Some recipes stay with you because they are useful. Others because they hold an entire place inside them. This traditional Turkish pickle recipe does both.

It was late summer on Saros Bay, and Hande Bozdoğan had already settled into her rhythm. Mornings began with the sea, rowing her boat across the quiet bay or swimming in her saltwater pool, before she moved on to the farm.

She harvested only what was ready, filling baskets with heirloom beans, yellow courgettes, long sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, melons and watermelons. It was the sort of abundance that made you slow down because rushing felt disrespectful.

It was the first time I had seen purple beans, and the yellow courgettes were new to me too. We picked until our arms were full, then carried everything back to the house.

The house itself surprised me. It was a modern, single-storey space designed around ease, with plenty of natural light but none of the heat, nostalgic terrazzo tiles and a kitchen made for living rather than performing.

The worktops formed one continuous cutting board, with discreet openings for scraps and knives. Wide drawers held everything without clutter. The equipment had been pared back to the essentials: one good tool for each job and nothing unnecessary. It was the kind of kitchen you design once you know yourself well enough to understand how you really move.

The meals were precise and unforgettable. Salmon was simply steamed with the purple beans and yellow courgettes and served with basmati rice. It was light, clean and tasted entirely of the garden. Later came a dessert with the refinement of a Turkish muhallebi, just sweet enough and neither heavy nor loose. Cooking stripped back to what mattered.

That weekend, Hande taught me how to make Turkish pickles. Cucumbers and peppers from her land went into jars as naturally as if there were no other possible destination for them. Watching her, I suddenly wondered why I had ever bought pickles.

Her way of living was disciplined without feeling severe. There was steady work until lunch, then a return to the fields until the light shifted. Afternoons ended with a gin and tonic and evenings with music. At night, she played the cello alone on her farm in Saros. It felt like the most elegant closing note to a life built with purpose.

For me, it was a glimpse of something close to perfection. A way of living that was minimal yet abundant, practical yet lyrical. That weekend remains one of the clearest inspirations I have carried back into my own kitchen, along with this recipe.

Classic Turkish Pickles

Makes one 1-litre jar

INGREDIENTS:

4 dried chickpeas
Green peppers, cucumbers or white cabbage, enough to pack the jar firmly
6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
1 small sprig fresh rosemary
25 g pickling salt
5 g (1 tsp) sugar
120 ml red wine or apple cider vinegar
500 ml filtered water, at room temperature (adjusted based on packing)

METHOD

Sterilise a 1-litre glass jar and its lid in boiling water, then leave them to air-dry.

Wash the vegetables thoroughly and discard any that are bruised or damaged. If using peppers, trim the stems. If using cucumbers, remove a thin slice from the blossom end of each one. If using cabbage, remove the core and cut the leaves into pieces that can be packed firmly into the jar.

Add chickpeas to the base of the jar.

Pack vegetables vertically and tightly with garlic and rosemary, leaving 1–2 cm headspace.

Dissolve the salt and sugar completely in the filtered water, then stir in the vinegar.

Pour the brine over the packed vegetables until completely submerged, maintaining headspace. Add a fermentation weight or a sealed, brine-filled bag to keep vegetables fully submerged.

Leave the jar at room temperature, away from direct sun, for about 7–14 days.

Over time the brine will turn cloudy, the peppers will change color.

You do not need ten brownie recipes. You need one excellent recipe that works every time and delivers enough chocolate to make the whole thing worthwhile.

If I am making a proper chocolate dessert, I want it to be genuinely worth the calories. That means a brownie with a dense and fudgy centre and a deep chocolate flavour that does not disappear behind too much sugar.

These are those brownies.

Browning the butter is the one extra step, and it earns its place. It turns nutty, almost like toasted hazelnuts, and takes the dark chocolate somewhere deeper. There are only 65 grams of flour in the whole pan, and that is what keeps these firmly on the fudge side of the line.

Fudgy Brown Butter Brownies

Makes 12 to 16 brownies

INGREDIENTS:

170 g unsalted butter
180 g dark chocolate, 65 to 70%, finely chopped
180 g granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
4 g fine salt
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
65 g all-purpose flour
50 g dark chocolate, chopped

METHOD

Heat the oven to 170°C. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm square metal baking pan with baking paper, leaving enough overhang on two opposite sides to lift the brownies out later.

Place the butter in a light-coloured saucepan over medium heat and let it melt completely. It will foam, then quiet down. Swirl the pan occasionally and watch the bottom closely. After a few minutes the milk solids will turn deep golden and the butter will smell nutty, almost like toasted hazelnuts. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as you see the golden specks.

Immediately pour the hot brown butter, scraping in all the browned bits, over the finely chopped dark chocolate, in a heatproof bowl. Let it sit for 30 seconds, then stir slowly until smooth and glossy. Keep it warm while you prepare the eggs. It should feel noticeably warm, not just room temperature.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and eggs. Whisk vigorously for 3–4 minutes with an electric mixer, until the mixture is pale and glossy and the sugar no longer feels gritty. Stir in the vanilla.

Slowly pour the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs while whisking continuously. Once it’s all in, keep whisking hard for about 1 minute, until the batter is thick, dark and very shiny.

Add the flour and salt and fold gently. Stop as soon as the dry ingredients disappear. Fold in the chopped chocolate.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly, smoothing the surface lightly.

Lift the pan 2–3 cm above the counter and give it one or two gentle taps to release any large air bubbles.

Bake immediately in the center of the oven for 22–25 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still looks slightly soft. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out with moist crumbs.

Let the brownies cool completely in the pan for 1–2 hours before lifting them out and cutting. For clean edges, cut with a hot knife, wiping it between cuts.

Twenty minutes of work and a night in the fridge gives you something to spoon over almost everything you eat for the next few days.

This is not a preserve. There is fresh garlic sitting in oil, so it lives in the fridge and it is finished within four or five days.

Here in Bodrum we have what everyone calls köy biberi (village peppers). They are small, with thin skins and delicate flesh. They roast quickly, need no peeling and can be packed into the jar with their stems still attached. Padrón and shishito peppers behave in much the same way and make good substitutes.

They are perfectly good eaten as they are, as a meze, with bread to catch the oil.

Beyond that, they go on things. Lay them over a block of feta and scatter over some nigella seeds and sumac.

They also sit very happily next to grilled köfte, basmati rice and a chopped tomato and cucumber salad, which is where they usually end up in this house.

One of my favourite ways to eat them is over a soft French omelette, for breakfast or lunch. A French omelette is simple, but it is as much a technique as a recipe, so I have included my two-egg, olive-oil version below. It is a useful classic to know, with or without the peppers.

This is not a preserve. It contains fresh garlic in oil, so it must remain refrigerated and should be finished within four days.

Thicker, meatier peppers are a different proposition. Kapya, the red sweet pepper, is very good here, but the skin has to come off. There is a note below on how to prepare it.

Marinated Peppers

Makes one medium jar

INGREDIENTS

8 to 10 green peppers (köy biberi)
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
200 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to cover
1 teaspoon salt
A few sprigs of thyme (optional)

METHOD

Heat the oven to 220°C. Arrange the whole peppers in a single layer on a baking tray without adding oil or salt. Roast for 15 to 25 minutes, turning them once halfway through, until blistered, softened and collapsed but not completely dried out.

While they roast, combine the garlic and olive oil in a small saucepan and place over low heat. Warm gently for 6 to 8 minutes, until tiny bubbles appear around the garlic and the cloves begin to soften without colouring, then remove from the heat and leave the oil to cool.

Dissolve the salt in the vinegar in a wide bowl. Add the warm peppers and turn them carefully until coated.

Layer the peppers in a clean jar with the garlic and thyme, then pour over the cooled olive oil, adding a little more if necessary so the peppers remain submerged. Leave to cool for no longer than 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Keep refrigerated and use within 4 days.

Kitchen Notes

If you use thick-fleshed peppers such as red kapya peppers, roast them for 25 to 35 minutes, until thoroughly softened and blackened in places. Transfer them immediately to a bowl, cover and leave to steam for 15 minutes. Peel while still warm without rinsing them, then remove the stems and coarse seeds before marinating as above.

French Omelette with Marinated Peppers

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

3 large eggs
A generous pinch of fine sea salt
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 to 3 marinated peppers, brought to room temperature and lightly drained

METHOD

Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the salt and beat thoroughly with a fork until the whites and yolks are completely combined, with no clear strands remaining. Place a 20 cm non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat and add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, tilting the pan to coat the base. Let the oil warm until it moves freely and begins to shimmer.

Pour in the eggs and immediately stir in small, quick circles with a silicone spatula while gently shaking the pan back and forth. Keep the eggs moving so they form small, soft curds. When the eggs are mostly set but the surface remains glossy and slightly loose, stop stirring and spread them gently into an even layer.

Reduce the heat to low and leave for another 5 to 10 seconds, just until the underside holds together without colouring. Run the spatula around the edge, fold one-third of the omelette towards the centre, then tilt the pan and continue rolling it into a loose cylinder. Slide it onto a warm plate with the seam underneath.

Brush the surface lightly with the remaining olive oil to give it a smooth, glossy finish, then arrange the marinated peppers on top and serve immediately.

These cookies sit somewhere between a classic chocolate chip cookie and something a little more grown-up. Rye flour brings a gently earthy, nutty flavour that works naturally with dark chocolate, while olive oil replaces the usual butter and gives the cookies a cleaner finish.

The combination also makes them particularly simple to prepare. There is no butter to soften or cream, and the dough comes together with a whisk and spatula. A short rest in the refrigerator firms the olive oil cookie dough, hydrates the rye flour and prevents the cookies from spreading too quickly in the oven.

Brown sugar keeps the centres soft, while the edges become lightly crisp as they bake. The dark chocolate remains the strongest flavour, but the rye and olive oil give it more depth than an ordinary chocolate chip cookie. A little flaky salt added while the cookies are warm sharpens the chocolate and balances the sweetness.

Rye Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Cookies

Makes 14 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

110 ml olive oil
100 g light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
120 g rye flour
40 g all-purpose flour
2.5 g (½ tsp) baking soda
2.5 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt
90 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Equipment

2 baking trays
Baking paper
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Digital kitchen scale and measuring spoons
Cookie scoop or tablespoon
Cooling rack

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.

Whisk olive oil, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until glossy and smooth.

Add the rye flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and fine sea salt. Fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains and a soft dough forms. Fold in the chopped dark chocolate.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 to 40 minutes. The dough should feel firm enough to portion without spreading immediately.

Scoop tablespoon-sized balls onto the tray and flatten slightly. Space them about 8-10 cm apart. Press the tops very lightly to flatten them. Keep the second tray refrigerated while the first batch bakes.

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, one tray at a time, until the edges are set and lightly coloured but the centres still look soft.

Sprinkle with flaky sea salt as soon as they come out of the oven. Leave the cookies on the tray for 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a cooling rack.

Kitchen Notes

Use an olive oil you enjoy tasting, but avoid one that is aggressively bitter or peppery, as its flavour will remain noticeable in the finished cookies.

The cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

The portioned dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. It can also be frozen and baked directly from frozen, adding approximately 2 minutes to the baking time.

This cake began with a bowl of almond pulp left over from making almond milk. I didn’t want to throw it away, so I folded it into a simple batter with yogurt, oat flour, olive oil, honey and lemon. What came out was much better than its practical beginning suggested: soft and light, gently lemony, with a little vanilla in the background.

I liked it enough to want a version that didn’t depend on having made almond milk first. This is that cake. It has the same quiet flavour and soft crumb, but it is made with ingredients I can keep in the cupboard and return to whenever I want something sweet and freshly baked.

This is not here to replace a proper butter cake. I love those too, and they belong to a different category altogether. This is simply the cake I want on an ordinary day. It is gluten-free, sweetened with honey and made with olive oil. Healthy-ish, perhaps, but still very much a cake. It is soft, fragrant and satisfying, without the heaviness or sugar rush I sometimes associate with a more traditional loaf.

It is also exceptionally easy to make. There is no creaming, mixer or complicated technique. The batter comes together in two bowls and keeps well for several days, although mine rarely lasts that long. Lately, whenever I feel like baking something just for myself, this is the recipe I come back to.

Slow-Cooked Tomato Toast with Fried Egg & Brown Butter

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

250 g strained tomato pulp or 500 g fresh tomatoes
20 g extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
2 small thyme sprigs
Fine sea salt
1/2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 thick slices sourdough bread
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
20 g unsalted butter
1 large egg
10 g olive oil or unsalted butter, for frying
Flaky sea salt

METHOD

Warm 40 g olive oil and the garlic in a wide frying pan over low heat for about 2 minutes.

Add the tomato pulp, thyme and fine sea salt, increase the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently as the moisture evaporates, until the tomato is concentrated, glossy and thick enough to hold on a spoon.

Remove the thyme, stir in the red-wine vinegar and cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the salt.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and continue cooking until the milk solids turn hazelnut brown and the butter smells nutty. Immediately remove from the heat so it does not burn.

Brush the sourdough lightly with olive oil and toast it in a hot pan or under the grill until deeply golden and crisp at the edges.

For the eggs, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, add the oil or butter, then crack in the egg. As soon as the whites begin to set, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook gently until the whites are completely opaque and just set but the yolks remain fluid. Spoon a little hot fat over any stubborn translucent white around the yolk if necessary or cover so they set with carry over heat.

Spoon a generous layer of warm tomato onto each toast, top with a fried egg, drizzle the brown butter over the egg and tomato, and finish with flaky salt.

Serve immediately.

This cake began with a bowl of almond pulp left over from making almond milk. I didn’t want to throw it away, so I folded it into a simple batter with yogurt, oat flour, olive oil, honey and lemon. What came out was much better than its practical beginning suggested: soft and light, gently lemony, with a little vanilla in the background.

I liked it enough to want a version that didn’t depend on having made almond milk first. This is that cake. It has the same quiet flavour and soft crumb, but it is made with ingredients I can keep in the cupboard and return to whenever I want something sweet and freshly baked.

This is not here to replace a proper butter cake. I love those too, and they belong to a different category altogether. This is simply the cake I want on an ordinary day. It is gluten-free, sweetened with honey and made with olive oil. Healthy-ish, perhaps, but still very much a cake. It is soft, fragrant and satisfying, without the heaviness or sugar rush I sometimes associate with a more traditional loaf.

It is also exceptionally easy to make. There is no creaming, mixer or complicated technique. The batter comes together in two bowls and keeps well for several days, although mine rarely lasts that long. Lately, whenever I feel like baking something just for myself, this is the recipe I come back to.

Gluten-Free Almond and Lemon Cake

1 loaf tin (22 × 11 cm), Serves 6-8 slices

INGREDIENTS:

140 g oat flour
60 g rice flour
40 g almond flour
20 g tapioca starch
6 g baking powder
2 g fine sea salt
3 g psyllium husk powder
2 large eggs, at room temperature
100 g strained yogurt
60 ml olive oil
82 g honey or maple syrup
Zest of 1 lemon
5 g lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1–2 tbsp chopped nuts (for topping)

Syrup:
1 tbsp lemon juice + 1 tbsp honey + pinch of salt

Equipment

22×11 cm loaf tin or 18 cm round cake tin
Baking paper
Scissors
2 mixing bowls
Small bowl, for the syrup
Digital kitchen scale and measuring spoons
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Microplane or fine grater
Pastry brush
Cake tester or wooden skewer
Cooling rack

METHOD

Heat the oven to 170°C. Line the tin with baking paper.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs and honey vigorously for 30–45 seconds. Add yogurt, vanilla and lemon juice and mix. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking continuously. Add lemon zest.

In a separate bowl, combine the oat flour, rice flour, almond tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to evenly distribute and remove any lumps.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until fully combined and no dry patches remain. The batter should be thick but pourable, falling slowly from the spatula.

Let it sit 5-10 minutes to allow the flours and psyllium to hydrate.

Transfer to the prepared tin and level the surface. Scatter chopped nuts over the top, if using.

Bake for 40–45 minutes, until risen and lightly golden. The centre should feel set, and a skewer inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs.

If the top colours too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes.

While the cake is baking, mix the lemon juice, honey and salt. Brush the syrup over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a rack before slicing. Very important step as the gluten-free crumb will continue to set as it cools.

Kitchen Notes

Keeps at room temperature, covered, for 2 days, or refrigerated up to 5 days.
Bring to room temperature before serving.

It looks like a glass of rosé and tastes like tomato. That is the whole point of it, and it takes almost no work.

Use tomatoes at the height of summer, as ripe as you can find them. What you want is a tomato that feels heavy for its size, better even if overripe, and gives under your thumb.

Mine comes out a pale pink rather than water-clear, and I’ve stopped trying to correct it. In a small cold glass, I like that faint pink colour, it looks more summery and dreamy. For something closer to clear, strain it a second time through a coffee filter.

You also give nothing up by making it. The pulp left in the sieve still becomes sauce, exactly as it would have done. This is simply a second ingredient out of the same tomatoes.

Tomato Water

Makes about 200 ml

INGREDIENTS:

400 g ripe tomatoes
4 g fine sea salt

Equipment

Kitchen scale
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Large bowl
Fine-mesh sieve
Two layers of cheesecloth
Coffee filter, optional

METHOD

Roughly chop the tomatoes, salt them, and crush with your hands until broken down.

Line a sieve with two layers of cheesecloth, set it over a bowl, tip everything in, and refrigerate overnight. Cheesecloth gives the pale pink liquid I prefer. For something closer to clear, xx a second time through a coffee filter.

Do not press or squeeze. Pressing forces fine pulp through the cloth and clouds the liquid. Let it drip on its own.

Tomato water is at its best the day it is made, so begin making it the night before you intend to use it.

Don’t discard the pulp, it is concentrated tomato flesh. It cooks down quickly into a thick sauce. Turn it into tomato sauce, gazpacho, sofrito or pasta sauce.

You can use it within three days or freeze it for later. Once thawed, it may look more watery at first, but it will still cook down into a thick sauce.

Kitchen Notes

Another method, if you have time, is to cut the tomatoes into cubes and season them with salt. Spread the tomatoes and all their released liquid on a parchment-lined tray. Freeze uncovered until solid. Transfer everything to the lined sieve and leave it to thaw slowly in the refrigerator. Do not press or squeeze.

How to Use It

My favourite way is also the simplest. Season it with lime juice and salt, then serve it chilled in a small glass. Finish with a few drops of good olive oil and serve as an amuse-bouche at the start of a summer meal.

Beyond that, it belongs around raw or lightly cooked seafood: poured over scallops, crab, prawns or white fish, or used in a ceviche or aguachile. It works as a shallow poaching liquid for fish, sets with agar into a savoury jelly, and makes a good cooking liquid for a summer pilaf when you want the rice to taste of tomato.

It can become a vinaigrette by whisking it with olive oil, vinegar, salt, herbs or shallot. It brings its own acidity, so pull back on the vinegar.

This is the kind of thing I like having in the fridge at the beginning of the week. You bake one loaf and breakfast is largely taken care of for the next couple of days.

It is a moist, savoury loaf made with lor cheese, eggs, strained yoghurt, oat flour and almond flour. There is no wheat flour, and it is genuinely protein-rich from the lor, eggs and yoghurt. The crumb is dense and soft rather than bread-like, which is why I think of it as somewhere between a savoury cake and a loaf.

What I like most is that it crosses meals easily. Breakfast with tomatoes, cucumber and olives. Lunch with a salad. A slice in the afternoon when you need something substantial. I usually eat it cold or at room temperature, but it is particularly good sliced thickly and toasted in a little olive oil until the edges are crisp.

Lor sold in Turkey is dry and crumbly. If you cannot find it, ricotta is the closest substitute, but ricotta contains considerably more moisture. Drain it well and hold back the water in the recipe until you have seen the consistency of the batter, adding only as much as you need to make it thick but spoonable.

It keeps for four days in the fridge, and it freezes well too, so any slices you will not eat that week can go straight into the freezer.

Savoury Breakfast Loaf

1 loaf tin (22 cm), Serves 8 to 10 slices

INGREDIENTS:

300 g lor or ricotta cheese
4 large eggs
150 g strained yogurt
60 ml olive oil
60 ml water, plus up to 10 ml more if needed
200 g gf oat flour
50 g almond flour
6 g baking powder
1 g baking soda
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
7 g fine salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp nigella seeds, sprinkle half on top
Olive oil, for toasting

Equipment

22 cm loaf tin
Baking paper
Blender or food processor
Large mixing bowl
Spatula
Off-set spatula
Fine grater or Microplane
Wire cooling rack
Skillet, for toasting

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170 C. Line a 22 cm loaf tin with baking paper.

Place the lor, eggs, yogurt and olive oil into a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth.

In a large bowl, mix the oat flour, almond flour, flaxseed, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined. Fold in the dill, lemon zest and nigella seeds. The batter should be thick but spoonable.

Leave the batter to rest for 20 minutes.

Scrape into the tin, smooth the top lightly and scatter over the remaining nigella seeds.

Bake at 170°C for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160°C and continue baking for a further 50 to 60 minutes. The loaf should be golden and set through the centre, with a skewer coming out clean. If the top is browning before the time is up, tent it loosely with foil and carry on. If you have a probe thermometer, the centre should read 96 to 98°C.

Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then unmould and cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Slice the loaf cold, about 2 cm thick. Warm a little olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat and toast the slices for 2 to 3 minutes a side, until golden and crisp at the edges and hot through. Eat immediately.

Kitchen Notes

Keeps four days in the fridge, wrapped, and slices best straight from cold. It also freezes very well. Slice the cooled loaf, freeze the slices and toast straight from frozen, giving them an extra minute a side.

This is the kind of tart that makes baking feel easy. The crust is simply pressed into the tin, not rolled, and the filling comes together with grated zucchini, carrot, strained yogurt, eggs, herbs, and feta.

I make the crust with Karakılçık, a traditional Turkish wheat that I use here as a whole wheat flour. It gives the pastry a deeper, nuttier flavour and keeps the whole grain intact rather than relying on refined white flour. If you cannot find it, regular whole wheat flour works well in its place.

There is no cream, no butter, and no need for neat knife work or specialist tart skills. It is light, savoury, and generous, and it is exactly the sort of thing you can make in one afternoon and put on the table for friends with a sharp salad alongside.

Easy Zucchini & Carrot Tart

1 tart (28 cm), Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

Olive Oil Crust
300 g karakılçık wheat flour, or regular whole wheat flour
6 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt
135 ml extra virgin olive oil
120 ml cold water, plus 1–2 tbsp if needed

Filling
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 medium (160-180 g) carrots, coarsely grated
4 medium (650-760) zucchini, coarsely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more if needed
Black pepper
A pinch of chilli flakes
2 eggs
80 g feta, lightly crumbled
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp nigella seeds

Equipment

28 cm tart tin
Large mixing bowl
Box grater
Wide frying pan or sauté pan
Wooden spoon or spatula
Fork
Wide tray or large plate, for cooling the filling
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Kitchen scale and measuring spoons

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180°C.

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the olive oil and rub it through with your fingers until the flour is evenly coated and sandy. Add 120 ml cold water and mix just until the dough comes together, adding a little more only if needed. It should feel soft and pliable, not wet.

Rest the dough for 10 minutes.

Tear the dough into pieces and press evenly into a 28 cm tart tin, covering the base and sides. Patch any thin areas rather than building up thick edges.

Dock well with a fork, especially in the centre, then chill uncovered for 20 minutes. Start the filling while it chills.

Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden.

Bake the chilled shell for 20 minutes, until dry and set. If it puffs, prick and press it down, then continue baking.

Add the carrots to the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook briefly.

Add the zucchini, salt, black pepper and chilli flakes. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are completely soft and the pan looks dry.

Transfer to a wide tray and spread out. Let cool fully, allowing excess steam to escape. If any liquid collects, drain it off.

Transfer to a bowl. Add the eggs, feta and mint. Mix well and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Spoon into the baked shell and spread evenly. Scatter over the nigella seeds.

Bake at 180°C for 30 to 35 minutes, until set at the edges and lightly golden on top.

Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a sharp green salad.

These are soft, buttery madeleines scented with matcha and honey, finished with a glossy white chocolate matcha shell. Browning the butter gives them a deeper, almost toasted flavour, while the overnight rest helps create that classic madeleine hump.

Matcha-Honey Madeleines

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS:

For the madeleines:
2 large eggs
60 g light or medium floral honey
30 g almond flour
70 g all-purpose flour
5 g high-quality matcha, sifted
4 g (1 tsp) baking powder
1 pinch fine salt
110 g unsalted brown butter, recipe below
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of ½ lemon

For the Matcha Glaze:
100 g white chocolate
10 g olive oil
4 g sifted matcha
Pinch of sea salt

Equipment:

Madeleine tray
Piping bag
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Fine mesh sieve
Digital kitchen scale
Microplane or fine grater
Cooling rack
Baking paper

METHOD

Make the brown butter (recipe below) and let it cool.

Whisk the eggs and honey until smooth and slightly frothy, but not whipped. Whisk in the vanilla and lemon zest.

Sift together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, matcha, baking powder and salt.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg and honey mixture just until smooth.

Pour in the cooled brown butter in two additions, folding gently after each until completely incorporated and emulsified.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. This rest hydrates the flour, develops the flavour and helps create the characteristic madeleine hump.

Butter the madeleine tray generously, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Chill the tray until you are ready to bake.

Preheat the oven to 175 °C.

Holding the piping bag upright and close to the tray, pipe the cold batter into the centre of each mould, filling to just below the rim. Don’t spread it, it will find its own edges in the oven.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden, the centre spring back when lightly touched and a skewer comes out clean. Do not underbake.

Leave in the tray for 5 minutes, then carefully unmould and cool completely on a rack.

For the glaze, melt the white chocolate and olive oil together in a bain-marie, stirring constantly. Take the bowl off the heat while a few small lumps remain and keep stirring until they disappear. The heat in the bowl will finish it. It’s ready when it’s smooth, glossy and runs off the spatula in a thin, even ribbon. It should feel warm on your wrist, never hot. Whisk in the sifted matcha and salt until smooth.

Dip the shell side of each cooled madeleine into the glaze and set on baking paper. Chill briefly until the chocolate sets.

Glaze, two ways

The glaze can simply be dipped, or served on the side for dipping.

For a cleaner bakery style finish with a firmer set, reduce the olive oil in the glaze to 4 to 6 g. Spoon a little glaze into each clean madeleine mould, press a cooled madeleine gently back into each cavity and refrigerate until the chocolate is completely set. Lift out carefully.

Kitchen Notes:

– These are best within 6 hours of glazing, while the crumb is still moist.

– The unglazed madeleines can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature, refresh for 2 minutes at 160°C, cool and glaze before serving.

Brown Butter (Beurre Noisette)

Brown butter starts as regular melted butter, but as it cooks, the water evaporates and the milk solids at the bottom begin to toast. That’s what creates its deep, nutty, almost hazelnut-like flavor.

Makes about 120 g brown butter
Ingredients
150 g unsalted butter

Equipment:

Small saucepan, for the brown butter
Heatproof bowl
Digital kitchen scale

METHOD

Put the butter in a clean, dry pan over medium heat. It will first melt, then foam as the water cooks off. Give the pan a gentle swirl every 15 to 20 seconds.

After a few minutes, the foam will begin to thin and golden milk solids will appear on the bottom of the pan. The aroma will change from buttery to deeply nutty and toasted. This usually takes around 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the pan, heat and quantity of butter.

As soon as the butter reaches a deep golden colour, remove it from the heat and pour it immediately into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.

If the milk solids are golden, keep them. They hold much of the flavour. If they have burned and turned black, strain them out through a fine sieve.

Watch the colour and aroma rather than the clock. Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt very quickly.

Kabak borani is one of the best uses of zucchini I know, and it barely looks like a recipe. Zucchini, yogurt, garlic, olive oil.

In Turkey, some version of borani has been landing on meze tables for generations. Zucchini in summer, spinach in winter, always with yogurt and garlic. Though ask around and the definition slips. In Urfa it’s a winter dish of lamb, chard stalks and chickpeas, with fried bulgur köfte spooned over the top.

It’s cool and garlicky, with the sweetness of cooked zucchini, plenty of good olive oil and, in this version, lime zest, mint and basil. Dill would be completely at home here too.

I make it throughout summer, the kind of thing that finds its place easily among everything else on the table.

Kabak Borani (Zucchini With Garlicky Yogurt)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

3 medium zucchini (about 600 g)
400 g thick strained yogurt
2 garlic cloves
Zest of 1 lime
2 sprigs fresh mint
1 sprig fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for cooking
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, to finish
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Grate the zucchini. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and cook over medium-low heat until all the water has gone. Salt only after cooking.

Spread on a plate and let cool until just warm.

Crush the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Whisk into the yogurt.

Fold in the zucchini. Grate over the lime zest, finely chop the mint and basil and add. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish generously with olive oil and a few mint leaves. Serve cool rather than fridge-cold. It keeps, covered in the fridge, for up to 2 days.

MENU

Kabak Borani (Zucchini With Garlicky Yogurt)
Cool, garlicky, with mint, basil and lime zest.

Domates Pilaki
Tomatoes Braised in Olive Oil, Served Cold

Közlenmiş Biber Salatası (Charred Peppers in Olive Oil)
Blistered until black, peeled, dressed with olive oil, garlic and a little vinegar.

Grilled fish (Sea Bream or Seabass)
Whole fish, olive oil, lemon, nothing else. Very Aegean, very August.

Maraş Ice Cream
With Fresh Figs, and Tahini With Grape Molasses

Karpuz
Ice-Cold Watermelon

A good focaccia is really a question of olive oil. Some of it goes into the dough, a generous film goes under it in the tray, and the last of it goes over the top in a brine of oil and water that settles into the dimples and half fries the surface as it bakes. Salt, herbs and time do the rest.

This one comes out thin and gold, crackling at the edges, tender through the middle, with a base you can hear against the knife. Cut into squares with tomatoes on top, split and filled for sandwiches, or eat it as is.

My friend Francesca, an Italian chef, shared this recipe with me after making it in a Michelin-starred kitchen in Malta. Like many professional recipes, it was written for three-kilo batches, stronger flour and commercial ovens. What follows is my home version, scaled to one tray and adapted in just two places.

The flour. The original assumes strong professional bread flour. The flour on most Turkish supermarket shelves is generally not too high in protein. So I wanted a recipe that works with what is actually on the shelf. Because stronger flour absorbs more water, I reduced the hydration from 80% to 74%, making it work with the bread flour most of us can easily find.

The time. Francesca’s version is a same day dough: three hours of folding and resting, then bake. I have kept that, and added a second route. If you have the time, the dough spends the night in the fridge instead, and comes out better for it. Both are below. Neither is the compromise.

Everything else is hers, including the detail that gives the recipe away: the water goes in cold, and in a hot kitchen, part of it goes in as ice. Cold water slows the dough from the first minute, which is the entire idea. There is very little yeast here, and almost no work. What looks like effort in a good focaccia is really just time.

Fold it, let it rest, and trust the process.

Francesca’s Focaccia

Yield: About 800 g dough, 4 to 6 servings

Time, same day version: About 20 minutes of work, then 3 hours of resting and folding, then baking.

Time, overnight version: Day one, 20 minutes of work and 2 hours of resting and folding, then overnight in the fridge. Day two, about 2 hours before it goes in the oven, almost all of it unattended.

INGREDIENTS:

For the dough
500 g bread flour, 11-12% protein
370 g cold water, part of it ice water if your kitchen is hot
12 g fine salt
25 g extra virgin olive oil
1 g instant dry yeast
For the tray and the top
30 to 40 g extra virgin olive oil, for the tray
20 g water, 20 g extra virgin olive oil and a good pinch of fine salt, whisked together
Flaky salt

Topping options:
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Tomatoes, sliced thin and patted dry
Courgette, sliced very thin
Olives, pressed into the dough
Fresh rosemary or thyme

Equipment

A digital scale
33 x 22.5 cm shallow tray
A stand mixer with a dough hook
A lidded container (roughly 2 litres)
A wire rack
A small bowl and a whisk or fork
A dough scraper
A serrated bread knife

METHOD

Put the flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the cold water and mix on the lowest speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until the dough comes together. It will look rough and shaggy. Do not try to make it smooth. Cover and rest 15 minutes.

Add the salt and mix on low for 3 minutes, until you cannot feel it in the dough. Add the olive oil in a slow stream, mixing on speed 2 for 4 to 5 minutes. Raise to speed 3 for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the dough turns smooth and starts gathering around the hook. It should pull away from the sides while still clinging to the bottom, and it will be very soft and tacky.

Oil a lidded container lightly, transfer the dough, cover, and leave it 30 minutes.

Fold, three times, 30 minutes apart. Wet your hands. Take one edge of the dough, lift it gently upward, and fold it over onto itself. Turn the container and repeat on all four sides. That is one fold. Cover, rest 30 minutes, then repeat, twice more.

The dough changes noticeably with each fold. After the first fold it is slack and formless. By the second it resists a little and holds its shape. By the third it is smooth, puffy and full of air.

For same day baking cover and leave the dough at room temperature for 1 more hour after the third fold. This is the original, and it makes an excellent focaccia.

If you have time, cover tightly and refrigerate 18 to 24 hours after the third fold. The next day, take the dough out and leave it at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes before going on.

Oil the tray generously, more than feels sensible.

Loosen the dough around the edges of the container, then tilt it and let the dough fall out under its own weight. Do not pull it. Guide it gently, preserving as much of the trapped air as possible.

Let it spread. Rest 15 minutes before you touch it, then ease it outward with oiled fingers toward the corners. If it resists, stop and give it another 10 minutes.

Cover and leave in the tray 45 to 60 minutes, until it looks puffy and soft and has reached the edges. Heat the oven to 220°C now and let it come fully up to temperature.

Whisk the water, olive oil and salt. Dip your fingertips in it and press straight down into the dough, all the way to the tray, making deep dimples across the whole surface. Then pour the rest over so it settles into the holes. Add your toppings and a little flaky salt, and rest 10 to 15 minutes before baking.

For courgette, toss the thin slices with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt, then lay them flat and slightly overlapping, pressing each into a dimple so it does not slide off in the oven.

For cherry tomatoes, set them cut side up and press until anchored. Scatter over herbs and a little flaky salt. Rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Bake 22 to 30 minutes at 220°C, until the top is deep gold and the underside is properly coloured. Lift a corner with a spatula and look. Pale underneath means it is not finished.

Slide the focaccia out of the tray and put it straight onto the oven rack, or onto a hot stone, for another 5 to 10 minutes. This is what makes the base crisp.

Cool on a wire rack, not in the tray, so the underside does not sit in its own steam. Rest a few minutes, then cut.

Kitchen Notes

Fermentation is driven by temperature, so in a cool kitchen every rise will take longer than the times given here. Judge the dough by it’s volume and by how it feels, not by the clock.

If you can get strong bread flour at 13 percent protein or above, use it, and try adding 20 to 30 g more water.

Best within a few hours, and still very good at room temperature later the same day, which makes it the right thing to take to a beach, picnic or a boat. Reheat leftovers for 5 minutes in a hot oven.

A simple blueberry muffin with a high-domed top and a bright note of lemon. The sumac sugar gives the crust a subtle tang that makes them feel a little more interesting than the classic version.

These are the kind of muffins I like to bake in summer, when blueberries are plentiful and breakfast doesn’t need much more than good coffee and something warm from the oven. Best eaten the day they are made, preferably while still slightly warm.

Blueberry Muffins

Makes 6 muffins

INGREDIENTS:

210 g all-purpose flour
8 g baking powder
3 g fine sea salt
110 g sugar
zest of 1 lemon
80 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, at room temperature
80 g milk, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
160 g blueberries
2 tbsp sugar + 2 tsp sumac + pinch of salt for topping

Equipment

6-cup muffin pan
6 paper liners (optional)
Large mixing bowl
Medium bowl
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Fine-mesh sieve
Wire rack

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Butter a 6-cup muffin pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant and slightly damp.

Add the eggs and whisk just until smooth. Add the melted butter, milk and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.

Toss the blueberries with 1 teaspoon of the measured flour and gently fold them into the batter.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each almost to the top.

Sprinkle the tops evenly with the sumac sugar.

Place the pan in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 200°C. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

The muffins are best the day they are baked, but they can be wrapped individually and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

There is a reason this cake keeps coming back. It asks for very little precision in the way a classic cheesecake does, but it still needs attention. The surface should go dark, not politely golden. The center should stay soft and custardy. I like the center soft and custardy, almost spoonable at the very middle. The edges should rise, collapse, and wrinkle as it cools. It is a cake built around contrast: deeply burnished top, pale custard center, a little bitterness against all that cream.

I like it because it is generous without being fussy. No biscuit base, no water bath, no careful decoration. Just cream cheese, eggs, sugar, cream, and enough heat to push everything slightly past where you think it should go. The oven does most of the work, but the timing matters. Pull it too early and it won’t set properly. Leave it too long and you lose the spoonable, almost custardy middle that makes the cake worth making.

This is the version I come back to when I want dessert to feel simple but still complete. It slices cleanly once chilled, but never loses that soft, heavy center. I like it plain, cold from the fridge, with coffee. If anything goes next to it, it should be sharp or barely sweet: roasted fruit, sour cherry, a spoon of thick cream, or nothing at all.

San Sebastian Cheesecake

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

300 g cream cheese
300 g mascarpone
190 g sugar
4 eggs
300 ml cream
20 g cornstarch
3 g salt
4 g vanilla extract

Equipment

20 cm springform pan
2 large sheets of parchment paper
Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Rubber spatula
Small mixing bowl
Whisk
Fine sieve, optional
Thin knife for slicing

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 240°C.

Line a 20 cm springform pan with two large sheets of parchment paper, crossing them so the paper rises well above the rim of the pan. The cheesecake will rise dramatically in the oven, then collapse as it cools.

Bring the cream cheese, mascarpone, eggs, and cream fully to room temperature before beginning. This step is essential for a smooth batter and an even bake.

Place the cream cheese and mascarpone in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes, just until smooth.

Add the sugar and mix on low speed until the mixture becomes completely smooth and glossy for 4-5 minutes. Stop once to scrape the bowl and paddle thoroughly so the mixture blends evenly. The texture should resemble thick frosting with absolutely no visible lumps.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed continuously. After the eggs are fully incorporated, stop and scrape the bowl again.

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch, salt and cream until smooth, and add this mixture to the batter. Mix on low speed just until smooth, then add the vanilla extract and mix briefly to combine.

For the smoothest texture, pass the batter through a fine sieve into another bowl, then pour it into the prepared pan and tap the pan lightly on the counter to release any large air bubbles.

Let the batter sit for 15–30 minutes at room temperature.

Bake at 240°C for 30-33 minutes, watching the cake rather than relying only on the clock. It is ready when the top is deeply caramelized and almost burnt in places, the edges are set and beginning to pull slightly away from the parchment, and the center still trembles like custard when the pan is gently shaken.

If the center moves like liquid rather than a soft wobble, bake it for a few minutes longer. If the top darkens too quickly before the edges are set, reduce the temperature slightly next time, as home ovens vary considerably.

Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature for 3–4 hours, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Slice cold with a thin knife, wiping the blade clean between each cut.

This version stays close to the kind of yayla çorbası that appears in home kitchens: simple, gentle, and finished with mint butter. What matters here is not complexity but balance. The rice should soften enough to thicken the broth, and the yogurt should be warmed slowly so the soup stays smooth and silky.

Yayla Çorbası

INGREDIENTS:

500 g yogurt
1 large egg yolk
60 g (about ⅓ cup) short-grain rice (Baldo or Osmancık),
1 liter (4 cups) water
8 g (1-2tsp) salt

For finishing:
40 g (3 tbsp) butter, ghee or olive oil
2 tsp dried mint
A pinch of pul biber
Green oil, optional

METHOD

Rinse the rice briefly and put it in a heavy pot with the water and half the salt. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook uncovered until the rice is very soft and the liquid looks lightly cloudy and slightly thickened, about 15 to 18 minutes. The rice should look a little swollen and fuzzy at the edges.

While the rice cooks, build the soul of the soup. In a wide bowl, whisk the yogurt until completely smooth and glossy. Add the egg yolk and whisk again until fully integrated and pale. The mixture should flow like loose cream.

Once the rice is ready, reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Ladle some of the hot rice cooking liquid into the yogurt mixture, one ladle at a time, whisking constantly. Continue with 3 to 4 ladles, until the yogurt mixture feels warm and looks noticeably looser.

Pour the tempered yogurt mixture back into the pot in a steady stream, stirring gently but constantly. Keep the heat very low and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the soup lightly coats a spoon. Do not let it boil. Season with the remaining salt and taste.

If the soup feels thin at the end, keep it at a very gentle simmer a little longer. Usually that means the rice needs a bit more time to release its starch and the soup needs a little more time to reduce.

For the finishing oil, melt the butter, or heat the oil, in a small pan over medium heat until fragrant. Add the dried mint and pul biber, let them bloom for a few seconds, then immediately pour over the soup. Rest the soup off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.

Kitchen Notes

For extra protein, you can add cooked chickpeas or green lentils. Make sure they are very soft, and add them during the final 10 to 12 minutes over low heat so they warm through gently.

It’s easy to end up with more than one lemon cake recipe. Most of them are good. A few stay.

This is the one that does. It’s simple, consistent, and easy to return to. The crumb stays soft, the lemon comes through clearly, and the glaze finishes it without weighing it down.

Nothing complicated, just a cake you’ll find yourself reaching for again.

Classic Lemon Loaf Cake

INGREDIENTS:

240 g all-purpose flour
7 g baking powder
2 g baking soda
3 g fine salt
20 g poppy seeds
120 g sugar
Zest of 3 large lemons
100 g unsalted butter, soft
40 ml olive oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
20 ml fresh lemon juice
150 g full-fat strained yogurt
5 g vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze:
200 g icing sugar
35–45 ml fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.

Butter and line a 22.5 × 11.5 cm loaf tin.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.

Rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant and slightly damp.

Using a paddle attachment, cream the butter and lemon sugar on medium speed for 3–4 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly stream in the olive oil.

Add the eggs one at a time, letting each one fully incorporate before adding the next. The mixture should look glossy and stable, not split.

Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla.

Briefly stir the yogurt to loosen it, then add it to the batter and mix on low speed just until combined.

Add the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula just until the flour is fully incorporated. Do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Run a buttered knife lightly through the center to encourage an even crack.

Bake for 45–55 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let the cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out and cool completely on a rack.

For the glaze, place the icing sugar in a bowl. Add most of the lemon juice, holding some back, and stir to a thick but pourable consistency.

Once the cake is fully cool, place it on a rack with parchment underneath. Pour the glaze down the center, letting it settle and drip naturally over the sides. You can gently tilt the cake to help it spread.

Leave at room temperature until the glaze sets, about 45 minutes. If needed, 15 minutes in the fridge will set it faster.

If the cake is already glazed, you can keep it loosely covered at room temperature for a day or refrigerate it for a few days, but the glaze will lose its clean finish and soften. If not serving the same day, store the cake wrapped airtight at room temperature or in the fridge, keep the glaze refrigerated in a sealed container, and pour it over just before serving.

Kitchen Notes

Dark nonstick loaf pans bake hotter and give deeper color. If using a light aluminum pan, increase the oven temperature slightly to 175°C or allow for a slightly longer bake.

It’s just honey, chilies, and aromatics, left alone for a few days. The honey softens, the heat settles in, and everything rounds out quietly.

I often make it planning to turn it into butter later on. But it’s just as useful kept as is, used a spoonful at a time.

Fermented Chili Honey

INGREDIENTS:

3 whole dried chilies or 4 fresh red chilies
3 garlic cloves
1 small red onion
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
300-350 ml honey (enough to fully submerge)

METHOD

Place the chilies, garlic, onion, thyme, and rosemary in a clean, sterilised glass jar. Pack gently; do not crush or bruise the aromatics.

Pour over the honey until all the solids are fully submerged. At first it may look like there isn’t quite enough honey. Give it a few minutes, then stir gently and tap the jar on the counter to help everything settle. The honey will sink, the vegetables will soften slightly, and the level will even out. Add more honey only if needed.

Seal the jar loosely and keep it at room temperature, ideally somewhere between 18–22°C and out of direct light.

Once a day, open the jar briefly to release any built-up gas. Gently stir or tilt the jar to make sure everything remains submerged. Nothing should be sitting above the surface of the honey.

After 48 hours, taste. At this stage the honey should be aromatic, lightly spicy, and just beginning to show acidity. For more depth and roundness, continue fermenting for up to five days, tasting daily. Stop when the balance of heat, sweetness, and acidity feels right to you.

At this point, you can keep the honey as is, or you can strain it.

Once ready, seal the jar tightly and refrigerate. The flavour will continue to mellow, but fermentation will slow significantly.

Stored in the fridge, it keeps well for 2–3 months. If you ever see mould on the surface, discard the batch.

Kitchen Notes

Red onion is optional. It adds a deeper, more savoury edge, which can be great in some contexts. If you’re planning to use this mostly with eggs, toast, yogurt, or butter, you may prefer to leave it out. Try both and see where it fits in your kitchen.

Make sure the herbs are washed and fully dried before adding them. If using dried chilies, rinse briefly and pat dry to remove surface dust.

The most important thing is keeping everything submerged. If solids sit exposed to air for extended periods, mould can occasionally develop. A gentle stir or tilt now and then usually prevents this.

How to Use It

I think of this fermented chili honey as a seasoning rather than a condiment.

A small spoon stirred into a simple vinaigrette with lemon or vinegar, olive oil, and salt works beautifully with bitter greens, radicchio, endive, turnips, or shaved cabbage.

A few drops over roasted vegetables go a long way, especially with some crumbled cheese and toasted nuts.

It’s excellent with eggs. Just a little over fried or over-easy eggs, with olive oil and flaky salt, works best when there’s a crisp edge and a runny yolk to balance the sweetness.

And it’s very good with cheese: beyaz peynir, feta, goat cheese, halloumi, baked brie, even grilled cheese, either inside or brushed on top.

Fermented Chili Honey Butter

INGREDIENTS:

100 g unsalted butter
2 tsp fermented chili honey
A generous pinch of salt

METHOD

This is the most natural place this honey ends up in my kitchen.

I let the butter soften first, until it’s fully relaxed and easy to work with. If the fermented honey contains solids, I either purée it until smooth or strain it. You want everything to integrate easily into the fat.

The honey goes into the butter gradually, a little at a time, with a generous pinch of salt. I taste as I go. The goal isn’t sweetness; it’s balance. The butter should taste savoury first, with heat and sweetness following quietly behind. If it feels too forward, a squeeze of lemon usually brings it back into line.

Once it tastes right, I spoon it onto parchment paper or stretch film, roll it into a compact log, and chill it until firm. From there it can be sliced into coins or frozen in small moulds.

This butter is especially good melted over corn or potatoes, used to finish roasted vegetables, or simply spread on warm toast with flaky salt.

This is a smooth leek soup with potato for body and orange added at the end.

The leek-potato base is classic for good reason. Leeks have that gentle allium sweetness, and potato provides body without heaviness. Blended smooth, it becomes silky in a way that feels almost indulgent but stays light.

The orange goes in after cooking, off the heat, so it stays bright and clean.

Nothing stands out. The texture is smooth, the flavor is calm, the finish is fresh.

Leek and Potato Soup with Orange

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

200 g leeks, sliced crosswise into 2 cm pieces
150 g spring onions, sliced crosswise into 2 cm pieces
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
½ onion, chopped
700 ml vegetable or chicken stock
1 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Garnish:
4 fresh parsley sprigs, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

METHOD:

In a medium saucepan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over low heat. Add the leeks, spring onions, and onion with a pinch of salt, stirring occasionally. Sweat gently for 6-8 minutes until soft and fragrant, without browning, to bring out their natural sweetness.

Add the diced potato and pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 30 minutes until all vegetables are tender.

Stir in the orange zest and juice, cover and let it infuse off the heat for 5–10 minutes.

Blend the soup in a high-speed blender until completely smooth. For a velvety texture, strain through a fine sieve or chinois. If needed, adjust the consistency with a splash of warm stock.

Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with chopped parsley.

The classic whole chicken + vegetables + soup method is great for families or weekends. In a typical home kitchen, you boil the bird for soup. In a Turkish kitchen, we take it a step further, using the leftover shredded meat and the reserved liquid to make tavuk pilav. It’s a classic cycle of efficiency, and it works.

But if you’re cooking for yourself, and you don’t want to be managed by a mountain of leftover chicken meat, there’s another way.

There is a fundamental difference between a stock made from a whole chicken and a stock made with intention. Especially in winter, I make stock because I want stock.

The gelatinous stock is the technician’s choice. By using high-collagen parts like wings and feet (if you can find them), you create a liquid that actually changes the physics of your food. When cold, it’s a solid jelly. When hot it has a lip-smacking richness that acts as a natural emulsion. It makes sauces glossy and gives everything it touches a certain weight and presence. It’s about mouthfeel as much as flavor.

Then, there is the classic whole-bird stock. This is the one you make for elegance and clarity. It’s light, aromatic, and especially in winter it feels medicinal. In Turkey, if you’re sick, someone brings you chicken soup. No one asks why; we just know.

A great chicken stock is not about flavoring the water.

It is about extracting gelatin cleanly from the right parts of the chicken.

Gelatinous chicken stock

INGREDIENTS:

3 kg chicken wings, necks, feet or frames
3 large onions, halved
2 large leeks, white and pale green only, coarsely chopped
2 celery, coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, coarsely chopped
Thumb sized ginger, sliced, optional
Aromatics: 1 Bay leaf + fresh thyme + peppercorns + parsley stems
4-5 litres cold filtered water

What I use at home
If you do not butcher chickens, or can’t find feet or necks, you can buy extra wings. Ask your butcher to remove breasts and thighs for cooking and use the rest (carcass and wings) for the stock.

METHOD

Soak bones in cold running water for 30 minutes before cooking to remove all traces of blood.

Place the chicken parts in a large pot and cover fully with cold water.

Bring slowly to 85–90 °C over medium-low heat. This will take at least 45 minutes. Never boil.

As the liquid approaches a simmer, skim the surface a couple of times to remove the scum. Do not stir if you want your stock to stay clear.

It’s much easier to skim thoroughly when the pot contains only chicken. Once the liquid is clean, add the vegetables and aromatics.

If you want to rescue some wing meat, lift the wings about 30 minutes after the pot reaches a gentle simmer, then return the bones to the pot.

Maintain the same gentle temperature, uncovered, for 3–4 hours. The surface should show only an occasional bubble.

Always keep your bones and vegetables fully submerged. If needed, top up with boiling water.

Taste. It should be deeply chicken-forward, slightly sweet, clean, and restrained.

Remove from heat and let settle for 20 minutes.

To strain, do not pour the pot through a sieve. Use a ladle to gently move the liquid through a chinois lined with a damp muslin cloth or coffee filter.

Cool rapidly and refrigerate. When cold, it should wobble.

Once the stock is fully chilled, the fat will rise and set into a solid cap. You can lift it off easily with a spoon or use a fat separator after straining.

Classic homemade chicken stock

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole chicken (1.5–2 kg)
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 leeks, coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
Thumb-sized ginger, sliced
Aromatics: 1 Bay leaf, fresh thyme, peppercorns, parsley stems
Peel of 1 tomato, only in summer, optional
Cold water, to cover

METHOD

Place the whole chicken and vegetables in a large pot and cover with cold water.

Bring up very slowly to a gentle simmer, skimming as foam rises. Once the pot reaches a bare simmer, start timing.

After 45–60 minutes at a gentle simmer, the chicken will be cooked through but not falling apart. Lift the whole chicken out carefully and let it cool slightly.

Remove the usable meat. Reserve for soups, salads, chicken rice, or other dishes.

Return the carcass, skin, bones, and connective tissue to the pot. Add the aromatics.

Continue simmering for 1½–2½ hours more. Strain and cool.

How to Use It

- Cook rice and grains like bulgur, barley, farro, freekeh with it
- A few tablespoons to finish vegetables
- A splash in the pan instead of water to create a pan sauce
- Use in braises and stews and soups
⁃ Simple brothy meals

Every cuisine has a green sauce. Sometimes it’s chopped by hand, sometimes pounded, sometimes blended smooth. Chimichurri, salsa verde, gremolata, pistou, zhoug, herbed yogurt, green chutney. Different names, different ratios, same instinct.

A green sauce restores balance. Cooked food, especially grilled or roasted food, loves contrast. It brings freshness to rich dishes, gives direction to simple ones, and makes plates feel finished.

This is the version I keep coming back to. Not because it is traditional or fixed, but because it is adaptable. The herbs change with the season. The texture depends on how you cut it.

Once you understand the recipe, you stop following it and start building the sauce from what you have and love. That is when it becomes something you actually use, not just something you make once.

A Simple Herb Sauce

Makes 1 cup

INGREDIENTS:

70 g herbs of choice (parsley, cilantro, mint, tarragon, chives, basil)
15 g capers, rinsed, drained, and very finely chopped
1 small garlic clove (or ½ large), crushed to a paste
5 g (1 tsp) Dijon mustard
20 ml fresh lemon juice
10 ml (2 tsp) red or white wine vinegar
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
½ anchovy fillet, rinsed, drained and mashed to a paste

METHOD

Pile the herbs on a board and finely chop with a sharp knife.

Transfer the herbs to a bowl and fold in the capers, garlic paste, and anchovy paste, if using.

Add the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar. While stirring continuously, drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream. The sauce should become glossy, not thick or creamy.

Finish with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Allow the sauce to rest for 10–15 minutes before serving so the flavors can come together.

Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature and stir before using.

To keep the color vibrant, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce.

Make or Break

You can use a mortar and pestle or a blender. Knife or mortar gives brightness and texture. A blender creates a more emulsified and spoonable texture. If blending, pulse briefly so you stay in control of the texture.

Add acid before oil so the acid can penetrate and sharpen the greens. Oil coats the herbs. Once coated, acid can no longer penetrate. Acid opens the door. Oil locks it in.

How to Use It

– With grilled chicken, lamb, steak or fish
– Over roasted vegetables
– With omelets
– Swirled into yogurt or labneh
– As a cold sauce for raw vegetables
– Excellent with lentils, chickpeas, or white beans