This is what dinner looks like when I have no idea what to make, nothing in fridge and limited time. It was born of my curiosity about buckwheat flour, the fact that kale lasts for quite a while in the fridge and that I always try to keep a pound of ground turkey around for just these sorts of nights. This dish comes together quite quickly. Flavor builds upon texture as the vegetable and proteins comprise a delicate framework for a singular dish. The earthy taste of the buckwheat serves as an excellent platform for the chermoula spice paste, the North African flavor base for the rest of the meal. The sweet raisins and salty, ground almonds play as a counterpoint to the finely minced and flavored turkey, which is then tempered by a cool drizzle of yogurt, fragrant mint leaves, a splash of olive oil and a hint of cilantro. This yogurt topping is well worth it. I just left it out of the photos because when you live in a pre-war building in NYC they start piping heat in on high in October. You can leave the radiators off all you want, the heat pipes will ensure that your face and any cold ingredients will melt within minutes, especially when you have a pipe in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, one in the bedroom and two near your dinner table. Forget sleeping with covers.
Not every meal comes from a recipe, but I’m starting to find when you cook enough of them you end up improvising things that may end up delicious. Sometimes they’re failures, but we eat them anyway. As long as I continue to expand, learn and grow, nothing can really be a complete failure. This one works. I discovered the wonders of this spice mix in an Ottotenghi recipe, but I added a few things, changed the ratios, the protein and everything else really…And apparently I like buckwheat. I’d had it in Korean soups, but never in my kitchen. A keeper. Give it a shot. I will totally make this again. 
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tomato chopped or 1 can of chopped tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon
- ⅔ cup olive oil, plus extra to finish
- ⅓ cup golden raisins
- 1 handful cilantro, chopped, plus extra to finish
- about 2 teaspoons mint, chopped
- ⅓ cup pitted green olives, halved
- ⅓ cup ground almonds
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- Salt
For the Buckwheat pancake batter
- 2 cups buckwheat flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups milk
Directions:
To make the chermoula, mix together in a small bowl the garlic, cumin, coriander, chili, paprika, preserved lemon, two-thirds of the olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Once mixed, combine in a medium bowl with ground turkey, Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a medium frying pan add a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium flame. Add the chopped onion and let cook until translucent. Add the turkey. Let cook until brownish, add the tomatoes, cook for another 15-20 minutes. Soak the raisins in the warm water. After 10 minutes, drain the raisins and add them to the turkey. Add any remaining oil. Add the herbs, olives, almonds, green onions, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
FOR THE BUCKWHEAT PANCAKE
In a large bowl, mix the buckwheat flour and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs in the center, slowly combine and stir the milk, melted butter and salt. Make sure to stir constantly and firmly so you won’t get lumps in the batter. Cover with a plate and leave to rest for at least an hour. Heat your oven on a low heat so you can place your pancakes to keep warm. When the batter is ready, melt a teaspoon of butter in a frying pan. Add one ladle of batter to form a pancake. Fry approx 2-3 minutes on a medium heat until golden. Flip sides and repeat. 
Put it Together
Add a leaf of washed curly kale to the buckwheat pancake. Spoon the turkey on top. Spoon some yogurt on top if you wish and sprinkle with cilantro and mint and finish with a drizzle of oil.
I have so much good stuff coming up for you: I made the most amazing rustic Italian dinner last night with cannellini beans in a chicken broth reduction with brown butter and sage. It was Karen’s recipe with a twist. Seriously, it was one of the best meals I’ve made in a while and it can be done in under 45 mins. I also made an America’s Test Kitchen version of French apple cake that Ngan made, which you must see. I’ve got a short piece of fiction that I wrote with some recipes from my grandparents’ kitchens to share with y’all, which I’m nervous, but excited to publish here. OH and I’m secretly in love with someone in my apartment building. The other day we came home and someone had thrown away a bunch of books. The first was a literary journal with stories from Brooklyn (um, hello!). The second was “The Chateaux of France–A Travel Guide.” The third was “100 Best Places to Eat in America.” Hearts. This was two weeks ago. Today, when I went to throw out the garbage on my way to work I found a very old and heavily used Paul Bocuse pastry cookbook, about 50 old hard copy “Food and Wine” books and an oddly demolished Bobby Flay cookbook. There’s a lot to be said for rifling though the garbage in the morning. I wonder if this is all from the same person.
One last thing. A list for you. I’ve been curious about the allure of French cooking–and its effects on American cooking. Aside from seeping into many of my recipes and it becoming exacerbated by a trip to Quebec City this summer, it started me on a whole new genre of reading food writing. Here is a list of some of the most informative and interesting ones I’ve read lately. One thing I’ve learned from them, especially the pioneering women, is that I thought I was adventurous, precocious and modern. I’ve got nothing on these intrepid folks.
Provence 1970 by Luke Barr The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz When French Women Cook by Madeleine Kamman One Souffle at a Time by Anne Willan Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl The Gastronomical Me (and a few others) by MFK Fischer (but something about her makes me sad) A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle (Thanks, David)I also highly recommend the novel “All the Light we Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr which takes place partly in occupied France and partly Germany during WWII.
As for cookbooks, I’m coveting: Salt to Taste by Marco Canora (after eating in his restaurant Hearth twice) And I can no longer avoid the wonderful treatment of vegetables so I’ve elevated the priorities of Plenty, Plenty More, and Vegetable Literacy on my wish list. And added a prime lens. And world peace. Enjoy the week! 
What a flavorful dish you created. I’ve only had buckwheat in crepes in France but have never cooked with it myself. Thank you for the mention…it is much appreciated. I’m happy that my recipe inspired you and that you enjoyed it. 😀
That sounds delicious!
How could anyone who cooks throw out the Paul Bocuse book? Did you see Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, where he goes to Lyon and visits Paul Bocuse – that’s a really good one (I hope that link works for you in NYC).
Karen’s sausage and beans recipe’s got me dreaming of making cassoulet… 😉
Yes, cassoulet! I love this show! I hadn’t seen this one though. Thank you, MD! I can’t wait to see this. I think the person was purging old materials. This morning there was even more….an italian cookbook and some unknowns. My husband and I were texting all morning to decide if we like this person or not and if she’s a woman and if I should go find her and make her my friend. I should post the texts. It’s funny when you’re both at work and trying to figure out a mystery like this. 🙂
That’s a great show with Paul Bocuse – he’s been in a lot of food programmes, but I haven’t seen him out of the kitchen before.
You make me wish I lived in the same building – I’m sure you’d be fun to cook with 🙂
You too, dude! Thank you for this show. I’ve got it running in the background as I work. This is great.
Cool 🙂
Amazing, MD. I can’t believe Boluud, Bocuse and Bourdain go hunting together. That hare that he served…amazing. This is so great.
I’m so glad you liked it – I thought it was fantastic to see Paul Bocuse out hunting and then eating the feast at the hunting lodge – he’s 88 and so full of life. All those dishes presented in the restaurant are Bocuse’s signature dishes, but I’ve seen them in his recipe book, so they can be made at home. I really wanted to try that hare too!
Lovely post, as always, Amanda. I’ve only read the MFK Fischer book on your list, and I agree with you, there is something sad – even unpleasant at times – in her writing style and humor, she often makes me quite uneasy. But she did not have an easy life! And I really enjoyed How to cook a wolf.
I know how you feel about creating dishes out of stuff that is just lying around, and this sounds like quite a successful, healthful dinner; when I don’t really know what to do, I usually end up making pasta with whatever is on hand (that’s been happening alot these days, though my latest pasta dish was from Plenty more, and it was quick, simple, delicious and so unusual – to me at least; udon noodles with fried eggplant, walnuts, miso sauce and crunchy cucumber on top, yum; you’d love the book!).
I’m glad that you agree with me. She seems restrained and a little sad. I’d venture to say I feel a similar, but less sad voice in Willan’s book too. Honestly, the most joyful of all of those books was Julia Child’s My Life in France. There’s something contagious about her, even if it’s cliche of me to say. As for Plenty More, it seems like he’s incorporating some Asian influences in this one. I guess I have to order it…or I could see if my new secret best friend from my building throws it out. S/He clearly loses points for throwing these out, but not as many points as s/he gets for having them in the first place. We’ve been speculating on age and gender. My money is it’s two people, one young female non-cook and the other who came of age in the 70s and is “over it”. They make a great composite person.
The first Plenty already has some Asian-inspired recipes. I can’t decide which one I like best; I’ve made so many recipes from Plenty and regularly go back to it, but Plenty More is my favorite of the moment, maybe just because it is a new book! 🙂
I love how you’ve created a character from the books you found; do you have any idea who it might be? I know all my neighbors (there aren’t many in our 3 story building), and I know from their garbage that they don’t cool and probably don’t own a single cookbook 😀
I’ll have to get them both. I’ve seen a few of my neighbors, but I try not to interact. I suspect the woman below me, who I’ve seen carrying pies before, but I think the literary journal was someone else. I like my fake person better.
I’d say pretty good dinner when you don’t know what to make! Also quite creative.
That’s interesting and even unusual combo for me! 🙂 and the dinner looks very tasty! I do love buckwheat pancakes!
I totally agree with you. It was an odd combo, but it worked. My husband liked it more than I did. I would fill the pancakes with sweet potatoes or seasonal squash next time and serve the turkey over rice.
I read ‘A year in Provence’ about 20 years ago. I must re-read. A really enjoyable read.
I agree. Most of these books were written so long ago. It’s kind of a history lesson for me.
Not for me, unfortunately.
“This is what dinner looks like when I have no idea what to make, nothing in fridge and limited time.” If that’s true, then you are even more amazing than I thought. When I have no idea what to make you know what it’s called? Take out! I love the idea of layering textures to enhance the experience of the meal. Of course, when you’re feeding a 6 year-old, pointing out such subtleties is a total waste of time, but I think my husband might appreciate it. Interestingly, something about this meal – most likely the buckwheat pancake – evokes Ethiopian cuisine. (Which, if you haven’t been to Queen of Sheba on 49th and 10th, then you haven’t lived. It’s divine. I highly recommend it.)
Such a sweet comment. I have been to Queen of Sheba. It’s soooo good. I really like Ethiopian cuisine. So good. I do think textures add to a meal. Your 6 year old may pick up more than you think 😉
Amanda, I am impressed with what you can create with what you have on hand! I usually default to scrambled eggs. You are inspiring! This is a lovely meal, full of texture, color and flavor. Buckwheat pancakes are my favorite – preferably with bananas. Using them in a savory way is very appealing. I’m saving your list of reading, too. A book I read/cooked from and enjoyed was Amanda Hesser’s The Cook and the Gardener, about her time living in France and cooking for a family. I just returned Vegetable Literacy to the library and hope to own it at some point – I learned so much. Thank you for all you share!
Thanks so much, Hannah. I”ll put that book on my list! I love reading about people’s food experiences.I have my scrambled egg nights too, but that’s when I’m alone, if I make it past cereal. At least when I”m cooking for someone else I have to pretend I’ve got something good up my sleeve. It’s also an excuse to experiment with new things. :0 Enjoy your weekend!
I love that you made buckwheat pancakes in such a unique way! It’s so refreshing to see a “made up” dinner post. I agree with you about how after following recipes for so long you just sort of improvise and come up with something delicious. This happens quite often with me too. I certainly love learning how to combine spices that are new to me through following recipes, then once I get the hang of the flavors it’s even more fun to improvise and come up with something unique, like your buckwheat pancakes. I relate to your heated pipes! We lived in a couple of old brick buildings here in Seattle and I remember walking around in a tank top when it was freezing outside. I do love radiant heat though and miss it. 🙂 I’m keeping your reading list and making it mine. I know you have encouraged me a few time to read The Sweet Life in Paris…and I will! Looking forward to your short fiction piece Amanda!
Thanks so much. Your responses are always so thoughtful. I’m glad you appreciated this post. I felt a little bad that I wasn’t coming to the table with a knockout hit. I also have been reading so much lately that I thought I’d share. In doing so I’ve discovered more. I’m editing the fiction this week, focusing it and cutting it down significantly. I don’t want to test anyone’s patience. As for the heat, you’re right, it has its benefits, like never having to turn the heat on! But it is why I’ll sometimes find myself in the dead of winter wearing a tshirt outside, because it’s so darn hot in the apartment! I’m glad you’ve had that same cooking learning curve, where you find yourself inadvertently making a classic dish because you’ve done it before. xo
Dear dear Amanda – I love that you are secretly in love with someone in your building. I presume – though you never said, that that someone is the person discarding food books and magazines?! And that is the reason you’re in love!
Also adore the description of the heating pipes and the fact you can’t sleep with a cover – now I have a picture of what your apartment must look like – complete with heat pipes. This as I start to shiver in Kingston and waken at night to the low rumble of the furnace until I get used to it and the sound no longer registers.
Your reading list is wonderful. Anthony Doerr is brilliant. I must read more of him. I read Four Seasons in Rome and rank in my favourite travel books — a genre I read a lot of. I have The Sweet Life in Paris on my bedside table, and a book of essays from MKF Fisher. There is something a little sad about her writing perhaps but she was a wonderful person and she wrote so beautifully about the intersection of food, hunger, and love – that’s my favourite destination on the planet.
Glorious photographs and meal – especially like the buckwheat pancake. xo
Wow, Lindy. We read the same things. Yes, I am in love with an unknown person because I found her reading materials in piled outside by the garbage. 🙂 Ah yes, you know the radiator noise. My brother was staying with us and was like “what in the world is that noise?” Bang/clank. I don’t think I’ve read Anthony Doerr’s other books, but now I’ll be sure to. It has to patiently wait for me to get through a few more books. I just got one on mushroom foraging. Who have I become? Thank you so much for your wonderful compliments. It really is a great way to start the day. Enjoy the weekend! xo.
What a lovely spur-of-the-moment dish, that’s how the best meals get created sometimes and the spice list is inspiring. I agree, how can anyone throw out some of these? I’d love to have the old Food & Wines and would like to add Stéphane Reynaud and my favourite Roger Vergé, who used to have a gorgeous restaurant in the hills above Cannes in Mougins to your must-have French cuisine literature. Plus Michel Biehn for some Provencal cooking. My shelves are bursting – but not throwing any of these out, ever! Happy Halloween to you, Nicole
Thanks, Nicole. The best thing I love about sharing my list is that I’ve gotten so many great suggestions in return. When you read one it leads to another. I actually got a used version of Richard Olney’s “Provence the Beautiful” which is very well-written. This is all such great stuff. I really need to feature a post on Peru too. When I visited there, I was surprised at what they do with their food. It’s unreal. Bourdaine and Ripert did a show on it, but I still don’t think they conveyed just how magical the cooking scene is down there. Have a great weekend. Thanks again. XO
especially love your second paragraph–so true. Dinner is usually whatever can be scrounged from the ‘fridge and I (usually) consider it a challenge to make something healthy, tasty, etc. Your dish looks amazing!
Thanks so much, Liz. Your always so supportive. Xo
Amanda, Great post, great photos, great recipe. How nice to make a hearty meal with fresh ingredients. <3
Thanks so much, Fae. It’s so nice to see you here. xo
I just came back from my 6-week trip to Japan. Trying to catch-up for the last 3 days.
I think I would be taking the rubbish out every day and twice a day, to see what was there! Perhaps someone is clearing an apartment out and isn’t interested in these things. You never know maybe there will be kitchen utensils next. Buckwheat is a wonderful thing, as it is gluten free. Loved reading your post.
So funny, Maria. I think i found her. And i think she moved out yesterday. I saw a beautiful long farmhouse table and some nice kitchen surfaces then the open door on my way to work. She clearly knew how to cook! But i think i missed her. I will definitely be checking to see today what she left.
What a shame – she lived so close. Talk about passing ships in the night. Still, I hope she has left you lots of wonderful rubbish!!!