Turkish Onion Meze Recipes

EGGPLANT AND VEGETABLE RAGOUT (ŞAKşUKA)

Steps:

• Prepare the eggplant: Cut off both ends and using the edge of a vegetable peeler or a paring knife, remove the skin in alternating strips going from top to bottom. Do this gently, saving as much flesh as you can.
• Cut the eggplant into bite-sized rectangular chunks about 2 inches long. Put the chunks of eggplant in a large mesh strainer or colander and salt well, turning with your hands to salt all sides. Let the salted eggplant rest for about 15 minutes while you prepare the other vegetables. This removes the bitterness.
• Coarsely dice the peppers, red onion, and zucchini.
• Once the vegetables are ready, pour about 2 inches of oil in a deep frying pan or saucepan and turn the heat on high. While the oil is heating, wash the eggplant in the strainer with cold water, turning it with your hands, until the salt is removed. Drain it well and blot off the extra water with paper towels before you fry them.
• Fry the eggplant until tender and just beginning to brown at the edges. Do the same with the squash. Strain out the fried vegetables and drain them on a thick layer of paper towels. Let them sit for several minutes to make sure as much oil as possible drains away.
• In the meantime, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and fry the onion, garlic, and peppers until tender.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer until the tomatoes are soft and begin to break down.
• Remove the lid, stir it well, and let the sauce simmer until most of the liquid is reduced. It should be the consistency of jarred pasta sauce.
• In a mixing bowl, add the eggplant, squash, and tomato sauce and stir together well. Put the şakşuka in a serving dish and chill for several hours. Just before serving, spoon generous amounts of garlic yogurt over the top.

TURKISH ONION MEZE

Steps:

• Finely slice the onions.
• Knead the sliced onions with a hefty amount of salt for about 5 minutes.
• Rinse the now softened onions under running water.
• Sprinkle with paprika and a drizzle of olive oil.