Winter Menu 2008 - 2009
Ottoman Heritage - Delicacies from the Palace
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 authentic Ottoman cooking to the
world. Since 1991, dedicated staff have hunted down lost tastes with academic zeal. We have
consulted a variety of sources, including the budget ledgers of the three main palace kitchens -
Topkap�, Edirne and Dolmabah�e- and the memoirs of foreign diplomats and visitors to try and
recreate authentic Ottoman cuisine. 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 and prepared 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 hospitable and experienced staff will treat you to
an unforgettable feast.
Bon appetit!

For download pdf version of the renewed Asitane Winter Menu please click here.

Soups
Almond Soup (1539)
A light almond broth flavoured with grated coconut and a drizzle of pomegranate
Soup of Scorpion Fish (1539)
A rich broth of scorpion fish with vegetables, flavoured with ginger and bay leaves
Spinach Root Soup (1469-1473)

Cold Appetizers
Ottoman Hummus (1469-1471)
Crushed chickpeas, lightly pureed with currants and cinnamon powder
"Lor" Cheese Salad (1898)
Mixed with scallions, parsley, green peppers and tomatoes, seasoned with rosemary and paprika
"Vartabit"
"�and�r" beans with tahini dressing
"Babagannush"
Baked and peeled aubergine with green peppers, mashed with garlic and thick yogurt
Cabbage Rolls with Mussels (1787)
Stuffed Vine Leaves with Sour Cherries (1844)
Bombay Bean Spread with Cinnamon, topped with 'Piyaz' (1888)
Circassian Style Chicken
Shredded chicken breast with walnuts and spices
Eggplant / Courgette "Bayildi"
Eggplant / Courgette with caramelized onions

Salads and Pickles
'Charm's Salad'
Romaine lettuce with 'Charm' dressing
House Green Salad with fresh Herbs topped with "Tulum" Cheese
Shredded Carrots and Cabbage Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
Pickled Beetroot (1844)

Warm Appetizers
Grilled 'Circassian' Cheese with Oyster Mushrooms
"Arefe" Patties (1854)
Fried cracked wheat rolls stuffed with minced lamb, almonds, pistachios, currants and spices
"Hassa Bourek"
Thin sheets of f i lo pastry layered with goat cheese and a blend of green olives, walnuts, yogurt, scallions and tarragon

Pilafs and Pasta Dishes
Saffron Rice with Chickpeas (1539)
Saffron Rice with Chickpeas
Cracked Wheat Pilaf (1469)
Cracked wheat rice mixed with chestnuts and black currants, flavoured with cumin and allspice
"Restiyye" (1539)
Homemade vermicelli 'a laTurka' with "Tulum" cheese, sprinkled with finely chopped walnuts and parsley
Piruhi (1898)
Our own 'home made' ravioli, stuffed with season's vegetables and a variety of cheeses

Main Courses
Veal Marinated in Apricot Extract (1539)
Veal seasoned with tarragon, cumin, oregano and bay leaves, served in an aromatic apricot extract
Fillet of Beef a la Sultan
Minced lamb meat flavored with parsley, cumin and allspice, rolled in a strip of beef sirloin, grilled and topped with pastirma
"Mutanjene" (1539)
Diced lamb with shallots, dried apricots, raisins, honey, and almonds, baked slowly in an earthenware casserole
"Keshkek" (1625)
Lamb cubes on a bed of mashed lamb chuck with whole wheat grains, haricot beans, and seasoned with paprika
Stuffed Quince (1539)
Oven baked quince stuffed with a blend of minced lamb and veal meat cooked with rice, pine nuts, currants and spices.
Goose Kebab (1539)
Goose meat on a layer of rice, wrapped in a single sheet of fi lo pastry and baked
"Kirde Kebab" (XVIII. c.)
Diced lamb and vegetables on pieces of crispy flat bread with yogurt
Lamb Shank with Eggplant "Begendi"
Baked lamb shank on a bed of pureed eggplant, served in a pastry bowl
"Nirbach" (1585)
Diced lamb and blended meatballs, in a carrot stew flavored with coriander, ginger, cinnamon, gum-mastic and pomegranade syrup, served with crushed walnuts
Chicken Kebab with Cinnamon (1585)
Marinated and grilled chicken cubes and almonds, seasoned with cinnamon, served on a bed of pureed eggplant
"Mahmudiyye" (1539)
Spring chicken stewed with almonds, dried apricots, grapes and flavoured with honey and cinnamon
Chard "Dolma" (Vegetarian)
A blend of rice, cracked wheat, onions and spices delicately wrapped in a green chard leaf and served with yogurt
Quince "Kalia" (Vegetarian option available) (1539)
Quince, lamb meat, chickpeas, carrots, walnuts and dill cooked and flavoured with grape molasses syrup
Broad Bean Wrap (Vegetarian option available)
Cracked wheat mixed with peeled and crushed broad beans, onions and pastirma, wrapped in vine leaves and cooked

Fish Dishes
Red Mullet �n Papillotte
Parcel of red mullet with vegetables and gum mastic
Salmon with "Tarator" Sauce (1864)
Sea Bass with Almonds
Sea bass cooked in a casserole with vegetables and almonds

Desserts
Levzine (1539)
Pounded Almond 'Halva' with Powdered Sugar
"Helatiye"
Pudding infused with gum mastic, served with almonds, pistachios, seasonal fruits in a rose water syrup
Pumpkin and Fig Delight served with Thick Cream
"Chevirme" (1837)
Fruit dessert in heavy syrup
"Tash Kadayif" (1765)
Seasonal Fruit Platter