Turkish cooking styles have influenced the food of most of the eastern and southern Mediterranean—lands that were once part of the vast territories ruled by the Ottoman Turks and their empire. The Turks use a wide array of spices, including sweet aromatics such as cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. The spices marry well with lamb and goat, both of which are commonly used in Turkish cooking. They also go well with bison.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ cups finely chopped onions
• 1 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
• ½ cup finely chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground bison, home-ground or store-bought
• ½ cup pomegranate juice
• 1½ cups canned diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¾ pound wide dried pasta, such as pappardelle or narrow lasagna noodles
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (whole-milk or 2%)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring from time to time.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the baharat, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir until the vegetables are well coated and the spices are fragrant, about 45 seconds.
3. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add the bison, and cook, breaking up the meat with a fork, until no longer pink. Add the pomegranate juice and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, the lemon juice, mint, and ¾ cup of the cilantro. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, adding a little water if the sauce becomes too thick or, if it’s too watery, increase the heat and boil for a few minutes to concentrate slightly. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
6. Divide the noodles among four shallow serving bowls. Spoon over the bison sauce, garnish with dollops of yogurt, and sprinkle over the remaining ¼ cup cilantro.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS

• Ground lamb, ground goat, ground beef, or a combination of ground lamb or goat and ground bison or beef.

COOK’S NOTE

• To substitute for Baharat, combine 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika.
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon dried mint.