ISTANBUL FOOD RECIPES

Steps:

• Drain the beans, cover with fresh water and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 1½-2 hours until the beans are just tender.
• Gently soften the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil for 5 minutes. When soft, stir in the paprika, tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, 100ml/3½fl oz water, salt and pepper.
• Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the chard and take off the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
• When the beans are cooked, drain them and mix with the tomato and chard sauce, adding a further 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the chopped herbs.
• Transfer the beans to a casserole pan, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and bake for 35–40 minutes until the beans are tender and the sauce thickened and bubbling. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Pour 70ml/2½fl oz of the olive oil in a frying pan and set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots.
• When they are sizzling, stir in the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, chilli flakes, saffron and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the shallots and garlic burning, then add the wine and cook for a further minute.
• Add 100ml/3½fl oz water and the remaining salt, bring to the boil. Stir, then reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer and reduce for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the remaining olive oil in another frying pan and set over a high heat. When the pan is really hot, fry the prawns for a minute, then remove from the heat.
• With the sauce still bubbling, add the fried prawns and coat them well. Season well with black pepper, and add a tablespoon of the breadcrumbs. Use more crumbs if the sauce is too thin.
• Cook for a further 2 minutes then turn off the heat. Drizzle over a little more olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.