Anytime I travel I like to do some homework on the particular destination and the research becomes feverish when I look into food options. Last year I went to Istanbul for the second time and regardless of if you’re been to Istanbul or not – its reputation as a “food lover’s city” is justified. I read books, Google alerts for Istanbul food, asked friends and relatives for “good eats” tips and even asked some Turkish friends for their Istanbul recommendations.

It was pleasing to see some of same restaurants mentioned by my Turkish friends and one standout was Haci Abdullah, in the Beyoglu/Perama district of Istanbul, on a small street around the corner from the Greek Consulate. This restaurant is very old school (original operating licence gratned by Sultan Abduhamid II) and it boasts being in business for over 100 years!

Walking into Abdullah takes you back in time with the ornate wallpaper and traditional Ottoman decor. Westerners should note that no alcohol is served here but that shouldn’t deter you from tasting an array of Turkish dishes for an affordable price. The other tradition kept here is the presentation of the food in an “open kitchen” format – a way of displaying food that is still prevalent in Greece as well.

The first thing I did was pre-order my dessert of Kunefe…a prerequisite since it’s made to-order and requires about 20 minutes. With dessert already out-of-the-way, I scanned over the day’s offerings on display and opted for the classic – Hunkar Begendi. The dish’s name focuses on the smoked eggplant purée that acts as a bedding for whatever protein is placed on top. I’ve made it with beef, served it with octopus but traditionally stewed lamb in a reddened sauce is the accompaniment.

The taste of this smoked eggplant purée is creamy, it’s thick, it’s cheesy and it’s wonderful when paired with a mouthful of this stewed lamb. Hunkar Begendi’s flavour is so delicious that it’s even evoked a few stories surrounding it’s origins: one story is that the famed kitchens of Ottoman Sultan Murad IV created this dish and that it easily became his favourite, “Sultan’s Favourite”. Another story surrounded around famous Ottoman concubine Hunkar, a notoriously hard-to-please gourmand who loved this combo (perhaps the Sultan loved the dish as much as the concubine?)

The thid “Hunkar” story goes like this: the dish was served to Empress Eugenie, wife of Napolean II, on a visit to Istanbul in the 1860’s. Sultan Abdul Aziz I was eager to please and he ordered the kitchen staff to prepare the best of Ottoman cuisine to the Empress. Eugenie was delighted!  She sent one of her own French chefs into the kitchen to retrieve the recipe. The Sultan’s chef through out the Frenchman with the words, “an imperial chef cooks with his feelings, his eyes and his nose. Somebody must have “sung” as the recipe is now a Turkish fave found in restaurants throughout Turkey!

Key points to remember for this dish is to char/blacken your eggplants on a gas or charcoal grill or open flame on a gas stove. It’s imperative to get that smoky flavour in the eggplant. Second, in-season ripe tomatoes work best but canned or jarred tomatoes will work well. Finally

Hunkar Begendi With Lamb

Hunkar Begendi

(serves 4)

Approx. 2lbs. of lamb meat (preferably shoulder)

1/4 cup olive oil or butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup diced green pepper

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

2-3 bay leaves

6-7 whole allspice berries

2 Tbsp. Turkish red pepper paste (Biber Salcasi)*

2 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

2 cups plum tomatoes, hand crushed (or  ripe tomatoes, passed though box grater)

2 cups hot water or stock

salt and pepper to taste

Smoked Eggplant Purée

2 large eggplants (or 4 Tsakonikes or long-slender Japanese)
1/2 cup grated Kefalotyri or Romano cheese
2 heaping Tbsp. of cream cheese
2 Tbsp. of butter
2 Tbsp. of all-purpose  flour
2 cups of milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of chopped fresh chives or scallion greens

fresh ground pepper & salt to taste

Garnishes

roasted cherry tomatoes and fried hot green peppers

1. Season your cubes of lamb with salt and pepper and place a large skillet on your stovetop over medium-high heat. Saute the lamb and occasionally stir so that the meat browns on all sides. Now add the remaining oil, onions, diced peppers, bay leaves, allspice and reduce to medium, adding a bit of salt and pepper and simmer for 6-7 minutes.
2. Now add the red pepper paste* (or 1 roasted red pepper mashed with a fork), thyme, parsley, tomato sauce and hot stock and bring up to a boil. Season once again with some salt and pepper and reduce to a simmer, slightly cover and cook for 30-40 minutes. Uncover, adjust seasoning and continue to simmer uncovered until the sauce is thick. Take off the heat and reserve/keep warm.
3. The eggplant purée can be prepared while the lamb is stewing. Pierce the eggplant around a few times ( prevents it from exploding) all around and char/blacken over high heat in your gas or charcoal grill. Turn the eggplant every 10-15 minutes until all sides of the skin are charred.
4. When the eggplant has cooled enough to handle, cut the eggplant open with a knife and spoon out the meat of the eggplant. Discard the skin. Pound the eggplant using a mortar and pestle until it’s creamy yet chunky. Reserve.
5. In a medium saucepan, add your butter over medium heat and when it’s melted add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the colour turns to a light brown. Now slowly add your milk while stirring until the mixture starts to thicken (like the consistency of cream). Add your roasted eggplant puree, the cream cheese and grated cheese and stir to incorporate. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and stir in your chopped chives. Reserve and keep warm.
6. Spoon about a generous ladel into each plate and make a whole in the middle then divide and place the stewed lamb in middle of each plate, surrounded by the eggplant puree. Garnish with some roasted cherry tomatoes and a fried green pepper. Serve with a Domaine Vourvoukelis Avdiros Red from Xanthi (Thrace).