Key Ingredients 

• Extra virgin olive oil: The characteristic of this dish is that it is cooked in olive oil (zeytinyağı), which provides a rich, full-bodied flavor and is healthy.
• Onion becomes sweeter and more mellow as it cooks, a lovely match for the slightly bitter chard in this dish. Either red or yellow onion would be lovely. 
• Red chili pepper adds a delicious but not overpowering spiciness and aroma to this lovely dish. Look for any red medium-hot pepper, such as Fresno. You can also substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
• Garlic provides an aromatic foundation and pungency to the dish.
• Tomatoes: Diced canned tomatoes add body, thickness, and moisture to the dish, while double-concentrated tomato paste, a must-have ingredient in Turkish cuisine, adds rich, intense tomato flavor and color and helps thicken the texture.
• Swiss Chard: I love the earthy, slightly bitter taste of chard. When cooked, its initial raw bitterness mellows out quite a bit, and it becomes tender, with a hint of pepperiness too. You can use any color chard in this recipe.
• Rice: As it cooks, the rice absorbs liquid and releases starch that naturally thickens this dish and makes it more substantial, too. Short-grain baldo rice is a popular choice in Turkey, though arborio or long-grain varieties work well, too.

How to Cook Swiss Chard, Turkish Style

• Prep the Swiss chard. Wash 1 pound of Swiss chard, and halve the leaves through the stems lengthwise. Chop the leaves into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside. 
• Sauté the aromatics. Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large, wide saucepan over a medium–high heat, add 1 finely chopped medium onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until starting to soften. Add 1 seeded and finely chopped red chili pepper (such as Fresno), 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon double-concentrated tomato paste, and 1 cup diced canned or fresh tomatoes to the pan. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. 
• Add the Swiss chard. Lower heat to medium and stir in the chopped chard, and gently combine until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup rinsed rice and stir to combine well. 
• Simmer and steam. Add 2 cups hot water, season with a good pinch (about 1/2 teaspoon each) salt and freshly-ground black pepper, give it a good stir, then cover and cook for 20–25 minutes over a medium-low heat until the rice and vegetables are cooked and tender. 
• Steam and serve. Turn the heat off and leave to rest for 10 minutes, covered. Serve the vegetables and cooking juices with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over top.

What is Zeytinyağlı?

Zeytinyağlı is a category of dishes in Turkish cuisine where we cook vegetables, sometimes along with grains, gently with olive oil. 

We eat zeytinyağlı dishes at room temperature or chilled, especially in summertime. My family also loves this dish hot on cooler days, with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Zeytinyağlı dishes are great to prepare ahead of time. In fact, leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors develop.

Substitutions

• Use other greens: Spinach, kale, beet greens, or large leafy collard greens all work in place of chard. I sometimes like to add a few scallions and their greens, too.
• Use other grains: Substitute rice with coarse bulgur or quinoa. They will add wholesomeness and nutty flavor to the dish. 
• Use fresh tomatoes: Instead of a can of chopped tomatoes, you can use fresh, ripe tomatoes when they’re in season. As they may not have the same intense tomato flavor as canned tomatoes, you may need to add another tablespoon of tomato paste.

Perfect Pairings

When the weather is warm, we traditionally eat this dish cold or at room temperature as part of a mezze spread. On cold days, we enjoy it hot. Here are a few ideas for how to serve it. 

• Bread on the side: Serve this swiss chard recipe with crusty olive bread to mop up the delicious juices, along with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Flatbreads can be lovely here too. 
• Dollop with yogurt: Plain yogurt is a major staple in Turkish cuisine that accompanies most savory meals. Its cooling, creamy, tangy taste is fantastic with savory dishes, and it is packed full of goodness and gut-friendly, too. I like using creamy whole milk Turkish or Greek yogurt, though you may opt to use a lower-fat or plant-based version, too.
• Add feta: Instead of yogurt, this dish is lovely topped with crumbled feta and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
• Add a few eggs over: For a more substantial meal, you can crack a few eggs over the greens, cover, and cook—it is delicious!

Çerkez Tavuğu, Circassian Chicken in Walnut Sauce, is a popular dish in my homeland Turkey (Türkiye), and people enjoy variations of it throughout the Caucasus. It’s a much-loved meze served either cold or at room temperature in İstanbul’s tavernas, restaurants, and many homes, including mine. 

My mother always served it in a buffet spread for guests, and I follow her tradition. It is a fantastic, refined dish that one can prepare ahead, so it’s perfect for entertaining.

I love the delicious layers of flavors and textures in Çerkez Tavuğu; shredded chicken mingles with a deliciously creamy (without any cream!) walnut-garlic sauce, and I finish it with a drizzle of vibrant, Aleppo pepper-infused olive oil.

This recipe makes a generous amount, so it’s great for entertaining, or you can serve it as a main course with a refreshing salad, flatbreads, or rice. It’s also a great way to use up already cooked or poached chicken, or leftover roast turkey! 

Key Ingredients

• Chicken: I use a combination of chicken breast and thighs, as it creates a more flavorful and texturally varied dish. Thigh meat is naturally more tender, with a richer flavor. Breast meat is leaner, but prone to dryness. The fat in the thighs helps keep the dish moist.
• Cilantro: Historically, we use fresh cilantro in Çerkez Tavuğu. It adds a vibrant, slightly sharp, and herbal flavor and balances the rich, creamy walnut sauce. You can also substitute flatleaf parsley. I like to use the stalks of either to flavor the stock for cooking the chicken and the leaves in the sauce, and for decoration.
• Stale bread helps thicken the walnut sauce, giving it body and a naturally creamy texture. White bread is traditional but you can use any bread, including gluten-free options. 
• Walnuts contribute to a thick, rich, creamy sauce with a lovely texture. Try to use fresh walnuts, which provide a rich, nutty taste; they are brain food and highly nutritious too. Avoid stale walnuts as they tend to have a bitter taste.
• Garlic adds a distinctive, pungent aroma to the sauce of Çerkez Tavuğu and to the overall dish. 
• Aleppo Pepper: Pul biber, the red pepper flakes, also known Aleppo pepper, season the walnut sauce, and the finishing oil.
• Extra virgin olive oil is the base for the vibrant, spiced finishing oil. It adds a rich aroma and an appealing red colour, providing a striking contrast to the pale walnut sauce. 

How to Make Circassian Chicken

• Poach the chicken. Trim excess fat from 1 pound chicken breasts and 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and then cut into large (2-inch) chunks. Place the chicken, 1 roughly chopped medium onion, and the stalks from 1 small bunch cilantro or parsley in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add 5 cups water to the pan, season with a big pinch of salt and freshly-ground black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked, skimming off any scum that forms on the surface with a slotted spoon. 
• Shred the chicken. Lift out the chicken onto a large plate and set aside to cool, keeping the cooking liquid. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into thin strips and place in a deep serving dish.
• Make the sauce. Place 4 slices stale white bread (or your choice of bread, including gluten-free) in a shallow dish and soak in 2 ladlefuls of the chicken cooking liquid. Once fully soaked, squeeze out the excess liquid and crumble the bread into a food processor or blender. Add 1 3/4 cups shelled walnuts, 3 coarsely chopped garlic cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, and season with a big pinch each salt and black pepper. Pulse to combine.
• Adjust the texture. Drizzle in 1 1/2 cups (340 ml) of the cooking liquid and puree to form a loose, pourable, creamy sauce. Take care not to over-process; you want to retain some texture of the walnuts. Chop the cilantro or parsley leaves. Set aside a small amount for garnish and stir the rest into the sauce. Check and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
• Combine. Add the sauce to the chicken in the serving dish and combine. 
• Make the Aleppo Pepper Oil. When ready to serve, warm 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat and add 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper. Stir gently for 40 to 45 seconds and set aside. 
• Finish and serve. Sprinkle the reserved chopped cilantro or parsley over the chicken, along with additional chopped walnuts. Drizzle with the warm infused oil on top.

Make it Your Own

• Use other cooked meat: Chicken is traditional but the delicious walnut sauce is lovely with other cooked meat too. I especially love it combined with leftover turkey meat. I also love this nutty sauce with braised vegetables too. 
• Use a different nut: Though not traditional, pecan nuts or hazelnuts may offer good substitutions. You may also like to slightly dry roast the nuts to revive their flavor.
• Use paprika instead: The historical, original recipe for Circassian chicken uses sweet paprika for the infused oil for the finished dish, whereas Turkish Çerkez Tavuğu uses Aleppo pepper. If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, you can substitute any sweet or mild paprika, and add some freshly ground black pepper to give it some heat. 

Perfect Pairings

• Serve in a meze spread. This lovely, creamy Çerkez Tavuğu is fabulous for entertaining, as you can prep ahead, and serve at room temperature or cold as part of a buffet or a spread with Mercimek Köftesi (Turkish Lentil Mezze), the spicy tomato salad Ezme, and Bean Salad with Tahini and Eggs (Tahinli Fasulye Piyazı).
• Serve as a main course: I also like to serve Çerkez Tavuğu as a main course, along with flatbreads or rice pilaf, cucumber or turnip pickles, and a chopped tomato and cucumber salad. 
• As a sandwich filling: Leftover Circassian chicken makes a wonderful filling for sandwiches and wraps. 

How to Make Collard Greens Soup

• Soften the beans. Soak 1 cup dried cranberry beans for 8 hours in plenty of cold water. Then drain the beans, place them in a pot, and cover with hot water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over a medium heat for 20 minutes. Stir often and skim off any foam forming on the top. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water (to retain color and texture) and set aside in a bowl. They will be partially cooked and still firm.
• Prep your veggies. Finely chop 2 onions. Cut the kernels of 2 medium ears of sweet corn or measure about 1 1/3 cups of frozen corn kernels. Wash and roughly chop 1/2 pound collard greens, discarding the tough stems. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. 
• Cook the veggies. Set a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions and sauté for 7 minutes, stirring often to soften. Stir in 1/3 cup double-concentrated tomato paste, the corn, and the beans, and combine well. Add the collard greens and hot water, and bring to a boil. Gently mix as the greens will start to wilt. Season with salt and pepper, then cover, reduce the heat to medium–low, and cook for 15 minutes, gently stirring a few times. 
• Thicken the soup. Place 1/4 cup fine cornmeal in a small bowl and add 3 ladlefuls of the soup liquid. Mix with a spoon until the cornmeal softens and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into the pan and stir gently to combine. Cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes. This is a rustic soup but if it’s too thick for you, stir in a little more water.

To Serve:

• Make the Aleppo Pepper Oil. While the soup simmers, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small pan over low heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper. Gently infuse for 30 to 45 seconds. Set aside.
• Finish and serve. Pour the Aleppo pepper sauce over the soup and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately while hot.

Perfect Pairings

This is a substantial soup; serve it for a hearty lunch or dinner, it is a meal on its own. Leftovers are great the next day for lunch, too. It is great to make ahead, as the flavors settle and taste even better the next day.

• With corn bread, as the locals do. You can also use crusty bread or flatbreads like pita.
• With the frothy Turkish yogurt drink, ayran, made of whole milk yogurt blended with cold water, salt, served with fresh mint leaves, this is a lovely, refreshing accompaniment.

Perfect Pairings

• This delicious, nourishing stew is a meal in itself! I serve it with crusty bread or flatbread on the side. Try this spinach and feta-stuffed version.
• For a bigger meal, you can have a few meze, for instance muhammara or hummus and olives. 
• Borek, filo spinach pies, can make a lovely accompaniment too.