60 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM settle in meyhouserestaurant.com {food coloring} best ingredients and execution techniques possible. A lot of the dishes we serve here you can find in Turkey.” Popular menu items include the steamed Turkmen dumplings, grilled octopus, olive oil-braised artichoke bottoms with poached shrimp, and kopoglu (a layered appetizer of eggplant, yogurt, peppers and garlicky tomato sauce). “All of the items on our menu have been carefully selected to represent different cooking styles and cuisines from different parts of Turkey,” Koray explains. “Everything is unique.” It’s said that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. For Omer and Koray, that certainly seems true. “In the restaurant business, you get real results immediately: when you see the reactions on the faces of our customers while they’re tasting our food,” Koray says. “Omer and I love that. If you don’t, it’s hard to be successful.” INGREDIENTS 3 eggplants 1 red bell pepper 2 poblano or Anaheim peppers Olive oil Salt and sugar Parsley FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE 1 cup tomato sauce 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil FOR THE YOGURT SAUCE 1 cup Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon salt 2 cloves garlic, crushed + Heat the oven to 350 F. + Peel eggplants in alternating stripes, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Toss generously with salt and sugar, and let them sweat for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well. + Cut the peppers into 1-inch pieces. Toss the peppers and eggplant with olive oil and roast on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. + While the eggplant and peppers roast, make the tomato sauce: In a small saucepan, sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt and vinegar. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. + Next, make the yogurt sauce by combining Greek yogurt with salt and garlic in a blender until smooth. + To assemble, spread yogurt sauce on a plate, then layer the roasted eggplant and peppers on top. Generously top with tomato sauce. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of parsley. EGGPLANT AND PEPPER KOPOGLU Kopoglu, a dish from northeast Turkey and Bulgaria, is a popular vegetarian option at Meyhouse. Use Chinese or Japanese eggplant for the best texture and minimal seeds. make it
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