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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 11 NOVEMBER 2015 14 Food A taste of Turkey on Gourmet Today TV Though green peppers are available from supermarkets all year round, this is the time when they are in season. Sean Gravina uses the versatile local green pepper in salads and soups. In last week's episode of Gourmet Today TV, he made a Turkish salad – zeytin piyazi – with green olives, walnuts and pomegranate molasses and a little bit of green apple for sweetness. He also makes a heart-warming soup. Packed with poached chicken, whole grains Turkish flavours, this warming dish offers both nutrition and comfort. Chicken and lentil soup with paprika butter Serves 8 Ingredients • 1.5 ltr chicken stock • 2 onions • 2 tbsp sunflower oil • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 1 tbsp capsicum paste (3 capsicums, 1 green pepper) • 1 tbsp hot paprika • 110g medium-grain rice • 200g red lentils • 90g fine bulgar • 1 chicken breast, poached and shredded • 2 mint sprigs • Salt and pepper Paprika butter • 1 tbsp butter • 1 tbsp hot paprika • 1 chili (optional) Method 1. Put the chicken stock in a pot and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. 2. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and add the chopped onion, cook on a medium heat for about 3 mins. 3. Dissolve the tomato and pepper pastes in 250ml of the chicken stock, add hot paprika then stir into the cooked onions. 4. Pour the onion mixture into the simmering chicken stock. 5. Rinse the grains and pulses, and cook in a separate saucepan for approx. 20 mins until tender. 6. Add to the soup. Cooking the grains and pulses separately will ensure flavours from the soup are not lost from overcooking. 7. Make the paprika butter, melt the butter in a small frying pan, add the paprika, chili and sizzle for 1 minute. 8. Place the shredded chicken in the middle of a soup bowl and ladle the soup. Drop a few mint leaves and finish off with drops of paprika butter. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today, aired on TVM on 6 November, 2015. Serves 6 Ingredients • 125g green olives • 2 garlic cloves • 125ml extra virgin olive oil • ½ bunch parsley • 4 spring onions • 50g walnuts • ½ green apple • ½ capsicum • ½ green pepper • 1 lemon, juice only • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (Turkish stores) • 1 teaspoon chili flakes • ½ tablespoon thyme • Pita bread, to serve Method 1. Slice the olives into quarters, and remove the pits. 2. Squash the garlic with a mortar and mix with the olives and half the olive oil and leave to marinate over night. 3. Chop the parsley. 4. Wash the spring onions, remove roots, tough outer leaves, finely chop and roughly chop the walnuts. 5. Cut the pepper in brunoise (little squares). 6. Slice the apple thinly. 7. Transfer the marinated olives to a bowl, add all the ingredients and mix thoroughly. 8. Serve with warm pita bread. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet TV, aired on TVM on 6 November, 2015. Green olive and walnut salad with pomegranate molasses