What's In Season - During January

During January the following fruits and vegetables are available in the local markets:

. . . 

Apple (elma)

Aubergine (patlıcan)
Bananas (muz)
Beetroot (pancar)
Bell pepper (dolmalık bibier)
Black Zebra Tomatoes (Black Zebra domates) (see photo)
Borlotti bean (barbunya pilaci)
Cabbage, white and red (lahana)
Carrot (havuç)
Cauliflower (kamıbahar)
Celeriac (kereviz)

Chard (pazı) - (see photo)

Chestnuts (kestane)
Courgette (kabak)
Cucumber (salatalık/hıyar)

Eggplant (patlıcan)
Garlic (sarımsak)
Gherkin (acur or kornişon)
Green pepper (yeşil biber)
Hot pepper (açı biber)
Kale (kıvırcık lahana)
Leek (pırasa)
Lemon (limon)
Lettuce (yeşil salata)
Mandarin (mandalina)
Mint (nane)
Mushroom (manta)
Okras (bamya)
Onion (soğan)
Oranges (portakal) these are large, juicy and very sweet this month
Parsley (maydonaz)
Peanut (yerfıstığı)
Pear (armut)
Pomegranates (nar)
Potato (patates)
Pumpkin (balkabağı) - (see photo) 

Quince (ayva)
Red pepper (kırmızıbiber)
Rocket (roka)
Romanesco Cauliflower (Romanesco kamıbahar)
Squash (balkabağı) -
Tomato (domates)
Turnip (şalgam) there are white, black and pink skinned varieties around at the moment and are often sold as mixed.  The pink skinned ones are also often referred to as radish.
Walnuts (ceviz)

What's In Season - During November

During November the following fruits and vegetables are available in the local markets.


Apple (elma)
Aubergine (patlıcan)
Bananas (muz)
Beetroot (pancar)
Bell pepper (dolmalık bibier)
Borlotti bean (barbunya pilaci)
Cabbage, white and red (lahana)
Carrot (havuç)
Cauliflower (kamıbahar)
Celeriac (kereviz)
Chard (pazı)
Chestnuts (kestane)
Courgette (kabak)
Cucumber (salatalık/hıyar)
Dill leaves (dereotou)
Eggplant (patlıcan)
Fig (incir)
Garlic (sarımsak)
Gherkin (acur or kornişon)
Green pepper (yeşil biber)
Hot pepper (açı biber)
Kale (kıvırcık lahana)
Leek (pırasa)
Lemon (limon)
Lettuce (yeşil salata)
Mandarin (mandalina)
Mint (nane)
Mushroom (manta)
Okras (bamya)
Onion (soğan)
Oyster Mushroom (çıg mantarı)
Parsley (maydonaz)
Peanut (yerfıstığı)
Pear (armut)
Pomegranates (nar)
Potato (patates)
Pumpkin (balkabağı)
Quince (ayva)
Red pepper (kırmızıbiber)
Red Pine Mushroom (cıntar mantarı)
Rocket (roka)
Squash (balkabağı)
Tomato (domates)
Turnip (şalgam) there are two main types one round, about the size of a cricket ball with black skin and one with very white skin and about 1/2 foot long and shaped like a carrot but at least 3 times as thick
Walnuts (ceviz)

Pumpkin Puree

With Halloween just around the corner and pumpkins in plentiful supply, you may find yourself looking at various pumpkin recipes.  Most of these recipes talk about tinned pumpkin, now, if like me you cannon get tinned pumpkin, then make your own, it is simple, and I have read a lot tastier.  Most recipes mention a 15 ounce can of pumpkin, if you substitute this with 1 and 3/4 cups of pumpkin, you will be about right.  Other recipes mention using 1 cup of pumpkin puree.  As I am going to freeze the puree until I need it, I will bag up some in 1 and 3/4 cup quantities and some in 1 cup quantities, so I am ready for any recipe.

To prepare the puree, if you pumpkin is whole, cut it into large chunks and remove the strings and seeds from the centre you can leave the skin on, it will easily peel off later.  Place in a baking tray, you don't need to add any oil.  Bake in the oven at 170c for around 45 mins, until the pumpkin feels soft when prodded with a fork.  Even if your pumpkin is already peeled, bake in the same way, you just may not need to cook it for quite as long.

Allow to cool slightly, until easy to handle, and peel off the skins, which should come away easily.  Place the peeled pumpkin and any juices left in the bottom of the baking tray into a food processor or blender and blend to a smooth paste.

When cold transfer to you containers and place in the freezer until needed.  It can also be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for a few days.

What's In Season - During October

During October the following fruits and vegetables are available in the local markets.  We are nearing the end of the month and the markets are a hive of activity with plenty of fresh, cheap, fruit and vegetables.

Apple (elma)
Aubergine (patlıcan)
Bananas (muz)
Beetroot (pancar)
Bell pepper (dolmalık biber)
Borlotti Beans (barbunya pilaci)
Broccoli (brokoli or kıvırcık lahana)
Cabbage, white and red (lahana)

Calabrese (brokoli or kıvırcık lahana)
Carrott (havuç)
Cauliflower (karnabahar)
Celeriac (kereviz)
Courgette (kabak)
Cucumber (salatalık/hıyar)
Dates (hurma)
Eggplant (patlıcan)
Fig (incir) - these are now being sold dried
Garlic (sarımsak)
Gherkin (acur or kornişon)
Grape (üzüm) - yeşil/green, çekirdeksiz/seedless
Green Pepper (yeşil biber)
Hot Pepper (açı bibier)
Leek (pırasa)
Lemon (limon)
Lettuce (yeşil salata ve marul) cos/romaine variety
Madarine (mandalina) these are just coming into season and are still quite green and sharp
Mint (nane)
Mushroom (manta)
Okras (bamya)
Onion (soğan)
Orange (portakal)
Parsley (maydonaz)
Peanuts (fıstık)
Pear (armut)
Persimmon (trabzonhurmasi) *
Plum (eric)
Pomegranates (nar)
Potato (patates)
Pumpkin (balkabağı) these can be brought whole or in quarters
Red Pepper (kırmızıbiber)
Rocket (roka)
Squash (kabak)
Sweetcorn (misir)
Tomato (domates)
Turnip - large radish (turp)
Turnip (turp) creamy white or black coloured
Walnuts (ceviz)
Water melon (karpuz) still a few about mainly the smaller, longer, dark green with yellow stripes

* Persimmon (trabzonhurmasi) - Used in a similar way to apples and has a similar texture  can be eaten raw or cooked.

Meal Suggestion: Köfte In The Hole with Leeks In Cheese Sauce and Roasted Carrots

Here are the links to the Köfte In The Hole
http://janice-mytakeonfood.blogspot.com/2010/10/recipe-kofte-toad-in-hole.html
and Leeks In Cheese Sauce
http://janice-mytakeonfood.blogspot.com/2012/10/recipe-leeks-in-cheese-sauce.html

For the carrots I peel and slice them lengthways, place them in an oven proof dish, toss in some olive oil, season with salt and pepper and a sprinkling of caraway seeds.

All of the dishes can be cooked together in the oven.  I set the oven to 200c then firstly add the dish of carrots and bake them for 15 minutes then add the Köfte In The Hole and Leeks In Cheese Sauce and cook  until the yorkshire pudding has risen and browned, around 20 minutes.

I like to serve this meal with an onion gravy.  For this just make up your usual gravy then place it in a saucepan with some thinly sliced onion and simmer gently until the onion is soft.

Recipe: Leeks In Cheese Sauce

Ingredients - (serves 2)

1 large leek, root and outer leaf removed, thinly sliced
2tbsp butter or margarine
1tbsp flour
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to season
handful grated cheese

Method -

Melt one tbsp butter or margarine in a saucepan, add the sliced leeks and gently cook to soften the leeks.

Once they are soft, remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same saucepan melt the remaining 1tbsp butter and then add the flour, use a whisk to combine the two and cook off the flour until you are left with a paste.  Add the milk and cook until the sauce thickens.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in the grated cheese.

Stir in the cooked leeks and place in a small oven proof dish.  Place in a preheated oven at 200c for around 15 to 20 minutes until the leeks are bubbling and lightly browned on top.

Don't sell jam in re-used jars... by order of Europe: Tradition of selling home-made preserves 'breaches health and safety rules'

It really saddens me when I read articles like this one in the newspaper:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2213975/Tradition-selling-jam-used-jars-breaches-EU-health-safety-rules.html

In a time when money is tight, we are producing to many waste products, we are being encouraged to eat healthier, we are being told that a tradition that spans back centuries, which has been a staple food product for all of us and our families, is no longer safe.  Ok yes, if you were to use old jar that had not been washed, then maybe there could be a problem.  But no sensible person would use old jars that had not been washed properly.  It is common practice to heat the jars before filling them, to sterilise them and help seal the contents, what is the problem?

Sorry rant over.