Mehmets Ottoman Eggs Turkish Recipes

MEHMET'S OTTOMAN EGGS (TURKISH)

Steps:

• Peel, halve and then thinly slice the onions.
• Heat a generous amount of butter in a heavy frying pan. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt. Stir to coat onions in the melted butter.
• Cook over low heat for at least 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer you can cook the onions, the better. As the onions cook and become dry, sprinkle them with water. The idea is to end up with totally soft onions which are beginning to caramelize, but are not yet too brown and sweet. They should not be crispy at all. Taste and add more salt if you wish (you may find it helps to cover the pan for some of the cooking.)
• When the onions are caramelized, sprinkle with a small splash of vinegar, salt, pepper and red pepper or paprika. Mix thoroughly (you may also add a pinch of sugar, if you wish.)
• Make 4 indentations in the onions and carefully Crack an egg into each "nest". Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and cook gently until the eggs are covered with a thin transparent film. The whites should be set, but the yolks should still be runny.
• Serve immediately with bread or toast.

MENEMEN (TURKISH SCRAMBLED EGGS)

Steps:

• Sauce: Roughly chop the peppers by slicing off the tops, then cut strips lengthwise around the core. Dice strips, discarding the core with some of the rib and most of the seeds. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add peppers, a pinch of salt, tomato paste, harissa, Maras (or Aleppo) pepper, and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the scallions and add to the peppers when they're soft, after about 3 minutes.
• Halve tomatoes crosswise and pull out some of the seeds. Put a box grater in a bowl and grate the tomatoes over the largest holes until all that's left is the flattened tomato skin. Stir grated tomatoes into the peppers along with the remaining tablespoon of oil and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked and the sauce is thickened, 3-4 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
• Eggs: Whisk eggs with a pinch of salt. Set aside. Stir parsley and remaining tablespoon of butter into the pepper-tomato mixture. Slowly pour in the eggs, stopping and stirring in 4 additions. The eggs will scramble right away but also make the sauce creamy. Stir until eggs are still slightly runny but set, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest (eggs will continue cooking) while you prepare the garnish.
• Assembly: Thinly slice cucumbers on a mandoline. Set aside. Untwist string cheese, pulling it apart into thin strands. Set aside. Spoon eggs evenly into pita bread. Garnish with string cheese and cucumbers (or leave on the side) and enjoy like a breakfast burrito.

TURKISH EGGS (CILBIR)

Steps:

• Spoon yogurt into a medium bowl. Grate in garlic and mix to combine. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Add dill and mix thoroughly. Set aside at room temperature.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; heat until bubbles begin to burst. Add cumin, paprika, and chili flakes. Stir until color is uniform, then turn off heat and let spices infuse.
• Grind parsley and jalapeno together in a mortar. Season with salt, drizzle in olive oil, and stir to combine.
• Fill a large saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, pour in vinegar, and keep the water at a gentle simmer. Crack an egg into a small bowl then gently slip egg into the simmering water, holding the bowl just above the surface of water. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Cook eggs until the whites are firm and the yolks have thickened but are not hard, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon, dab on a kitchen towel to remove excess water, and place onto a warm plate.
• Dollop yogurt mixture onto serving plates. Use the back of a spoon to spread yogurt out into a bed for the eggs, carving ridges into the top to catch the oil. Drizzle on some jalapeno oil. Top with eggs and a spoonful or two of the Aleppo butter. Sprinkle sea salt on top.

MENEMEN (TURKISH SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH TOMATO)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a nonstick medium skillet over medium-high. Add the onion, oregano and Aleppo pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in the green pepper and cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
• While the onions and peppers are cooking, purée half the tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Once the onions and peppers are soft, add the remaining chopped tomatoes to the onions and peppers. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl, add the puréed tomatoes and whisk until foamy.
• Once the mixture in the skillet comes to a simmer, stir in the 1/4 cup parsley and the butter, if using. Reduce heat to low, add the egg mixture on top and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are set but still soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste, adding a little more salt, oregano or Aleppo pepper, if needed. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve directly from the skillet, with flatbread alongside.