Çilbir: Turkish Eggs with Aleppo Butter, Jalapeño Shug & Roast Eggplant

Two poached eggs over a bed of creamy garlic and herb yogurt topped with Aleppo pepper butter and a garlic and herb infusion and served with half a roasted eggplant, smoky eggplant puree, and arugula dressed with a simple lemon tahini dressing. This is Çilbir or Turkish poached eggs and I guarantee the combination of flavours will be the most exciting thing you've had for breakfast in a long time - maybe ever.

It may seem like a lot of ingredients but it's really not that difficult or labour intensive to prepare and the flavours are truly mind-blowing.

Çilbir has been popping up on my radar more and more over the past few months. I'm happy to see Turkish cuisine landing in the spotlight more frequently. The combination of flavours and technique in this dish exemplifies what Turkish cuisine has to offer and I'm happy to see the Turkish magic extends to breakfast.

Besides being absolutely delicious and beautiful, this Çilbir with roasted eggplant is also really easy to pull off. You can even do some of the prep in advance so you can do a 'no-stress impress' for guests or just your family.

How to prepare are the eggplant

Although eggplant isn't necessarily a traditional component of Turkish eggs, the addition of eggplant complements the flavours in the dish, also adding more texture and another layer of excitement.

The eggplant is done two ways in this recipe. One is scored and roasted (a nod to the eggplant confit and oven-roasted zucchini from Chef Thomas Keller's Masterclass) the other is roasted and pureed in the style of Romanian eggplant salad salata de vinete.

Each has a distinctive flavour that adds different elements to the dish. The half roasted eggplant looks beautiful and brings delicate flavours while the pureed eggplant adds a bold pop of smoky flavour that I think you'll find pretty unbelievable.

The eggplant puree is best prepared in advance. If you make a big batch you can serve some with the Turkish eggs and store the rest in a tupperware in the fridge for up to a week. It's delicious simply on bread or toast as a snack.

The half eggplant can also be prepared in advance or at the same time as the Turkish eggs. It's relatively hands off after the initial scoring.

Smoky grilled eggplant puree

Special equipment: propane/charcoal grill or gas range

The grilled eggplant puree adds an exciting pop of smoky flavour. Grilling over an open flame  imparts a distinctive smoky flavour that contrasts with the sweetness of the half roasted eggplant and adds a lot of dimension to the Turkish eggs overall. If you have the time for it I really recommend giving this a try and maybe even making a bigger batch so you have leftover eggplant to spread on bread.

It does take a bit of time to prepare so it's best to do in advance.

Steps for making the smoky eggplant puree

• Grill the eggplant over an open flame until the outside is completely charred and the inside is very soft and reduced in size from water evaporation. If you're using a grill you can cook it to done on the grill. If you're using a gas range, use the burner to just char the outside as much as possible and once the eggplant begins to release liquid you may want to move it to the oven. The best way to do this is to roast it at 200 C / 400 F on a grill rack over an aluminum lined baking tray. The eggplant releases a lot of liquid when roasting and it can be very difficult to clean off a baking tray once it's cooked on. How long it takes depends on the water content and size of the eggplant so it's best just to monitor it until the skin is completely charred and the flesh is dense and starting to color.
• Set aside to cool.
• Use your fingers to strip away the charred skin and put the flesh in a mesh sieve over a bowl to drain - ideally in the fridge overnight or otherwise for a couple hours. The liquid that drains out can be very bitter so waiting for it to drain makes the eggplant puree sweeter.
• Mash the eggplant with a fork. Add mayo, salt to taste and finely diced onions.
• Serve as an accompaniment to Turkish eggs or simply spread on bread as a snack.

If you don't have a grill or gas range: Cooking the eggplant over an open flame adds the distinctive smoky element and unfortunately it can't be achieved with any other cooking method. That being said, you can still get a nice flavour by roasting it or finishing it in the oven. If you don't have a grill or a gas range to prepare the eggplant, you can either char it directly on an electric element or in a skillet and then finish it in the oven or simply roast it in the oven at 200 C / 400 F on a grill rack over an aluminium foil lined baking tray. Start to finish it should take approximately 40 minutes in the oven but it depends a lot on the size of the eggplant and their water content - the best way to know if it's finished is if the skin is completely charred and flaking off and the flesh is reduced in size, dense, and starting to get some color.

If you don't have the time or equipment to make the eggplant puree you can easily replace it with store bought baba ganoush or Romanian eggplant spread.

Half roasted eggplant

The half roasted eggplant adds delicate and creamy eggplant flavour, looks beautiful on the plate and is very simple to prepare.

All you need to do is score the eggplant as shown in the picture - cut diagonal lines at even intervals across the halved eggplant.

• Sprinkle a bit of salt and set it aside for 5 minutes or so to release excess liquid.
• Preheat the oven to 175 C / 350 F.
• After the liquid has released dab it off with a paper towel or kitchen cloth.
• Heat up a few teaspoons of olive oil in a non-stick oven safe skillet over medium heat and put the eggplant in the skillet skin side up.
• Sear the eggplant for about 5 minutes and then put the skillet in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the eggplant is tender and crisping slightly at the edges.

How to prepare the garlic and herb yogurt

The garlic and herb yogurt provides a creamy and cooling base for the rich eggs and flavourful sauces. It's fairly simple to prepare and can be done the night before to save you some time in the morning and also give the yogurt extra time to infuse.

You'll need the following:

• 1 bunch each of fresh mint, parsley, cilantro, and dill - stems removed and finely diced (set aside ⅓ of it for the jalapeño shug)
• 600  grams of strained yogurt (Greek or Turkish)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic finely diced or mashed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well until fully incorporated. Set aside. Can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use.

Type of yogurt: I originally planned to make this with Turkish yogurt. The yogurt I purchased was Turkish but it wasn't strained and looked a little more watery like Balkan yogurt. While I'm sure this would have also tasted nice, I really wanted the heft and creaminess of strained yogurt so I used Greek yogurt instead.

How to poach the eggs

• Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer (steaming but not bubbling) and add 1.5 tablespoons of white vinegar.
• Crack an egg into a small bowl.
• Use a large spoon to swirl around the water and slowly drop the egg into the middle of the swirl.
• Let the egg poach for about 2-3 minutes or until the white is no longer jiggly.

I'm not a master egg poacher and have been known to substitute soft boiled eggs for poached. If poaching is new (or even if it's not) here are some great resources for poaching eggs:

• Jamie Oliver How to Make Perfect Poached Eggs
• Downshiftology How to poach an egg perfectly
• Food Network How to poach eggs for beginners
• How to poach an egg using a microwave in 60 seconds

How to prepare the sauces for Çilbir

The sauces are very easy to prepare. This can be done after the yogurt is mixed and the eggs are poached.

Aleppo pepper butter

Aleppo pepper, known as pul biber in Turkish, has a distinctive flavour and mild heat. If you can't find Aleppo pepper then you can substitute 1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika and ½ to 1 whole teaspoon cayenne.

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup salted melted butter
• 5 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper

Directions

Whisk together all the ingredients and add to a small saucepan. Simmer on medium-high heat until aromatic, about 5-6 minutes.

Jalapeño shug

A shug is a Middle Eastern condiment that resembles South American chimichurri in that it's oil infused with herbs and then cut with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar. This creates a sauce that's fresh and zesty - a very nice contrast to the warm and rich spice of the Aleppo butter.

Ingredients

• ½ cup high smoke point flavourless vegetable oil like canola or avocado
• ⅓ of the diced herbs prepared for the garlic and herb yogurt
• 1 clove of garlic finely diced or mashed
• ½ to 1 whole jalapeño sliced into very thin rings
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

• Add the herbs, jalapeño, garlic, salt and cumin to a deep bowl or mug.
• Heat the oil on medium-high until it's very hot.
• Pour the hot oil over the herbs and garlic in the bowl. Protect your hands and surfaces as it may sputter.
• Set aside to cool and infuse for about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the vinegar. Taste and add more salt as necessary.

Preparing the lemon & tahini dressed arugula

Whisk together the following in a small bowl:

• 1.5 tablespoon tahini
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Drizzle it over the arugula and use your fingers or two spoons to toss and coat.

Assembling the Turkish Eggs

Once all the components are ready you simply distribute the garlic and herb yogurt into 4 bowls. I like to add a few dollops to one spot and then use the back of my spoon to swish it into a circular shape. Place the eggplant, arugula and poached eggs over the garlic.

Top it all with the Aleppo butter and jalapeño shug then garnish with black and white sesame seeds, ground sumak, and more fresh herbs.

Recipe