Winter Menu List of the First and Best Ottoman Palace Cuisine in Istanbul, Asitane
Ottoman Heritage
Delicacies from the Palace
Winter 2018 – 2019
Ottoman cuisine is a buried treasure, the heritage of a great empire which lasted for 700 years… A synthesis of Central Asian, Anatolian, Middle Eastern and Balkan flavors. Unfortunately, very few recipes from this rich cuisine have survived due to a tradition which demanded that cooks’ guilds keep their recipes and cooking techniques secret. Here at Asitane, we have made it our mission to reintroduce the authentic Ottoman cooking to the world. Since 1991, dedicated staff has hunted down lost tastes with academic zeal. In order to try and recreate authentic Ottoman Cuisine, we have consulted a variety of sources, including the budget ledgers of the three main palace kitchens – Topkapı and Edirne – and the memoirs of foreign diplomats and visitors. It is with great pleasure that we offer you long-forgotten dishes which we have revived based on documents that lay in palace archives for 500 years. The dishes in the menu are prepared from these historic resources using original ingredients and cooking methods. At Asitane, we strive to provide our guests with an authentic palate experience that does justice to the splendors of the Imperial kitchens. We are delighted to welcome you to our restaurant, where our welcoming and experienced staff will treat you to an unforgettable feast.
Enjoy your meal!
Soups
1. Almond Soup (1539)
A light almond broth flavoured with grated nutmeg and pomegranate seeds
2. “Terine” Soup with Chestnuts (1469)
Winter soup with chestnuts, dried yogurt and mint
Cold Appetizers
3. Asitane Treats
Ottoman Hums (1469)
Crushed chickpeas lightly pureed with currants, pine nuts and cinnamon
“Lor” Cheese Blend (1898)
Fresh cottage cheese mixed with scallions, parsley, green peppers, tomatoes and seasoned with rosemary and paprika
Fava
Creamed broad beans, seasoned with dill and served with a drizzle of olive oil
Pounded Cucumber Salad (1844)
With onions and pictachios
4. Gerdaniyye
Lamb chuck slowly braised with aromatic vegetables and herbs, blended
with lamb brains, served with sour black plum extract
5. Cabbage Rolls with Chestnuts (1844)
Cabbage leaves rolled with a blend of rice, onions, spices, chestnuts cooked in olive oil
6. Stuffed Calamari with Shrimps
Oven baked whole calamari, stuffed with a blend of rice, pine nuts and currants flavored with cinnamon and fresh mint
7. “Kerefes” (XV. c.)
Celery roots cooked in olive oil with black carrots, shallots and chickpeas
Salads
8. Cauliflower Salad with Tahini (1898)
Blanched cauliflower salad with mustard-seed-and-tahini dressing
9. Fragrant Green Salad
Green salad with fragrant herbs, served with “dilber” dressing
Warm Appetizers
10. Grilled “Circassian” Cheese with Oyster Mushrooms
11. Liver “Köfte” (1695)
Fried liver rissoles flavoured with cinnamon and cloves served with red onions sauteed in pomegranate molasses
12. ‘’Hassa Bourek’’
Traditional Turkish ‘’yufka’’ pastry layered and rolled with ‘’tulum’’ cheese and a blend of green olives, walnuts, yoghurt, spring onions and tarragon
13. “Çevgani Mücver” (1898)
Deep fried patties of minced meat, rice and chopped onions blend
14. Kadırga Pilaf
Rice with cinnamon, currants and almonds; topped with cheesy white roux
15. “Piruhi” (1844)
Home made pasta parcels, stuffed with spinach, onions, and crumbly ‘tulum’ cheese
16. “Tatar” Pastry (1898)
Fried phyllo pastry with meat and onions f illing, served on a bed of strained yoghurt
17. “Baş” Pilaf (1844)
Rice pilaf cooked with sheep’s head meat, lamb brains, mastic and cinnamon
18. Stuffed Spleen (1924)
Lamb spleen stuffed with dill, pine nuts, spring onions and rice, braised and deep fried on order
19. “Bazar Bourek” (1539)
Fried dough parcels stuffed with diced pumpkins, spring onions, stick cheese, local “Manyas” cheese and feta cheese
Main Courses
20. “Fatty Apron” Kebab (1764)
Minced lamb and beef blended with coriander seeds, cumin, pine nuts and mint, wrapped in caulfat and roasted in the oven
21. Veal “Külbastı” (1844)
Grilled veal fillets seasoned with tarragon, bay leaves, and black pepper
22. “Mahmudiyye” (1539)
Cinnamon and clove flavoured chicken stew cooked with apricots, Rezaki raisins and almonds
23. Savoury Meat Patties (1764)
Minced lamb and veal patties flavoured with anise, cinnamon and pistachio; wrapped in phyllo dough and grilled on charcoal
24. Stuffed Quince (1539)
Baked quince stuffed with a blend of minced lamb and beef, rice, aromatic herbs, pine nuts, currants and flavoured with grape molasses
25. “Kırma” Chicken Kebab (1764)
Grilled chicken fillets served on vinegar sauteed onions and served with pickled red cabbage and sauteed chard leaves
26. Goose Kebab (1539)
Slowly roasted “Çankırı” goose served on a bed of almond pilaf in crunchy Turkish “Yufka”
27. Roasted Leg of Lamb
Served with herbed rice pilaf flavoured with currants and pine nuts
28. “Mutanjene” (1539)
Lamb stew cooked with apricots, Rezaki raisins, almonds, and figs
29. Borani-i Hassa (XV. c.) (Vegetarian)
Spinach cooked with onions, eggs and rice, dressed with garlic yogurt
30. “Tuffahiye” Stuffed Apple (XV c.) (Vegetarian)
Baked apple stuffed with a blend of cracked wheat, celery and onions. Served with shallots cooked in ginger apple sauce
31. Vegetable “Bohça” Kebab (Vegetarian)
Oven baked; diced winter vegetables in chard leaves wrap
32. Mackarel “Dolma” (1844)
Whole mackarel stuffed with currants, pine nuts, and herbs, breaded and fried
33. Sea Bass “Biryan” (XV. c.)
Roasted whole sea bass stuffed with walnuts and spices, served with a saffron and rose water dressing
Desserts
34. Rock “Kadayıf” (1828)
Fried flat pancakes soaked in light orange syrup and milk, with clotted cream
35. Halva Platter from The Palace
Honey Halva (XV. c.)
Roasted flour halva with honey, “Antep” pistachios and poppy seeds
Levzine (1539)
Almond halva
Memuniyye (XV. c.)
Rice starch halva with rose water
36. “Helatiye”
Milk pudding infused with gum mastic, served with almonds, pistachios, and seasonal fruits in a light rose water syrup
37. “Sembuse” (1650)
Walnut and almond dessert with musk
38. Milk pudding topped with Pomegranate Jelly
