Braised eggs with beef and smoked aubergine – Ottolenghi

10/08/20234passionfood

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4 people

This braised eggs with beef and smoked aubergine is a very comforting dish, rich in Middle Eastern flavors as tradition dictates with Yotam Ottolenghi.

This recipe is quite surprising, it is an incredibly balanced mix of ingredients and flavors. Ottolenghi always knew how to enhance vegetables by highlighting the flavors of the Middle East. In this dish, the aubergine with its smoky flavour goes perfectly with all these spices: cinnamon, chili pepper, cumin, as well as sumac with its tangy taste which perfectly seasons the eggs with runny yolks. And of course the famous tahini sauce, an essential, it is also the touch of indulgence that makes this dish exceptional.

This dish of braised eggs with beef and smoked aubergine is very easy to make. However, the aubergines take the longest, you can prepare them the day before and store them in the refrigerator.

You can remove the meat for a vegetarian version, which will be perfect for brunch or a light dinner with a warm pita bread. As you can use “Zaalouk” as a base for your dish.

Check the blog for more Ottolenghi and aubergines recipes which is in peak season by the way.

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Braised eggs, beef and smoked aubergine - Ottolenghi

10/08/2023 4passionfood

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients :

4 aubergines ( eggplant), 1.1 kg
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 200g)
6 garlic cloves , roughly chopped (20g)
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon , 1/4 tsp for me
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp tomato paste
300 g minced beef
2 medium tomatoes, chopped9 about 100g)
2 tsp preserved lemon, finely chopped (15g)
4 eggs
3/4 tsp sumac
1 Tbsp parsley , chopped
salt and black pepper

Tahini sauce :

40 g Tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove , crushed

To serve :

1 tsp Aleppo chilli
2 Tbsp Olive oil

Method :

1)
I wasn’t planning to publish this recipe, which is why I didn’t take pictures for the step by step, but I tried to explain to make it as clear as possible for you.

Pierce the aubergines using a fork or sharp knife in several places and place them directly on the flame of your stovetop. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, turning the aubergines occasionally with tongs. The skin should burn well and turn black. Using a sharp knife check the aubergines, if the flesh is very tender and the knife goes in easily, remove from the aubergines from the heat and place them in a colander.

Cut a slit all the way through each aubergine from top to the bottom and allow the juices to strain. Once cool, scoop out all the flesh, avoiding the skin as much as possible. You should have around 370g of aubergine flesh. Set aside
2)
Make the tahini sauce by mixing all the ingredients, the tahini ( sesame paste), lemon juice and the garlic. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of water. If the sauce is too thick, don’t hesitate to add a teaspoon of water at a time if it is stiff. The sauce needs to be thick and rich.
3)
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic, the chilli, cinnamon, cumin and tomato paste and sauté for about 6 minutes on a medium – high heat, to soften and colour a bit. Then add the minced beef, a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, brown over high heat for 6 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the tomatoes finely chopped, the preserved lemon and the aubergines flesh ( I had to chop it finely so the kids will eat it ), continue cooking for 5 minutes ( 10 minutes for me ).

If the sauce is very thick add a little of water around 90 ml, I didn’t do it, I wanted a thick sauce. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Make 4 wells and break the eggs into each, cook over low heat for 10 minutes. The egg whites should be firm and cooked while the yolks should remain runny.

Remove from the heat and dot with dollops of tahini sauce, sprinkle with the sumac (and the Aleppo chilli if you want), don’t forget the parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve immediately with bread.

Enjoy !!

Nutrition

Braised eggs with beef and smoked aubergine – Ottolenghi