These smoky, sun-ripened dishes of chilled aubergine soup, fish in vine leaves, and a zesty bulgur wheat salad require no grill.
Chilled grilled aubergine soup
Prep 10 min
Cook 35 min
Chill 2 hr+
Serves 2
4 big aubergines (about 1kg)
3 red Romano peppers
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Juice of 3 lemons
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus 4 tbsp extra to finish
100g shelled walnuts, crushed
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp Turkish chili, such as pul biber
Salt and black pepper
1 tsp dried mint, to finish
Set the grill to its highest possible temperature (or fire up the barbecue). Place the aubergines and peppers on an oven tray and grill, turning often (or barbecue directly over the coals), until charred on the outside and tender on the inside; the peppers will require five to ten minutes, and the aubergines will require 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
When the veggies are cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skins and discard the peppers’ stems, seeds, and pith. Place the aubergine flesh on a tray for five to ten minutes, allowing any bitter juices to escape.
Give the pepper and aubergine flesh a quick chop, then place them in a food processor with the minced garlic and pulse for four or five seconds – you’re aiming for a chunky texture, not a smooth one.
In a dish, combine the remaining ingredients and 500 ml of cold water using a whisk, while maintaining the chunky consistency. Check the seasoning, refrigerate for at least two hours, and serve with a sprinkle of dried mint and a generous amount of olive oil.
Grilled sardines wrapped in vine leaves
Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 2
For the fish
Salt and black pepper
6 decent-sized sardines, scaled and gutted
6 fresh vine leaves – if you can’t get any, use the pickled ones in jars from Turkish and Middle Eastern food stores
Sunflower oil, for brushing
For the salad
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp capers, drained (or rinsed if packed in salt)
1 medium red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Inside and out, liberally season the fish, then wrap each in a vine leaf, leaving the head and tail exposed.
Put all salad ingredients in a bowl and let them sit for a while.
Warm up a griddle on the stove (or fire up a barbecue). Brush the wrapped fish with sunflower oil all over, then place in a hot pan and cook for three to four minutes per side; you want the vine leaves to caramelize. Serve the fish on a tray with the salad and, preferably, a glass of rak.
Spicy bulgur salad with tomato, Urfa chili and sour cherries
Prep 15 min
Soak 1 hr
Serves 2
1 big beef tomato, roughly chopped
250g sour cherries (fresh or frozen), pitted – if you can’t find sour cherries, use an extra beef tomato instead
125g fine bulgur wheat
1 spring onion, trimmed and chopped
1 English cucumber, diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
30g fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
30g flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp sumac
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tbsp isot (AKA Urfa) chilli
1 tbsp pul biber
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and black pepper
Blend the tomato and cherries to a smooth puree in a blender. Pour the bulgur and 100ml of cold water into a bowl and allow it to soak for one hour, or until the bulgur becomes soft and chewable. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl, toss in the other ingredients, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish.
