Balik Ekmek

serves 4

* 2 smoked mackerels
* Olive oil
* Salt and ground black pepper to taste
* 4 ciabatta's or other bread to preference
* Lettuce
* 2-3 spoons of yogonaise
* 2 spoons of capers
* 0,5 red onion
* 3 medium tomatoes
* A handful of flat leaf (Italian) parsley
* Juice of 1 lemon
* 1 teaspoon ground sumac


Balik Ekmek is a Turkish dish. It means Fish Sandwich.
I first saw this on a cooking program where a guy visits all kinds of street food stalls all over the world. This time he went to Istanbul and ate the Balik Ekmek. Of course this caught my interest and I had to try it for myself. I browsed the net and this recipe is the closest I can find which suited my tastes. That's a little history here; now on to the recipe!

Cut out the filets of the mackerel and heat up a  grill pan lightly greased in olive oil.
Grill the fish carefully for 5 - 10 minutes. Check every now and then so it doesn't burn. Turn halfway.

While the fish is cooking, prepare the herb yogonaise with capers.
Chop the parsly and rinse the capers. In a small bowl, combine the yogonaise, chopped parsley and the capers. Drizzle with a little olive oil to taste.

For the sumac salad; mix some salt to taste and sumac into the onion slices with your hands really well in a bowl. This will soften the onions, make them more palatable and let the sumac really penetrate to the onions. Add the chopped tomatoes, some parsley, juice of lemon and olive oil to taste into the bowl and combine well. Season with ground black pepper. Set aside.

Once the fish is grilled, slice the bread open and toast it in the grill pan a little, if you prefer. Spread a thin layer of the herb mayonnaise over the bread and place a fish filet on it. Then place a spoonful of the sumac salad over the bread. Now add the lettuce place the top of the bread.
Wrap in foil so the contents don't fall out of the sandwich.

I hope you like this recipe and enjoy your meal!

Mike & Leda

Fish ragout

serves  3  - 4

Ingredients:

* 500g white fish
* 1 winter carrot

* 2 leeks
* 250g peas
* 1 spoon of curry
* 1 bay leaf

* 25g flour
* 40g butter

* 300ml milk
* Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cut the carrot in slices and the leek in rings. Heat up a saute pan and melt the butter. When the butter is hot, add the leek and carrot. Stir fry for about 5 minutes, along with the curry and bay leaf.

Turn the heat to medium and add the flour. Keep stirring until the flour starts to colour. Now slowly add the milk while you keep stirring. Bring to the boil and turn down the heat to low. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile cut the fish in cubes, add after 15 minutes has passed along with the peas.
Cook until the fish is done.

Serve with rice.

I hope you like this recipe and hopefully until soon!

Yours truly,

Mike

Mojito fish wraps

serves 2 - 4

Ingredients:

* Wraps

* White firm fish ( cod, panga, tilapia )
* Cabbage
* 1 tomato
* 1 avocado
* 1 red onion
* 2 limes
* 100ml olive oil
* 2 teaspoons of sugar
* 1 handful of mint

* Pepper and salt to taste

* Coriander

* Chili powder

* Garlic powder

Preparation:

Cut the cabbage in strips, the tomato and avocado in cubes, and the finely cut the onion. Mix together in a bowl.

Now prepare the mojito dressing: Add the  olive oil, the juice of the limes, and the sugar and mix. Add pepper and salt to taste. Now use a teaspoon or a mortar and pestle to bruise the mint leaves. Add them to the mix and blend well. Leave in the fridge.

Cut the fish in cubes and cover with the chili powder, the garlic powder and salt to taste. Heat up a skillet and stir fry the fish until it almost falls apart. Remove from the heat, and warm up your wraps in any way you like. Personally I used the microwave. Meanwhile mix the dressing (except the mint leaves!) with your salad and blend well. Cover the wrap with the fish, and the salad, decorate with coriander and roll up.

Enjoy your meal!

I hope you like this recipe and hopefully until soon!

Yours truly,

Mike

Stir-fried Fish Wraps

serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

* 500g fish (I used salmon, but any fish will do)
* 250g mushrooms
* Lettuce
* 1 sweet paprika
* 1 onion
* 2 gloves of garlic
* dill
* salt
* 1 spoon lemon juice
* Herb cheese
* Wraps
* Any sauce to your taste (I used BBQ honey sauce)

Preparations:

Finely cut the garlic and the onion. Slice the paprika and salmon in cubes, the mushrooms in slices and the lettuce in strips. Start by heating up a saute pan, and stir fry the onion, paprika and garlic until the onion looks glassy. Now add the mushrooms and stir-fry until they start to color. Add the fish and stir fry until half done. Now add the herbs and the lemon juice to your taste. Keep stirring until the fish is done. Turn off the heat and close the lid, leave alone for a minute or two.
Heat the wraps in the microwave. This is what I do: 20 sec on the highest setting. When done, spread the herb cheese lightly on the wrap. Add the fish mixture, lettuce, cover with your favourite sauce ( I recommend a sauce with a sweet taste to it), roll the wrap, and enjoy! I hope you like this recipe!

Yours truly,

Mike