This little protein bomb is synonymous with breakfast and to be perfectly honest, I can’t blame anyone for that. A single medium-sized egg has only 75 calories and about 10% of that is high-quality protein, making it great for a filling start to the day. But when thinking of making eggs I usually resort to two ways, either hard boil them or turn them into scrambled eggs with whatever I have lying around at home. While still filling, these old ways can get pretty boring, so I decided to list a few different and fun ways to consume this nutrition powerhouse.
I have eaten many salads with eggs in them and a few that feature eggs as the main ingredient, but a few years back, when I tried this variation, I was amazed at how something so simple could be so delicious! It is more of a side dish rather than the main deal but considering how vast and varied a classic Turkish breakfast spread is that is not a bad thing. You might even get cravings for this out of the blue, and even without bread, since it tastes just as good and is just as filling.
Ingredients
Instructions
Boil your eggs until they have hardened, for around 10-15 minutes, and peel them. First, quarter them and then cut those quartered pieces into thirds. Clean the onions, chop them as fine as you can and toss them into the same bowl as the eggs. Squeeze at least half of the juice of the lemon over it and season with red pepper flakes and salt. Depending on how sour the lemon is, you might want to add more of the lemon juice. Finally, drizzle some olive oil over it, toss it one last time for good measure and serve.
Tip
Depending on how many green onions you use, you might want to add a few more eggs. If you don't like the overpowering taste of onion, stick more to the green parts and use less. Playing around with the ratios will help you find the best option that suits your preferences.
Essentially it is an omelet with toppings, just cooked through a different medium. This is a great way to spice up your good old omelets by baking them in a waffle iron. Especially when you have guests, kids or would like to take some pictures to show off your culinary adventures, this is an egg-cellent choice.
Ingredients
Instructions
Chop the vegetables of your choice as small as you can. Crack your eggs into a bowl, add some milk and beat them well, adding in the seasonings as well. Start by adding the chopped vegetables into your pre-oiled waffle iron. Cook the omelet until the egg is no longer raw and runny. Do not mind the timer of the iron itself because you might burn it otherwise, so keep an eye on it.
When thinking of Turkish ways to prepare eggs usually the first one that comes to mind would be menemen, but çılbır is worthy of a mention as well. In the shortest way, this could be described as the Turkish version of poached eggs – with a twist. Knowing how nutritious and delicious yogurt is, Turks combined the two and thus çılbır was born. Fun fact: This dish dates back quite a few centuries, as early as the 15th century in the Ottoman era.
Ingredients
Instructions
Fill a small pot or pan with water and get it to a boil. Carefully crack the egg without breaking the yolk and slowly pour it into the simmering water. Let the egg cook for about three to four minutes and carefully put it into your serving bowl or plate and season it. Melt the butter and add red pepper flakes to that. Pour yogurt and the melted butter over the egg and enjoy!
Tips
If cracking the egg directly over the pot makes you nervous, crack it in a bowl and then slowly pour it into the boiling water. If you want to keep your egg perfectly intact and prevent it from spreading in the water, try adding a generous dash of vinegar to the water. This changes the pH of the water and helps everything stick together. If you are worried about an aftertaste, wash the egg with some water after it is cooked.
How much yogurt you want to add is entirely up to you. Some like to add a clove or two of garlic into the yogurt as well, which makes for a great evening meze. While it does taste amazing, if you are attending any function with people, you might want to skip this.
This is an Italian take on an omelet basically but in the oven instead. What I love about this dish is that the Italians love to add lots of things, such as meat and different cheeses, making this an amazing breakfast centerpiece. You can, of course, do this on the stove as well, but we’ll take the oven route for today.
Ingredients
Instructions
Chop the onions and vegetables of your choice and start by sauteing the onions in olive oil so that they can soften. Add the tougher vegetables and cook them until they have all softened up a bit. Let that cool.
Grease the baking tin of your choice. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them with the heavy cream, adding the seasoning and vegetable mix afterward. If desired, add a helping of cheese and meat into this mix and pour it into the baking tin. If you like, you can add some extra cheese on top before baking it.
Bake at 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit) for a couple of minutes and keep checking to see if the eggs are cooked through. To gauge if it's done, gently shake the tin; the eggs should be slightly jiggly in the middle but baked through on the edges. My advice would be not to overbake it to preserve the juiciness. Remove from the oven, cut into desired slices and serve.
Tips
Try to avoid vegetables such as tomatoes that might release lots of fluids as it can change the consistency considerably. Adding such watery vegetables on top after it has cooked or sauteeing them separately beforehand is a better choice.
Add different kinds of cheese to make this dish more interesting. A few cubes of feta or a very salty dry cheese are just a few options among many.
Last week we dipped our toes into the wide world of köfte and I did say that Turks had many dishes centered around it. Here is one that had honestly slipped my mind: Dalyan köfte. It is essentially a meatloaf but made in a Turkish manner.
Ingredients
Instructions
Cut the carrots into small pieces and cook them until softened. Boil the peas as well.
Grate the onions and put that into a bowl together with the meat, two eggs, bread crumbs, oil, salt and pepper. Knead this mix thoroughly and place it onto a long piece of baking paper. Form it into a log shape and dig a trench with your fingers. Sprinkle about half the carrots and peas in there and then place the hard-boiled eggs in a row on top. Close off the gaps between the eggs with the rest of the carrots and peas before you encase them with the remainder of the minced meat. Carefully wrap the baking paper around this meatloaf and put it onto another sheet of baking paper in the oven and bake it at 200 degrees Celsius for about 45 minutes. Dilute the tomato paste with water and remove the köfte from the baking paper. Spread the sauce over the top and bake the köfte for another 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven one final time and serve sliced.
