissolve a bit. Then add in the rest of the ingredients. Cook and stir constantly over medium-low heat. Adjust consistency of the soup to your liking by adding more water if you prefer. Taste for salt.Place the soup into a bowl, sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese on top and serve while still warm.Tarhana Soup is great for cold winter mornings as breakfast:)This recipe makes 2 servings.

Tarhana Dough

2 red bell peppers or long red peppers, discard the seeds, cut in chunks

2 medium sized onions, peeled, cut in chunks

2 large tomatoes, peeled, diced

1 3/4 cup yogurt, plain

7 gr yeast, melt in a little bit of warm water

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp dry mint

1 tbsp dry oregano

1 tbsp dill, dry or fresh, chopped

1 tbsp salt

7-8 cups flour (the amount of flour can be changed depending on the size of vegetables, add little by little)

Use the mixer to finely chop onions, tomatoes and red peppers. In a large bowl place the melted yeast, onions, tomatoes, red peppers, yogurt, mint, oregano, dill, olive oil and salt. Add flour gradually and knead until it becomes thick. During kneading add a few spoons of water in it.Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel. Leave it at room temperature to ferment, which takes 5-6 days. Knead the dough every day for about 4-5 minutes, then cover it with the towel every time. Your kitchen might smell a bit sour, which is normal. When the dough puffs up, the bowl might be too small for it, so divide the dough into two pieces and place in different bowls on the 2nd or 3rd day.It's the end of fermentation when the dough no longer puffs up. Divide them up and place them in Ziploc bags. Store in the freezer.If you like to keep it dry, divide the dough into small balls, place the pieces on a cloth and let them dry. Turn the balls often. Every day divide the balls into 2 or 3 pieces. It takes a few days. Best way to let it dry is outside under the sun. Then strained through a sieve - use your fingers to crumble. Or you can use the mixer as well. Store them in airtight containers in the fridge.

History of Tarhana

Tarhana is the first instant soup which was invented by Central Asian Turks. In the summer time they mixed fresh vegetables with yogurt to prepare their hearty winter soup. In Turkey, there are several varieties of tarhana. For example some regions use corn flour instead of white flour or they add chickpeas in it.The meaning of the word of Tarhana is not well known, however there's a story about it. Many centuries ago, the Sultan at the time was a guest at a poor peasant's house. There was only one thing that the peasant wife could offer to the Sultan. She boiled up the soup quickly, and she was embarrassed and said this is "dar hane" soup, which means "poor house". This "dar hane" soup eventually became known as "tarhana" soup. Also during the reign of the Ottoman empire Tarhana Soup entered Balkan cuisine like so many dishes of Turkish cuisine.

Tomato Soup with Flat Green Beans

500 gr tomatoes, peeled, cut in cubes

7-8 flat green beans, washed, cut off the tips, cut in 2 cm long chunks

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, smashed with salt

1 1/2 cup chicken stock or water

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

Pepper for taste

Saute the onion with olive oil for 3-4 minutes in a pan. Add all the ingredients except the chicken stock. Stir, cover the lid and cook for about 20 minutes over low heat.Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then turn up the heat to medium-low. Cook another 20 minutes until the flat green beans fork tender.Sprinkle some chopped parsley on top and serve with Bread Slices with Garlic, and Kasar cheese or Mozzarella cheese.Bread Slices with Garlic and Kasar CheeseSlice a baton bread. Spread butter with garlic on top. Arrange Kasar or Mozzarella cheese slices on top and sprinkle some Cayenne pepper. Place the bread slices on the oven tray and set the oven to grill. Place the tray on the second rack from the top. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the cheese melts and takes a light golden colour.

Chicken Soup with Rice

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup rice, washed, drained

1 chicken breast, diced

Salt

Pepper

Sauce:

2 egg yolks

3 tbsp lemon juice

Bring the chicken stock to boil. Add the rice, chicken pieces, salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover the lid and cook for about 30 minutes.In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with lemon juice. Take a ladle of soup and blend well with the sauce. Slowly pour this mixture into the pan while stirring. Cover the lid and simmer for about 3-4 minutes.Before serving sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top.* Don't boil the soup after adding the sauce, it may curdle.

Red Lentil and Mint Soup

1/2 cup red lentils, washed and drained

1/4 cup fine grain bulgur, washed and drained

1/4 cup rice, washed and drained

2 tbsp olive oil or butter

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1/4 cup diced tomato, in a can

2 tbsp tomato paste

4 or 5 cups chicken stock

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tbsp dry mint

Salt

Pepper

Garnish:

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp dry mint

Saute the onion with olive oil for about 2 minutes, then add garlic and saute until the smell of the garlic comes out. Throw the diced tomatoes in and let them soften for about 10 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients. First cook on high heat to bring to boil then turn the heat down to simmer. Cook for about half an hour, stirring occasionally. Pour it into the blender and pulse 3-4 times. Pour it back into the pot. If it's too thick, add a little bit more hot chicken stock or water.Melt the butter in a small pan. When you see the bubbles turn the heat off. Add the dry mint and stir. Pour it into the soup, stir and serve with lemon wedges.Makes 4-6 servings.* Before serving, always taste first as you may need to add more salt :)

Sweet Pea Soup

1 1/2 cup sweet peas, frozen

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, smashed with salt

1 tbsp butter

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp lemon juice

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp parsley, chopped

Salt (if the chicken stock has salt, don't use)

Pepper

75 ml half half cream

Saute the onion with butter for about 7-8 minutes over low heat in a medium sized pot. Add the garlic and stir. Then add all the above ingredients except the cream. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low to slowly cook for about 30 minutes.Discard the bay leaf. Use the blender to blend the soup until there are no lumps in it. Pour it back into the pot. Heat it up for about 5 minutes over very low heat. Then add cream and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Sprinkle some croutons on top and serve.How to make croutons: cut bread in cubes. Place them on an oven tray and add some olive oil, salt and pepper on top, then toss. Preheat the oven to 175 C (350 F) and bake for about 10-15 minutes.Makes 2 servings.

Lamb Soup

150 gr lamb, cut in cubes

1 + 3 cups hot water

4-5 fresh green onions, chopped

6 tbsp rice, washed and drained

1 large tomato, grated

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp salt

Pepper for taste

1 tbsp dry mint

Sauce:

4 tablespoonfuls yogurt

1 egg

Cook the lamb cubes with their juice without oil in a medium sized cooking pot. After all the water evaporates, add 1 cup of hot water and cook over medium-low heat until the lamb softens. Add 3 cups of hot water, rice, butter, fresh onion, grated tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover the lid half way and cook until the rice is done.Add the mint, stir and turn the heat off. Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Take one ladle from the soup and add into the sauce, whisk. Then pour this mixture into the soup and stir. Serve while still hot.Makes 2 servings.

Tomato Soup with Cream

1 tbsp + 1 tsp butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 2/3 cup diced tomatoes, in a can

3-4 stems of parsley

1 pinch oregano

1 bay leaf1 pinch sugar

1 pinch nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cups warm chicken broth

1 tsp flour

1/3 cup cream

Saute the onion with 1 tsp butter for 5 minutes. Add the tomato, parsley, bay leaf, oregano, sugar, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Add 2 cups of warm chicken broth and cook over medium heat with the lid covered.Discard the bay leaf. Put the soup through the blender. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp of butter in a pot, then take away from the stove. Add the flour, whisk well, then put it back on the stove. Slowly add the tomato puree in it and stir. Add the cream, stir and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat off and serve.Makes 2 servings. This soup is also known as Safak Corbasi, which translates to Dawn Soup.

Vegetable Soup with Vermicelli

2 tbsp butter1 medium sized onion, chopped

1 tsp salt (if the chicken broth is salty, adjust the amount of salt)

1/4 cup carrot, peeled, cut in small cubes

1/4 cup celery root, peeled, cut in small cubes

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp flour

3 1/2 cup chicken broth, room temperature

1/4 cup green beans, ends trimmed, cut in 1 cm long chunks

1 small white potato, peeled, cut in small cubes

1/4 cup vermicelli noodles

1/4 cup sweet peas, frozenBlack pepper

Garnish:

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp parsley, chopped

1 tbsp dill, copped

Sautee the onion with butter and salt for about 5-6 minutes in a medium sized pot. Add the carrot and celery, sautee for about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring time to time. Add the tomato paste, stir. Add the flour, stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and slowly add chicken broth while stirring. Put the pot back on the stove. When the it starts boiling, turn the heat down to low. Add the potato, vermicelli, sweet peas, green beans and black pepper. Cook for about 25-30 minutes over low heat and make sure to stir time to time.Pour the soup on a service plate using a ladle. Sprinkle lemon zest, parsley and dill over the top. Serve this delicious Turkish Soup with lemon wedges on the side.Makes 2-3 servings.

Mushroom Soup

200 gr brown mushrooms, brushed, sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt, adjusted to your liking

1 pinch black pepper

1 pinch crushed red pepper

2 cups chicken broth, at room temperature

1 Bay leaf

1/4 cup cream, half & half

Saute the onion with butter for a few minutes in a medium sized pot. Take the pot from the heat, add flour, salt, pepper and crushed pepper. Stir using a wooden spoon until creamy without bumps. Slowly add the chicken broth while stirring. Throw in the mushrooms and the Bay leaf. Put back on the stove, stir constantly. When it starts bubbling, turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover with the lid and cook for about 20 minutes.Add the cream and stir. Turn the heat off, take the Bay leaf out and serve while still hot.2 servings.

Umak Soup

4 cups water with 1 tsp salt

1/2 cup flour + 1 tbsp flour

1 egg1 cup milk

2 tbsp dry mint

2 tbsp butter

Sauce:

1-2 garlic clov, smashed with salt

3-4 tablespoonful yogurt

Place the flour on a flat and large plate and break the egg in it (picture). Make little dough pieces with your fingers (picture). Sprinkle 1 tbsp flour all over the dough pieces.Meanwhile, bring the water with salt to boil in a medium sized cooking pot. Then slowly add in the little dough pieces and stir. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium-low heat. Add in the milk and butter, then turn the heat down and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn the heat off.Mix smashed garlic with yogurt with a spoon in a small bowl. Take a few spoons of soup and add in the sauce, and whisk. Pour this mixture slowly back into the soup. Sprinkle dry mint all over and stir. Serve while still warm.4 servings.

Cauliflower Soup

1/2 small head of Cauliflower, stems, leaves peeled off, florets separated

2 cups chicken broth

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp all purpose flour

1 cup milk, warm

Salt

Pepper

Sauce:

1 garlic clove, smashed with salt

1 egg yolk

1 tsp lemon juice

Cayenne pepper

Put aside about 8-10 mini size florets. Cook the rest of the florets with chicken broth for about 10 minutes in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Pour it into the blender and blend until smooth.Meanwhile melt the butter, add the flour, stir and slowly pour the warm milk in it while stirring constantly. The milk and flour should blend very well. You can use an egg beater. Pour the mixture from the blender into the pot. Also add in the remaining mini florets, salt and pepper, stir. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat with the lid halfway on.Mix the garlic, egg yolk and lemon juice. Take a ladle from the soup and add in the sauce, whisk. Pour this mixture slowly back into the soup, stir. Turn the heat to low, don't boil the soup. Cook for 2 more minutes.Sprinkle some cayenne pepper on top before serving.2-3 servings.

Toyga Soup

1 cup chickpeas, in can, washed and drained

1 cup water

1/4 cup spinach, frozen

1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Sauce:

1 cup yogurt

1 cup water

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp flour

Garnish:

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp dry mint
Cook the chickpeas with water in a medium pot for about 5 minutes. Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Take a few spoons of liquid from the pot and mix into the bowl. Then slowly pour the mixture into the pot while stirring very slowly. Cook for 15 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the spinach, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper, then stir and turn the heat off.
Place the butter in a frying pan. When it begins spitting, stir in the mint and pour into your soup.
4 servings.

Iskender Kebab

2 pieces of beef tenderloin, each 200 gr

200 gr regular ground beef

4 pieces of Asian Nan Pita bread or plain pita bread (pide)

Salt

Pepper

Garnish:

Yogurt

1 cup tomato paste, heated up with a few tbs of water

(or use canned crushed tomatoes)

2 tbsp butter

Add the salt and pepper to the ground beef. Knead and give it a round shape, then place in the middle of the two pieces of tenderloin.

Cover in plastic wrap and leave in the freezer overnight. The next day remove from the fridge 45 minutes before cutting. Use a knife, electric knife or meat cutter to shred it (picture). Then fry in a large pan (be careful not to over-fry).

Cut the pitas in bite size diagonal shapes and place on the plates (picture). Spread the beef over the pita bread pieces. Pour the tomato sauce on top and place a few spoons of yogurt on the side. Lastly, melt the butter in a small pan. When it starts bubbling, pour over the tomato sauce (picture).

Serve Iskender Kebab while still hot. This recipe makes 4 servings.

Yogurt Soup

6 cups water

1 cube beef bouillon

1/2 cup rice, washed and drained

2 cups yogurt

1/2 cup milk

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup flour

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp dry mint

Salt In a large pot boil the water, rice, salt and bouillon. Cook on medium high, until the rice is done.

Meanwhile in a bowl, mix yogurt, milk, egg yolk and flour. After the rice is cooked, take a few spoons of liquid from the pot and mix into the bowl. Then slowly pour your mixture into the pot while stirring very slowly. Cook for 10 more minutes.

Place the butter in a frying pan. When it begins spitting, stir in the mint and pour into your soup.

Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings

Lentil-Bulgur-Spinach Soup

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed

1/2 cup Turkish bulgur, small-grain, rinsed

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1-2 garlic cloves, chopped

4 tbsp crushed tomatoes, in can

1 tsp red pepper paste

1 tsp red pepper paste, hot

4 cups chicken stock or water

1 tsp cumin

Salt

Pepper

1 tbsp dry mint

2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

Saute the onion with olive oil and butter for a few minutes. Add the garlic and when the smell comes out, add the lentil, bulgur, crushed tomato, red pepper pastes, chicken stock, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook at medium-low heat.

When the lentils and bulgur are cooked, stir in the fresh spinach and mint. Cook just for a minute or so, allowing the spinach to wilt in the soup.

Serve this delicious soup with lemon wedges and pide slices.

3-4 servings.

Celery Stew with Lamb

1 medium celery root, peeled and cut in bite sizes

1 1/2 or 2 cups water with 1/2 lemon juice

150 gr lamb, cut in cubes

1 cup hot water

1 small carrot, peeled, washed, sliced

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

Salt

Pepper

1 egg yolk

Garnish:

1 tbsp dill, chopped

Wash the celery pieces and soak using the 1 1/2 or 2 cups of water with lemon juice to prevent them from darkening.

Meanwhile cook the lamb cubes with their own juice. Then add 1 cup hot water and cook over low heat until the lamb pieces are tender. Then add the celery pieces with the 1 1/2 or 2 cups water with lemon juice, carrot, butter, flour, salt and pepper, stir. Put the lid on and cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat until the celery pieces are softened.

Whisk the egg yolk in a small bowl. Take a ladle of juice of the dish and blend well with the egg. Slowly pour this mixture into the pot while stirring. Cover the lid and simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle some dill all over and serve.

2-3 servings.

Cherry Jam

1 jar red sour pitted cherries in light syrup, 796 ml (2 cup cherries + 1 1/2 cup cherry juice)

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

One lemon juice

Place the cherry juice, sugar and vanilla in a medium sized pot. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium-low heat. Then add the cherries (if you like, cut each in two pieces) and cook for about 15-20 more minutes (total 25-30 minutes).

Add the lemon juice, cook for another 1-2 minutes and turn the heat off. Place into a clean jar and close the lid tightly. Store in a dark and cool place.

My mum has a sweet tooth, and always kept some dessert at home. She loves to eat Cherry Jam poured on top of the Ricotta Cheese or Yogurt with almond slices.

You can also serve Cherry Jam as an ice cream topping with almond slices:)

* Cherry Jam is loved in my family. That's why I always cook it for any season using cherries in a jar. It is already pitted and they taste as if freshly picked from trees:)

If you use fresh cherries, here is the recipe:

500 gr fresh sour cherry, pitted

500 gr sugar

1/2 lemon juice

Layer cherries and sugar in a saucepan overnight. The following morning, start cooking on low-medium heat. Stir until the sugar melts. Remove the scum from the surface. Cook until the mixture reaches jam consistency. Add the lemon juice 1-2 minutes before you turn the heat off and stir.