Baby finally came home!

Everyone finally came home from the hospital last night. I was so happy I decided to have a feast. My friend brought up some leg of lamb that we made into kebabs. We also had one of my all time favorite dishes - eggplant with grilled peppers, tomato sauce and garlic yogurt sauce. I made homemade naan on the grill to eat with the food. Everyone got stuffed beyond all belief. It was the first time my mother in law had ever eaten Turkish food and her head exploded.

Fried Eggplant and green peppers with 2 sauces

Take 1 eggplant and peel it lengthwise, leaving a few strips of skin to create a striped effect. Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Soak eggplant pieces in salted water for 20 minutes, then pat dry. Fry in oil and place on paper towels to drain.

For the peppers, I used banana peppers that I grilled on the grill with the chicken.

For the yogurt garlic sauce, take 1 cup yogurt and add 2 cloves garlic, pressed. Add a little salt and refrigerate to combine the flavors.

For the tomato sauce, take 2 tomatoes and peel them by dropping them into boiling water for 30 seconds and then plunge them into cold water. Heat 1 T olive oil. Add the tomatoes and 2 cloves garlic, pressed. Use a potato masher to mash up the tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes soften.




Lamb Kebabs

Take lamb chunks and cut it into long thin strips. Marinate the lamb in the juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 grated onion for 2 hours or more depending on how much time you have. I also grill up some onions and if you aren't having peppers in another dish be sure to grills some peppers. I throw a tomato on the grill as well and slice it and serve it with the lamb. Also serve it with lemon slices. You can throw the lemon on the grill too and it will taste absolutely delicious. I sprinkled a little feta cheese and parsley over the top.




To make naan on the grill I just make a really simple dough and let it rise until double in size. I throw a cup of warm water in the mixer and add the instant yeast and let it sit until it is foamy. Then I add flour a little at a time until I have a really moist dough. Kneed it for several minutes in the mixer. Cover it and let it rise. To grill it, get your grill going. You want to put the bread on before the rest of the food. It only takes a couple minutes on the grill. I flatten the dough out like I was making a pizza. Toss it on the grill for a minute or so until it starts to brown a little bit. Then flip it and cook it on the other side for a minute or so. Remove from the grill and brush with melted butter. Cut into pieces and serve immediately.

Here is the spread:


Tonight we are having another feast because I have to go clear the hell out in the middle of nowhere with no kitchen for the next 3 months. My wife and the baby won't be able to join me for another couple weeks. So needless to say this blog is going to slow down a little bit but rest assured it will pick up again when I get back in town.