The other day I had a glimpse of what it feels to be a chef (as opposed to a cook). We had a family of regulars over at our countryside restaurant. They are an Istanbul couple whose weekend house is conveniently located near to our place in Sapanca. And they are parents to a little blue-eyed girl, a dream of any Turkish mother or grandmother (ask my mother-in-law). Placing their order they inquired whether I can make “my pasta”.
“My pasta” dish came out of my frustration with traditional Turkish food and, possibly fueled by that strong emotion, it turned so well that Özgür, a big promoter of my dids, immediately put it on the special menu - a range of things we offfer to our regulars knowing their food preferences. In his eyes these regulars in question looked like those who would like my pasta. And they did like it enough to order it every time they come now.
This time was no exception. “Could you make your pasta, you think?”, the lady asked. “The very same way?” - I wanted to be sure. “Yes!” she replied. I make small quantities of fresh pasta shaped as little bows, dry it and store for the occasions like that. When someone craves for “my pasta”.
I went down and launched the known course of action: vegetables to chop, water to boil, pasta to cook. As I was making the sauce I got thinking how could someone possibly want the same pasta with the same sauce on a number of occasions in a raw. I am a cook who is too bored to make the same soup in exactly the same way second time. For instance, when making two Turkish staples - red lentil soup and bulgur pilaf - I always feel great discomfort about repeating myself.
But then I thought about the cases on my Istanbul food tours and in my regular life when I order the same meals over and over again. And enjoy them over and over again. And this is why I come to those places - for the flavors which I liked once and for the safety of finding them every time I come back. Sometimes for days before going to an eatery I may be anticipating a familiar meal. And if - God forbids - the flavor changes how disappointed I get. I have always known this as a restaurant goer but now have learned the same thing as a chef. The one creating flavors and kept accountable for preserving them.
I cooked these stuffed green peppers inspired by the recipe of Aegeaneating. I was itching to make them since the moment I saw her post. It felt like both my food and our food at the same time: meaning I would enjoy it very much and my Turkish eaters would too and I will not break the bank making it frequently since the dish utilizes not so great looking peppers and cheese leftovers.
I made them for breakfast. It fits the idea of the Turkish breakfast elaborate fare. Şakşuka, or pieces of deep-fried eggplant, zucchini, green and red peppers served under the garlicky tomato sauce. Or hurdali biber, yet another surprising dish of my mother-in-law making good use of the green peppers that have lost their glamorously glossy look: they are simmered in olive oil with tomato until the peppers are wilted and the color of tomatoes deepen which is when the cottage cheese is thrown in and a most wonderful bread spread emerges. Or take my mother-in-laws hot sandwiches that make use of stale bread topped with the mixture of chopped tomato, pepper, herbs and yoghurt. These green pepper boats stuffed with cheese are definitely next in the line.
Özgür curiously looked at the tray that just came out of the oven. “What are they?” And in a few minutes he replied to himself, “These can be a hot starter on our menu”. And who knows - maybe this will be the flavor I would be accountable for preserving from now on.
Stuffed Green Pepper Boats
Green peppers stuffed with cheese, herbs and vegetables are incredibly juicy and packed with the flavor of the passing summer (yes, it’s still +30C here!)
Source: Adapted from aegeaneating.com
Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 15 Min
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 8 medium Italian peppers washed and drained
- 2 cups mixed cheese (feta, cottage cheese, cheddar, blue cheese, mozzarella - anything goes and the mix of a few is best), crumbled or chopped
- 1/2 red pepper finely chopped
- 1 medium size tomato skinned and coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbsp chopped basil leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped dill
- 2 tbsp cured olives pitted and chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- vegetable oil for greasing the tray
- salt to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste
Directions
- Hollow the peppers: Preheat the oven to 180C/355F. Make a lengthwise cut as if you wanted to halve your pepper but don’t go all the way to the stem and leave about 1 cm of the pepper near the stem - sort of a hood of your little pepper canoe. Cut off the long upper part of the pepper and set aside. Gently working with a paring knife remove the seeds.
- Stuff the peppers: Finely chop the set aside cuts of the green peppers. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss in the finely chopped parts of the green peppers. Grease the tray. Stuff the hollowed peppers with the mixture and line them up on the tray. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the peppers soften up. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve hot.
