It is almost Christmas...

Merhaba,

 I just cannot believe it is almost Christmas, then the New Year.
Where does the time go? It really flies; they say "if you are having fun,
time flies".  Honestly time flies no matter what, either you are

Shepherd's Salad

having fun or not.


   Anyways, since the last time I was keeping myself pretty busy.
We had a birthday party on last Thursday, we went out; and again Saturday we

had the part two at home. This holiday season I am also catering for a few
events. This catering business is actually keeping me real busy, planning the
proposal menus, having some changes on the menus, adding extras or deleting
some items. It is fun and exciting too. 

Roasted eggplants

  One of the proposed menus includes few appetizers, salads and the
main courses. I will be making humus, cacik, shepherd salad and Hunkar Begendi (sultan’s
delight).  Hunkar Begendi is another eggplant dish that I love. I roast
the eggplants and let them take a nice lemon-water bath... :) about an hour,
that keeps them turning their color darker and puree them, in
the mean time I prepare a béchamel sauce with butter, flour and milk, and in
the same pot I add the eggplant puree and whisk them together add the
gruyere cheese let them simmer together a few more minutes. In the mean time
I brown the onions, add the beef or lamb cubes and cook them together

Hunkar Begendi (Sultan's delight)

and add the crushed tomatoes keep cooking at least few hours with the Turkish
spices and herbs, adding time to time some beef broth and red wine. Finally I
serve the meat mixture over that eggplant puree with the side of basmati
rice pilaf. It is definitely for the Sultans, so delicious.

   I hope I will be able to add few more postings before the new years, if
not Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all...

From Manhattan with love... Merry Christmas...