Ali Nazik - Eggplant-Yogurt Foam with Lamb Crisps

Ali Nazik - Eggplant-Yogurt Foam with Lamb Crisps

This dish is a revelation. Thick yogurt is blended with the palest, creamiest eggplant, topped with crispy bits of lamb or beef, and then topped with sizzling butter turned crimson red by red pepper. This dish is great for a dinner party or served with pita chips as part of a meze.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Brunch, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkey

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Oven-proof casserole
Food processor
Mallet
Large nonstick pan
Strainer and cheesecloth of coffee filter (for draining yogurt)
Large bowl filled with ice cold water

Ingredients

2 lbs Large eggplants, freshest possible
10 oz Lamb, thin sliced steak, bone and excess fat removed
5 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp Salt
2 cloves Garlic, crushed with salt
2 cups Greek yogurt
4 tsp Butter,divided
2 tsp Olive oil, divided
Salt, pepper, and Aleppo pepper to taste
1 tsp Fine ground black pepper
1 pinch Near East pepper (Sub: 3 parts sweet paprika & 1 part crushed red pepper flakes)

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Instructions

Prepare Eggplant

Begin draining yogurt. Pick each eggplant 4 times with a fork. Grill or Bake.
To Grill - Over a medium-hot grill, cook eggplants until they get soft and skin is charred. About 30 minutes total. Transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water.
To Bake - Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Put eggplants in oven on a baking pan for about 45 minutes. They will look deflated and soft when ready. Transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water.
Peel - As soon as eggplant is cool enough to handle, hold it by the stem side and peel off skin from top down. Place peeled eggplants back in bowl with water and add lemon juice and ¼ tsp salt. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.

Prepare Lamb Crisps

Pound lamb or beef pieces thin, about ⅛-inch. Dice into small cubes, about ⅛-inch.
Heat remaining butter and olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add meat and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 5 minutes more shaking occasionally. Remove cover and season liberally with salt, pepper, and Aleppo pepper (or cayenne).

Finish and Serve

Preheat oven to 200°F (95°C). Remove eggplant from water and gently squeeze dry. Add eggplant to food processor along with garlic and 1 tsp lemon juice. Pulse 2-3 times to chop. Add yogurt to chopped eggplant. Pulse once or twice more to mix. Add eggplant yogurt mixture to casserole and place in oven to warm.
To serve, sprinkle lamb cubes over eggplant-yogurt mixture. Heat remaining butter and olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add fine-grind black pepper and hot red pepper. Let it sizzle for a second and then spoon over the meat. Serve warm.

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