During quarantine (lockdown for us) and not being able to eat out or enjoy a meal at my mother-in-law’s, I’m discovering how much I’m missing certain Turkish dishes. Babaanne, as she’s known in our house (grandma in turkish, specifically “father’s mother,”) is an AMAZING cook and would spoil us with a feast of a full spread of traditional dishes when we had dinner at her house every week (pre-Covid-19.) I’m talking like 6-8 different platters of yum. Trust me, even the pickiest eater would be able to find something to their delight. Well, I miss her food and all the wonderful little “ev yemekleri” (home-style) cafes we’ve come to love in our area.
While lately I’ve been making plenty of comfort foods I grew up with and those the kids love from home, I am also trying my hand at some of Babaanne’s specialties. This Zeytinyağlı Pırasa (pronounced pur-ah-sah) or Braised Leeks and Carrots in Olive Oil is one of them. I’ve made it a few times before, but (dare I say,) I think have finally nailed it to tasting just like hers, ok as close as possible….maybe minus a little of the olive oil and well of course, hers will always rein supreme.
In Turkish cuisine there are many dishes that start with Zeyntinyağlı in the title. Zeytin yağ is Turkish for olive oil. So Zeytinyağlı means “with olive oil.”
These dishes are cooked pretty simply with maybe just a few spices and onion, so the taste of each vegetable really shines. The olive oil is thought to highlight the flavor as well as keep the dish lasting longer in the refrigerator. Zeytinyağlı dishes are generally served cold or at room temperature and you’ll often find at least one or two offered with most meals. (A plus for vegetarians as it means there is always a few meatless vegetable options on the table.) Having a variety of these dishes in the fridge and ready to serve is the norm in most households and restaurants. Some of my favs besides the leeks are zeytinyağlı barbunya (pinto beans,) biber dolma (stuffed peppers,) taze fasulye (green beans,) and imam bayıldı (eggplant., but literally translates to “the priest fainted.”) They are all so good. And I hope to be sharing more of my takes on them with you soon.
Back to the braised leeks though. They are so different than I’ve tasted before. In fact, I can’t say I’ve had very many dishes where the leek was the star and not just one of the many ingredients. In this dish, they have a very slight sweetness and then a nice zippy punch from the lemon juice. And they are so soft and silky and really just make for the perfect light lunch or snack. I’ve enjoyed it super cold straight out of the fridge (my preferred way) or a little closer to room temperature. You can’t go wrong either way.
And I know, the picture of this dish might not be drool worthy or one that stands out as an “I need to make this now” type of recipe. That’s one of the tough things I find when making most zeytinyağlı recipes and wanting to share them. They are not the most photogenic of dishes. And often a picture doesn’t do justice to just how flavorful and special these recipes can be. But the only thing I can say to that, is please trust me, these Turkish specialties, when made properly, will find a place in your heart that keeps you yearning for more. And who knows, may spark a desire to visit Turkey……when and if we can travel freely again one day. For now, take a trip with me to Istanbul by way of Zeytinyağlı Pırasa.
Zeytinyağlı Pırasa (Turkish Braised Leeks & Carrots in Olive Oil)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb leeks
- 3 large carrots
- 1 tbsp brown rice (white is more traditonal)
- 2 tsps granulated sugar
- 1-2 tsps kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups water
- juice of 1/2 lemon
For Garnish:
- 3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- chopped parsley
- lemon wedges
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
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Begin by trimming and peeling off the outer layer of the leeks. Then cut them on a diagonal about 2 inches long and wash them.
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Wash and peel the carrots and cut them about 3/4's of an inch wide on the diagonal.
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Add the olive oil to a large saute pan (something with a lid) and cook the onions until translucent.
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Then add the leeks, carrots, rice and sprinkle the sugar, salt and pepper on top. Pour the water over everything as well as the juice of half a lemon. Cover the pan with the lid and set the flame to somewhere between medium/ medium-low and cook covered for about 20-25 minutes until the leeks and carrots are tender. (Check occasionally if you need to add a little more water. The bottom of the pan shouldn't be dry.)
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Transfer everything to a serving dish and drizzle with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve at room temperature or cold with fresh lemon wedges and chopped parsley and red pepper flakes if desired Enjoy.
Recipe Notes
*This will keep covered in the refrigerator for 4 days.
*White rice is traditional in this dish, but I try to swap brown whenever I can, and you don’t notice the difference here.
*A little more olive oil is generally used for drizzling afterwards so drizzle freely if you desire.
*Some people include 1 or 2 chopped tomatoes in this. My mother-in-law doesn’t, so I dont.
