Turkish Lamb Stew Recipes

HUNKAR BEGENDI - SULTAN'S DELIGHT (TURKISH LAMB STEW)

Steps:

• Season the pieces of lamb with salt and pepper. Dice the onion relatively finely and dice the pepper. Finely chop the garlic.
• Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for around 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the lamb chunks and brown on all sides. Then add the green pepper and garlic. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, thyme, oregano and tomato paste to the pot. Stir to mix through and cook a minute. Then add the stock/water. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid, then reduce the heat so that the sauce is gently simmering. Leave to cook for around 1 hour, so that the lamb is tender. (You may want to have the lid only half-on for part of this time to help the liquid reduce a little.)
• Meanwhile, cook the eggplant. If possible, cook the eggplant on a grill/BBQ or over a gas burner. (You may want to cover around the burner with foil to catch any drips.) Alternatively, preheat the oven to 430F, prick the eggplant all over with a knife, and place it on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Roast for around 40 minutes. In all cases, you are looking for the inside of the eggplant to become very soft, and if over grill/flame, the skin should be well-charred. Once cooked, leave the eggplant to cool so it is safe to handle and open.
• Once cooled, cut open the eggplant skin and scoop out the flesh. Either roughly chop and mash the flesh for a coarser texture, or blend it up for a smoother paste. In both cases, once chopped, try to drain off as much liquid as you can from the flesh as this can make it sour. If you want a really smooth puree, you can press the mixture through a fine strainer to remove the seeds.
• Make the bechamel: Melt the butter in a medium-small saucepan over a medium heat. Once melted, add the flour. Stir as it cooks for a couple minutes and becomes gently nutty smelling.
• Gradually add the milk and stir or whisk after each addition to make a smooth paste. Cook a minute or two more, as needed, to thicken slightly.
• Remove the sauce from the heat, then add the cheese and stir through so that the cheese mixes in and melts. Add the eggplant puree and stir to mix evenly through. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, either spread some of the eggplant sauce over the bottom of individual plates or all of it on the bottom of a serving platter. In both cases, spread it out so it creates a bit of a bowl in the middle to hold the stew. Add the lamb stew in the middle of the eggplant sauce and serve with bread on the side.

LAMB STEW WITH TURKISH FLAVORS

Steps:

• Pat lamb dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a wide 5-to 6-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown lamb on all sides in 3 batches until golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Add onions to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in vinegar and cook, scraping up brown bits, until vinegar has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Return lamb with meat juices to pot. Stir in stock, chickpeas, preserves, and spices (including Maras and Urfa pepper) and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Add to stew (after 1 hour) and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes and lamb are tender, about 30 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in currants, oregano, and lemon juice. Season with salt.
• Serve sprinkled with additional Maras and Urfa pepper.

TAVA OR TURKISH STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the chicken until juices run clear.
• Puree the roasted red peppers in a blender or food processor until smooth. In the prepared casserole dish, mix the cooked chicken, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and top with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

TURKISH LAMB AND QUINCE STEW (AVYA YAHNISI)

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoon oil over high heat in a deep frying pan or stew pot. Add lamb and brown it in several portions removing it to a plate when browned.
• Heat the other 2 tablespoon oil over high heat and add the onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until translucent and light golden.
• Add the pomegranate molasses and the water. Stir well, to mix in the browned juices.
• Return lamb to the pan and add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper.
• Cover and simmer for one hour. Adjust salt if necessary and check liquid form time to time.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the quinces and cook over high heat for several minutes until caramelized.Turn the pieces from time to time.
• Add sugar, cloves, and 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon, stir once, and place on top of the lamb in the pan.
• Cover, and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, until the lamb is tender, shaking the pan occasionally. Don't stir, this would damage the quinces!
• Serve hot with fresh bread, bulgur, rice or what you like!
• Note: I prepare at least the double amount of quince increasing spices and sugar. We all love quince very much!

TURKISH LAMB STEW

Steps:

• In a soup pot or Dutch oven, saute the lam over medium-high heat until brown. Add the onions, carrot, garlic, tomatoes, broth, cinnamon, alt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 40-50 minutes. Add the green beans and rice and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender.