MORDOGAN

(and AN ARTİCHOKE RECİPE  )

The Manal Bay -Mordogan- www.facebook.com/izmiraskina

A seaside town Mordogan is 80 km away from Izmir. Mordogan especialy is famous its the Catalkaya, the Ayibalıgi Kayalıkları (Seal Rocks) and the beach, the Ardic (juniper) Beach and 70 kinds of purple flower.

To go to Mordogan, you must enter Karaburun turnout located after 45 km Izmir-Cesme Highway. This is a winding road along the way shrups and olive trees which is the typical vegetation of the Aegean will accompany you.

History of Mordogan begin in Prehistoric Age.  Handmade stone axes, hand tools, pot, etc., which are extracted from Mordogan excavations are belong to 4500 BC years.

Mordogan also very famous for growing artichokes.  And now it is a delicious  Artichoke recipe.

Beyaz Kayalar (White Rocks) - Mordogan

Artichokes Stuffed With Vegetables (in Turkish Sebzeli Enginar Dolmasi)

Source: Alacati'nin Yarişan Yemekleri-2011
(Alacati's Competing Foods -2011)

Ingredients

4 artichoke

1 carrot (finely chopped)

1 tbs peas

1 potato

4 tbs rice

4 tbs olive oil

2 lemons

1 onion (finely choped)

Mordogan-Photo. by Faik Sarıkaya-

1 tbs parsley (chopped)

1tbs dill (chopped)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

o pot that exceed

Cut the peduncle of artihokes, peel off the outer shell 

until the inner yellow leaves. Cut the ends of the

leaves, so leaves's lenght now might 1/3. With the help a spoon, scrape of the inner parts. Soak in plenty of water with lemon and salt.

On the other hand, brown onion gently in olive oil. Then add to onion the boiled pieces of potato and carrot, boiled peas, choped parsley and dill, pepper and salt.
Cook this mixture in 2-3 minutes at medium heat while stirring by a spoon.

The prepared mixture is put into artichokes. Stuffed artichokes pot directory. Put water to pot thatexceeds the artichokes.  Squeeze of lemon and cook at medium heat.  After cooling to serve.

P.S. 1. If you use canned goods this recipe will be a very easy to cook.
        2. Just before serving you can pour a little olive oil on artichokes.

A wiew from Ilica

CESME-ILICA-ALACATI

 A typical mediterranean town.  There is a clear sea and wonderful beaches in Cesme.  

Mastics in Ilica

GUMULDUR-OZDERE

Summer comes to my city

In early summer one of the numerous beaches

Gumuldur 55 km from Izmir and also 35 km from Kusadasi and Ephesus.  It gas a number of hotels for acommodation. Gumuldur has a long beautiful beach.  On the opposite shore island is Samos from Greece.

Gumuldur is land of citrus. Type of Satsuma Mandarin is particularly famaus. We Turks, consume a lot of citrus. For example we use orange juice in even some dishes.
I will write that dishes in someday.

  facebook.com/izmiraskina;Many photos and
 informations, about  Izmir can be found by in this source.

                                                                                 

IMMORTAL TREE

OLIVE TREE (OLEA EUROPEA)

Olive tree  grows in warm climate countries but in fact  homeland of this tree is Mediterranean.  Avarage life of olive trees are 400-500 years, more than 1000 years old olive trees were found.  Olive is fruit of this long-lived tree and when it is a fresh fruit it's colour is green and then turns colour brown and black.

Olive oil  a lot  importand for us. It is source  of health & beauty, and of the flavor of course. Olive oil contains omega-3, so it is indispensable for a healthy diet  and at the same time are believed that has therapeutic effects against various diseases.

TYPES OF OLIVE OIL

Organic Olive Oil

In other words, ecological olive oil that products from olives that grown no used chemical fertilizer and  pesticides . At the same time olive groves areaway from highways and factories. Oleic acid ratio of this oil is 1%.

Naturel Olive Oil

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil that not exceeding 1% of oleic acid ratio. Has a dense and ripe fruity flavor.  Recommended that to be eaten raw on  salads or boiled vegetables and dip bread

• Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil that not exceeding 2% of oleic acid ratio. Recommended that to be eaten on  salads or boiled vegetables.    

  Refined olive Oil

The oil which obtained after the refining process has 0% oleic acid ratio. Prepared for those not accustomed to the taste of olive oil.

Rivieara Olive Oil 

The olive oil which obtained by  mix of a certain amount of refined virgin olive oil and natural olive oil. 

Oleic acid ratio of oil is 1%. This oil is used in cooking and frying.  

COOKING TIPS FOR OLIVE OIL RECIPES

Windy and rainy spring in Izmir. 

Izmir is windy and rainy today. Best of all, drink a cup of tea and watch the rain. So i don't want write any recipe today. Instead of write some of cooking tips for olive oil recipes.

The cooking tips for olive oil recipes:

• Extra Virgin Olive oil is not suitable for cooking. This oil loses its fruity flavor when used in cooking. This oil is suitable for salads.
• Cooked the dishes with a little olive oil. Pour a little olive oil on when the dishes are still hot. Thus, smell and taste of olive oil is more obvious
• To improves the flavor of the dishes, add a teaspoon granulated sugar when cooking olive oil dishes.
• Ingestion of olive oil dishes  warm is not recommended

BULGAR PILAV WITH DRIED TOMATOES

*Bulgar is a kind of cracked wheat.  It is used commonly in Turkey and Middle East.

Ingredients

1 onion (chopped)

2 cups bulgur

4 tbs oil

1 cup dried tomatoes 

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon blackpepper

2 cups hot water

Soak the dried tomatoes  one hour in hot water (or to skip this step, use dried tomatoes in oil ). 

The onion gently brown in 4 tbs oil. Chop the tomatoes and add. Add bulgur  and stir for 4-5 minute in medium heat . Then add 2 cups hot water, salt and black pepper. Close the top cover and simmer until water absorbed.
Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

DRIED TOMATOES SALAD

My guests loves this salad.

Ingredients

1 cup dried tomatoes
4 tbs extra virgin  olive oil
1 fresh squezed lemon
5 prunes
10 dried apricots
6 walnuts (crumbled)
2 tbs pomegranate sour souce


Soak the dried tomatoes, prunes and apricots 15 minutes in hot water. Then chop to the little pieces all of them. (If the dried tomatoes are in the oil , soak is not necessary  in the hot water ). Pour all the chopped fruits into a service bowl and add the olive oil. Serve with splinked  walnut and pomegranate sour souce.

Dried Tomatoes in Oil