Tag: Mediterranean

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Omni

Turkish Chicken Kebab

oneandahalfslices turkish chicken kebab kabob yogurt marinade
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Turkish Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebab

oneandahalfslices turkish chicken kebab kabob yogurt marinade

I think it’s time to get back into bowls again. I mean, how versatile. Perfect for weeknight dinner. Maybe you all have tried my Mexicali bowls made with homemade black beans. Consider this its Mediterranean best friend. Yogurt chicken is a Turkish staple. The probiotics and enzymes in the yogurt serve to tenderize the meat keeping it super moist and juicy. The chicken chunks are best marinated overnight though, if you are really feeling lazy like I was in this recipe, I simply used half a batch of tzatziki sauce that I had whipped up for snacking as the marinade. Skewered together is Whiffletree Farm chicken and Potomac Vegetable Farms bell peppers, poblanos, and thick, juicy red onions. All on a bed of herbed, olive oil-drizzled rice. The perfect weeknight dinner.

what you need

1 large chicken breast, cut into large chunks 

3/4 of a cup of 0% fat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup of olive oil

half a bunch of fresh dill, chopped finely

salt, pepper, paprika, and/or sumac to taste 

juice from half a lemon

half a large red onion, cut into large chunks

2-3 bell peppers, sweet peppers, or peppers of choice, cut into large chunks

2 cups of basmati rice, cooked according to package instructions

fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and/or cilantro for garnish

🍢🍗🫑

how to make it

The night before or the morning of, mix Greek yogurt, olive oil, dill, spices, and lemon juice together in a container. Dice the chicken breast into large chunks and mix it into the yogurt marinade. Let sit.

Note: If using wooden skewers especially on a grill, it is best to soak them for at least one hour before cooking. You can also put tin foil on the tips to keep the wood from burning. You could also just use grown up metal skewers… but of course I don’t have those.

Place chunks of chicken and vegetables in alternating patterns on the skewers. I like to use a bell pepper cap on each end. I also like to minimize the excess yogurt on the chunks of chicken. Cook on the grill for approximately 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, rotating about every five. 

Place a cup of rice in a bowl, arrange two skewers over top, and garnish with fresh vegetables and herbs. Drizzle lightly with good olive oil and enjoy hot.
More Mediterranean
one and a half slices tzatziki cajik turkish greek

Tzatziki

Tzatziki sauce is a staple of Mediterranean cooking. There are several variations on the theme to include the Turkish Cajik and Haydari sauces. The basic idea is to combine cucumber, dill, mint, lemon, or garlic in some meaningful way and use it as a dipping sauce. It’s great with fresh vegetables or pita, but also delicious as a dipping sauce for red meat as in a kofte or kebab. Authentically, at least for Cajik, the cucumber is grated and then pressed to expel water, but this version is a whole lot simpler. It was part of our recent Mediterranean dinner

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July 16, 2022 2 Comments
one and a half slices recipe hummus Mediterranean

Hummus

Guys, I am never buying store-bought hummus again. Big statement. But it is way less difficult to make than you think. This creamy, beautiful hummus requires two cans of chickpeas and not much else. It pairs well with tzatziki/cacik sauce and is a staple for any Mediterranean spread. It also has a lot of protein for those who are #plantbased. Highly recommend. Give it a try with some homemade pita. Lemony, garlicky, imminently dippable, and minimal. 🍋🧄🍋

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November 5, 2022 No Comments
one and a half slices borek cigara boragi recipe

Borek

Borek [boh-rek] (plural Böreği) is a delicious Turkish/Eastern European street food that I added to the OneandahalfSlices repertoire in college when a Turkish friend took the time to teach me a little of his home cuisine. I would go as far as to call borek the Balkan empanada – pervasive with a distinct variation on the theme in every country. It can be baked, fried, filled with cheese, filled with greens, filled with meat, but usually involves Phyllo dough (unless you are me and are too lazy to deal with Phyllo dough). This particular borek is called Sigara because it is rolled into tubes like a cigarette. It makes a great brunch, lunch, or light dinner option (as pictured here) and has its origins in Ottoman cuisine.

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May 28, 2022 3 Comments
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Veggie

Hummus

one and a half slices recipe hummus Mediterranean
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Hummus

one and a half slices recipe hummus Mediterranean

Guys, I am never buying store-bought hummus again. Big statement. But it is way less difficult to make than you think. This creamy, beautiful hummus requires two cans of chickpeas and not much else. It pairs well with tzatziki/cacik sauce and is a staple for any Mediterranean spread. It also has a lot of protein for those who are #plantbased. Admittedly, hummus is healthier when the dippers are cucumbers and carrots, but I have an inescapable addiction to Stacy’s pita chips so hummus, unfortunately, must be consumed in moderation in my kitchen. Highly recommend.

 The key to creamy hummus is in how long you blend your chickpeas. The flavor is all in the toppers. Get creative and enjoy!

🍋🧄🍋

Lemony, garlicky, imminently dippable, and minimal. 

what you need

2 cans (30oz) chickpeas

1 cup of the chickpea liquid from the can

1/2 cup tahini

1/4-1/2 cup good olive oil

juice from 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

salt to taste 

one hell of a powerful blender

For serving: chickpeas, cucumber, halved tomato cherries, drizzle olive oil, minced parsley, sprinkle of sumac and/or paprika and/or cayenne pepper

how to make it

Place chickpeas, half of the chickpea liquid, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and spices into your ‘one hell of a powerful blender.’

Puree on high for approximately 2 minutes, adding additional chickpea liquid after two minutes if the texture isn’t becoming smooth enough. The secret to smooth hummus is just to keep blending…

Taste for flavor and add spices as needed. Spoon your hummus onto a plate and spread it out drizzling with olive oil and adding your toppers. These can be cucumbers, thinly sliced bell peppers, small feta cheese crumbles, halved cherry tomatoes, roasted pistachios, and, of course, healthy sprinkles of sumac And cayenne.

More Mediterranean
one and a half slices tzatziki cajik turkish greek

Tzatziki

Tzatziki sauce is a staple of Mediterranean cooking. There are several variations on the theme to include the Turkish Cajik and Haydari sauces. The basic idea is to combine cucumber, dill, mint, lemon, or garlic in some meaningful way and use it as a dipping sauce. It’s great with fresh vegetables or pita, but also delicious as a dipping sauce for red meat as in a kofte or kebab. Authentically, at least for Cajik, the cucumber is grated and then pressed to expel water, but this version is a whole lot simpler. It was part of our recent Mediterranean dinner

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July 16, 2022 2 Comments
caesar salad sauce recipe one and a half slices

Caesar Sauce

This is an all-purpose, HEALTHY, creamy, herby, Caesar-esque sauce for dressing salad, for dipping vegetables, and, yes, even for chicken wings. And it has become a staple weeknight meal component in this house.

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January 16, 2021 5 Comments
one and a half slices borek cigara boragi recipe

Borek

Borek [boh-rek] (plural Böreği) is a delicious Turkish/Eastern European street food that I added to the OneandahalfSlices repertoire in college when a Turkish friend took the time to teach me a little of his home cuisine. I would go as far as to call borek the Balkan empanada – pervasive with a distinct variation on the theme in every country. It can be baked, fried, filled with cheese, filled with greens, filled with meat, but usually involves Phyllo dough (unless you are me and are too lazy to deal with Phyllo dough). This particular borek is called Sigara because it is rolled into tubes like a cigarette. It makes a great brunch, lunch, or light dinner option (as pictured here) and has its origins in Ottoman cuisine.

Go To Post »
May 28, 2022 3 Comments
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Veggie

Tzatziki

one and a half slices tzatziki cajik turkish greek
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Tzatziki Yogurt Sauce

one and a half slices tzatziki cajik turkish greek

Tzatziki sauce is a staple of Mediterranean cooking. There are several variations on the theme to include the Turkish Cajik and Haydari sauces. The basic idea is to combine cucumber, dill, mint, lemon, or garlic in some meaningful way and use it as a dipping sauce. It’s great with fresh vegetables or pita, but also delicious as a dipping sauce for red meat as in kofte or kebab. Authentically, at least for Cajik, the cucumber is grated and then pressed to expel water, but this version is a whole lot simpler. It was part of our recent Mediterranean dinner – numerous interesting recipes coming your way from that one!

what you need

half a cucumber, peeled and very finely diced

1 handful of fresh dill, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons good olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 clove of garlic, diced finely

1 teaspoon paprika or cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons black pepper 

2 cups Greek yogurt of choice

Top with: thinly sliced cucumber, sprig of dill, sprinkle of sumac (optional) 

how to make it

Dice the cucumber finely and add to a bowl with dill. Add the yogurt and stir until combined. 

Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, cayenne, garlic, and pepper, and stir well to combine.

Refrigerate until ready for use. Overnight is fine. The garlic will seriously blow up in this sauce. I’m usually a fan of mega garlic but I’d tread lightly on this one. 

Spoon into a bowl, sprinkle with sumac, and top with cucumbers and dill. Serve chilled. 

Other Dipping Sauces
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Veggie

Borek

one and a half slices borek cigara boragi recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Sigara Böreği

- Turkish Street Food -

one and a half slices borek cigara boragi recipe

Borek [boh-rek] (plural Böreği) is a delicious Turkish/Eastern European street food that I added to the OneandahalfSlices repertoire in college when a Turkish friend took the time to teach me a little of his home cuisine. I would go as far as to call borek the Balkan empanada – pervasive with a distinct variation on the theme in every country. It can be baked, fried, filled with cheese, filled with greens, filled with meat, but usually involves Phyllo dough (unless you are me and are too lazy to deal with Phyllo dough).

The most common type of borek is probably Su Böreği (literally translated to water borek) which is baked in large sheets, filled with cheese or cheese and spinach, and cut into pieces (think Spanakopita if you like Greek food). This particular borek is called Sigara because it is rolled into tubes like a cigarette. It makes a great brunch, lunch, or light dinner option (as pictured here) and has its origins in Ottoman cuisine.

Ottoman cuisine has rich Central Asian, Balkan, Persian, and Arab influences owing mostly to its central location – both land and sea – to the spice trade and geography at the confluence of Asia, old Europe, and the Middle East. Ottoman cuisine boasts stews (this is where I learned to make tagine though I tend to use a more North African flavor profile), breads, yogurt-based sauces, grape leaves, and kebabs. Pair with a good Cajik sauce (coming soon), some very fresh vegetables, and an Öküzgözü if you are so bold.

what you need

1 block of feta cheese

1 bunch of curly parsley

1 package of Nasoya eggroll wraps (you can get these at most grocery stores in the produce section believe it or not)

1/2 cup plain, 0% fat Greek yogurt

1 egg

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Black pepper to taste 

Dash of paprika

A neutral oil (like Safflower or Sunflower) for frying

Serve with: thinly sliced avocado, cucumber, tomato, and red onion topped with olive oil, dill, parsley, and/or finely chopped toasted pistachios, and cajik or haydari sauce, if desired. 

how to make it

Chop parsley and feta separately and then mix until combined. In another small bowl, beat the egg with the yogurt, lemon juice, black pepper, and paprika.   

Lay out one eggroll wrap on a clean surface (they should be very easy to work with – no flour dusting required). Place a small spoonful of the egg mixture in the middle of the wrap on the diagonal, careful not to add too much (you do not want it spilling out into the pan and causing oil spatters). Add two spoonfulls of the parsley mixture to the top of the yogurt mixture. 

Starting with the bottom corner, fold the wrap up and over the mixture and tuck in each side. With a free finger, wipe some of the yogurt mixture on the top corner to seal with wrap. Roll the borek upwards to create a moderately tight wrap. 

Barely cover the bottom of a pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the borek, careful not to overcrowd them, and cook them for approximately three minutes on each of three sides. Prepare the plates as the böreği cook transferring them to a paper towel to cool slightly. Serve warm.
More Ottoman-style Cuisine
one and a half slices coconut harissa meatballs local recipe

Coconut Harissa Meatballs

This struck me as the strangest recipe and just the thing OneandahalfSlices needed after what shall henceforth be known as The Great Fridge Hiatus. In the midst of back-and-forth work travel to Florida and other exotic locales (Dayton, Ohio???), my freezer door was mysteriously left – ahem – ajar. Chicken and meat juices filled the freezer drawer and I stared in sadness as $300 worth of condiments, to include at least seven types of miso paste, expired in front of my eyes. Fixing the fridge, restocking the freezer, replacing the condiments, and getting my cooking mojo back took a good two weeks. So here we are…with coconut harissa meatballs – by far one of the stranger things I’ve tasted. I made this dish over the mashed white beans as originally instructed but I’m curious to try it over egg noodles and mashed gold potatoes. If you’re feeling experimental, I’d definitely give this one a try. 

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March 12, 2022 No Comments
creamy coconut sweet potato soup recipe oneandahalfslices

Creamy Sweet Potato Stew

Coming out of Vegan October, we were a little tired of lentils and were looking for something to do with copious amounts of sweet potatoes. Hence this little gem was discovered. Creamy with coconut milk, almost like curry. Spiced with flavors of the same. Hearty with sweet potato and flourished with kale. Yes, there are still a few lentils, but they are hardly the stars of the show. This soup is light enough for any season and feels perfectly at home here at the end of October. 🧡

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November 7, 2021 1 Comment

Moroccan Tagine

I have been SO excited to release this post!!! Why? Because this is your new weeknight dinner. It will impress your family, fill your stomach, warm your heart, and make your house smell like North African spices. I started making tagine years ago when I first moved to DC and came across a tagine in World Market. I was instantly and aesthetically intrigued, and purchased the thing on the spot not having a clue what I would do with it. Well… figured that one out. A tagine is the OG slow cooker.  And whatever you put inside – lamb, chicken, chickpeas, rabbit, potatoes – you will taste the spicy exoticism. If you don’t have a tagine, no worries. You can make it in a Dutch oven, stovetop or, yes, in a slow cooker. And before you think this is just chicken slow roasted in tomato sauce… keep reading…

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September 21, 2024 4 Comments
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Local Veggie

Caesar Sauce

caesar salad sauce recipe one and a half slices
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Caesar Sauce

caesar salad sauce recipe one and a half slices

What is Caesar “sauce?” You mean Caesar dressing… as in, Caesar salad? Or is this some kind of dipping sauce? And does it have anything to do with dill? Yes, all three! This is an all-purpose, HEALTHY, creamy, herby, Caesar-esque sauce for dressing salad, for dipping vegetables, and, yes, even for chicken wings. And it has become a weeknight meal staple in this house.

How can sauce be the centerpiece of a weeknight dinner?

Keep reading…

///Update: If you are looking for a more traditional Caesar dressing recipe, you can find it here. 

There are several core, buy-every-time-I’m-at-the-grocery-store ingredients in my kitchen. 0% (non-fat) plain Greek Yogurt is one of them. I eat a ton of it, mostly in homemade breakfast parfaits. Chobani, Fage, or Whole Foods brand will do. But most importantly, it serves two unique purposes: (1) It doubles as sour cream. That’s right. Anywhere you would put sour cream (chili, baked potato, sweet potato, quesadillas), just lop on a dollop of Greek yogurt instead; (2) It serves as the base for creamy sauces like this one.

Homemade Caesar dressing is delicious, especially when made with a non-fat base like Greek yogurt as opposed to Mayonnaise. With a few alterations, you can easily turn this into a dill sauce for dipping (which pairs phenomenally well with carrots or drizzled on baked potatoes). So take this where you want to take it with customizations following the base outlined below. And if you come up with something that you like, please share it in the comments section!

Steak Caesar Salad 1
Steak Caesar Salad 2

(local flat iron steak from the Whiffletree Farm meat CSA)

This sauce is integral to my mission to re-imagine the American weeknight dinner, a la Michael Pollan and Dan Barber. Simply put, putting meat at the center of every meal is not a good thing – not good for our bodies, not natural, and, most importantly, not good for the greater food system and its sustainability over time… our sustainability over time. Both Pollan and Barber state it more eloquently than I ever could, so for a quick dose of this philosophy, I recommend Season 1, Episode 2 of Chef’s Table on Netflix.

Telling World War II era Americans not to eat steak and potatoes is about as American as communism. But let’s not make it about our politics or our cultural identity. Let’s make it about our relationship with food and how, worldwide, it has gone astray. Food is highly commoditized, commercialized, and over-engineered. And our relationship with it is a product of convenience, indulgence, and excellent marketing (did you know that there is a sugar lobby right here in Washington, DC?!). 

So what can we do? How can we fix it? First and foremost, vote with our feet. Explore Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in the local area. The Northern Virginia area has several and mine is, proudly, Potomac Vegetable Farms with a Whiffletree Farm meat share (supplemented by periodic trips to the Spring House Farm). And patronize truly local farm-to-table restaurants (The Restaurant at Patowmac Farm and Field & Main, you rock my world… even Fiola DC has allowed COVID to take it in a new farm-centric direction).

Potomac Vegetable Farms works in concert with many smaller farms nearby (it has meat, poultry, and eggs, not just vegetables). Using a CSA not only supports local farms but it forces us to eat more seasonally – more naturally – as opposed to running to the store for an imported ingredient anytime we want to make a dish. You’ll make tomato soup in the summer because that is when tomatoes are abundant. And guess what? Those tomatoes will taste SO much better. While CSAs typically require payment up front, they average out to the equivalent of store-bought groceries… because produce isn’t expensive; packaged food items are. Just be flexible and focus on your store-bought staples (like yogurt, in my case), letting the CSA contents drive the menu for the week. And don’t be afraid to put a baked potato, a sweet potato, or a Portobello mushroom at the center of your weeknight plate.

hmm… I got a TON of carrots this week… how will I use all these carrots?! Hey, I know a food blog for that… 😉🥕

what you need

> > > Base

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (Reggiano is best)

2 table spoons olive oil

1 garlic clove (raw or roasted)

Salt & black pepper to taste

> > For Caesar

2 teaspoons anchovy paste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

(optional) dash of Worcestershire sauce

> > For dipping sauce

1 tablespoon dried dill (or 2 tablespoons fresh dill)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Sweet Hungarian paprika, to top

 

how to make it

For either variation, place all ingredients in high-speed blender (this is my favorite 3-in-1) and combine. 

The thickness will largely depend on the consistency of your yogurt (for example, Chobani is thinner where Fage makes a much thicker yogurt). Most often, the sauce will be too thick and require thinning. This can be done with water, milk (non-dairy like cashew, macadamia, or oat is fine), or by adding extra lemon juice and olive oil. 

Feel free to play with the amounts. Anchovy paste is one of the key ingredients to authentic Caesar dressing (but then, so is egg, if not in the sauce, in the salad itself). So if you like to anchovy it up, by all means. This recipe is tuned to my taste, with extra parmesan. I will also usually be heavy handed with the dill if making the sauce variation.

You can also roast the garlic clove in tinfoil for 10 minutes on 350 to deepen the garlic flavor.

Top either dressing or sauce with a sprinkle of paprika.

Sweet Potato Wedge Dippers
Carrot chips!
Carrot Chip Dippers

This sauce is integral to my mission to re-imagine the American weeknight dinner, a la Michael Pollan and Dan Barber. Simply put, putting meat at the center of every meal is not a good thing – not good for our bodies, not natural, and, most importantly, not good for the greater food system and its sustainability over time… our sustainability over time. Both Pollan and Barber state it more eloquently than I ever could, so for a quick dose of this philosophy, I recommend Season 1, Episode 2 of Chef’s Table on Netflix.

Telling World War II era Americans not to eat steak and potatoes is about as American as communism. But let’s not make it about our politics or our cultural identity. Let’s make it about our relationship with food and how, worldwide, it has gone astray. Food is highly commoditized, commercialized, and over-engineered. And our relationship with it is a product of convenience, indulgence, and excellent marketing (did you know that there is a sugar lobby right here in Washington, DC?!). 

So what can we do? How can we fix it? First and foremost, vote with our feet. Explore Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in the local area. The Northern Virginia area has several and mine is, proudly, Potomac Vegetable Farms with a Whiffletree Farm meat share (supplemented by periodic trips to the Spring House Farm). And patronize truly local farm-to-table restaurants (The Restaurant at Patowmac Farm and Field & Main, you rock my world… even Fiola DC has allowed COVID to take it in a new farm-centric direction).

Potomac Vegetable Farms works in concert with many smaller farms nearby (it has meat, poultry, and eggs, not just vegetables). Using a CSA not only supports local farms but it forces us to eat more seasonally – more naturally – as opposed to running to the store for an imported ingredient anytime we want to make a dish. You’ll make tomato soup in the summer because that is when tomatoes are abundant. And guess what? Those tomatoes will taste SO much better. While CSAs typically require payment up front, they average out to the equivalent of store-bought groceries… because produce isn’t expensive; packaged food items are. Just be flexible and focus on your store-bought staples (like yogurt, in my case), letting the CSA contents drive the menu for the week. And don’t be afraid to put a baked potato, a sweet potato, or a Portobello mushroom at the center of your weeknight plate.

hmm… I got a TON of carrots this week… how will I use all these carrots?! Hey, I know a food blog for that… 😉🥕

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