Day 1: Dinner

We checked-in to our hotel overlooking the Bosphorus in Sultanhamet, the most popular tourist spot.  Exhausted, but because it was still early, 8-ish in the evening, we forced ourselves to stay up. So we went to dinner at a Metropolis, near our hotel. Adina ordered Iskender Kebab (Iskender means Alexander) and I the Vejeteryan Guvec (vegetable casserole). 

Anything "Iskender" comes the same way -- cooked in tomato sauce and pide (pita-type) bread in the sauce (the cooked bread reminded me of pasta or dumplings) and served with thick, plain yogurt. My Stew was eggplant, carrots, pearl onions, zucchini, tomatoes cooked and served bubbling hot in a clay dish, and topped with what the Istanbul folk call "yellow cheese." 

It is said that "hunger is the best sauce." And we were hungry and this was scrumptious. Served with a loaf of that same pide, or what I called bubbly bread.

Here is my version of the vegetable casserole.  

Turkish Vegetable Casserole

Casserole:
2 cups 1-inch cubed eggplant
2 cups 1-inch cubed zucchini
2 cups 1-inch cubed carrots
1 green or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups 1-inch cubed tomatoes
2 cups button mushrooms, cut in half or quartered if whole
12-18 pearl onions (more if small, less, halved, if large), peeled, but left whole
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup tomato sauce
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:
Shredded Turkish white cheese or feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 400-degreesF. Combine all the casserole ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Transfer to an attractive ceramic or glass baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove foil, stir. Cook, uncvored, for 20-30 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir again and serve immediately, with the cheese sprinkled on top. Makes 4-6 servings.